THE SOUTH WALES PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK - COME TO A CLUB NEAR YOU

The South Wales Premier League, one of the best leagues in Wales is back tonight, Thursday 15^th September. Rhiwbina are the defending Champions after their playoff win against Strings last season, both teams are back looking for success this year as well as other teams including Newport, St Mellons, Caldicot, Cardiff and Abergavenny.

Tonights fixtures are Newport ‘A’ v Sttrings (LIVE ONLINE) Abergavenny v Caldicot in the all Gwent clash, defending Champions travel to newly promoted Strings ‘B’ and Cardiff play host to St Mellons. The captains and players have been looking forward to tonight and getting the league underway, for the next 14 weeks every Thursday the Premier League teams will be battling it out to be Champions.

Ian Fenner Evans, Captain of Caldicot said “it’s going to be a challenging season once again, but a great opportunity for our younger players to gain experience” With the loss of two players in the summer Caldicot have brought in one new player Sam Ellis and are blooding a junior at number 5 string in Louis Randle. Caldicot are playing Abergavenny tonight in the all Gwent clash, Abergavenny who achieved double promotion last season are looking forward to the new challenge of maintaining their Premier League status.

In the LIVE match tonight Newport play host to last years pre Christmas Champions and overall season runner up Strings ‘A’. Dave Howe the Strings captain said “Were looking forward to another great season. Starting at Newport is a good and hard fixture to blow out the cobwebs! Hopefully we can get off to a good start and have another successful season”. A great fixture in prospect tonight with two of the top teams in the league, the LIVE coverage starts at 6.30pm tonight online via the Squash Wales website and the SWPL website.

Another great fixture will be Cardiff ‘A’ v St Mellons at Cardiff Squash Club, former pro’s as well as upcoming juniors all in the mix with current Masters Internationals. Nic Birt the Cardiff captain said “a great way to start a new season, a very close match, our pre season training at altitude in Columbia will hopefully pay off” St Mellons who have won the SWPL more than any other team, their captain and Masters International Paul Barrell said “Following a full summer of strenuous match preparation (mostly at the pub and on the beach) the St Mellons squad of David Evans, Alexis Cole, Joel Preece, Paul Barrell, Macario Chung and Paul Aubrey are looking forward to some great matches this season and a top three finishing position in the league. Well, perhaps the matches won't be so great and we won't finish in the top three but there will be plenty of sweat and pointless running around and that's the way we like it. Look out everyone!”

In the other fixture of the night Rhiwbina the defending Champions take on newly promoted Strings ‘B’, a tough start for the team from West Wales but with home advantage they will look to pick up some valuable points. Rhiwbina are basically unchanged from last season with the addition of Jason Burgon at 5 who played in the team last season while playing for the second team.

Good luck to all the teams and players, if you’re a fan of top quality squash in Wales then come down to a club near you to watch the action. If you cant make it then watch online LIVE tonight or catch the replay tomorrow.

Also if you can’t get enough of the squash then join our FREE FANTASY SQUASH LEAGUE, a great way to be a squash team manager and pick your best team, rules are available online.

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by Damian Burgess - Press Officer Squash Wales

SWPL WEEK 14 - FINAL WEEK

It is the final week of the South Wales Premier League (SWPL) this week and the top of the table is as tight as it can be, pre Christmas Champions Strings from Swansea are only one point behind league leaders Rhiwbina. Thursday 21^st April  are  the final fixtures of the season with Strings at home to Cardiff and Rhiwbina at home to St Mellons.

Strings have led the league most of the season until the top two teams met  on 31st March, Rhiwbina were strong  on the night and won the match 4-1, 18-4 and turned around a 13-point gap. Alex Gough was called in for that match to the surprise of the travelling Strings, Alex played at 2 string that night strengthening the Rhiwbina team down the order.

Tonight Cardiff travel to Strings. Cardiff will be without Nyall Driscoll as he is away with the Welsh  team in the  Under 19 European Team Championships, they may be without Nic Birt at number 1 string as he  was with  the Welsh Team as their coach  for the individual event. Strings will look to get maximum points tonight to keep the pressure on Rhiwbina who play St Mellons at home. St Mellons have David Evans at 1 for them; the former World Number 3 and 2000 British Open Champion will look to keep his unbeaten record in the SWPL tonight when he faces current Welsh number 1 and Welsh National Champion (2010 and 2011) Peter Creed.

Strings Captain Dave Howe said “ I'm excited about the last game and hoping to win the league outright rather than get dragged into a play off. Having led the league for most of the year by putting out the same committed group of boys it was a shame to lose top spot when the presence of Goughy (Alex Gough) in one match has thrown it wide open. Hopefully we can reward the commitment of Sue and Paul Davies(Strings Squash Club owners) and all members at  Strings by becoming champions in front of a home crowd. Good luck to  Rhiwbina in their match, great climax to the season”

Rhiwbina Captain Matthew O’Conner said “The Rhiwbina CSC team are looking for their first Welsh top league success after a few decades since they were last title holders. After the tightest season for a long time it comes down to the last match to decide the champions with the prospect of Welsh Champion  Peter Creed vs Wales most successful player of all time David Evans being the match that clinches it for Rhiwbina or hands it to Strings depending on their result against Cardiff. Great night of  squash ahead”

As well as  the Rhiwbina and Strings fixtures, Caldicot travel to Llanelli and UWIC travel to Newport.  Caldicot and UWIC are both hovering around the drop zone so vital games for these teams in a quest to stay in the SWPL. Good luck to all the teams and congratulations to all of them  for  providing us with a great season of top-flight squash.

If Rhiwbina do win the SWPL post Christmas league then Strings, who won it pre Christmas and Rhiwbina will have a playoff match at Cardiff Squash Club Thursday May 5^th to determine the overall SWPL Champion of the 2010/2011 season.

Why not go down to a club near you with a SWPL fixture.  There are matches at Newport, Llanelli, Rhiwbina and Strings as well as Premier ‘B’ fixtures at Abergavenny and Cardiff Squash Club. If you can’t get to one of these you can follow all that is going on at any of the matches LIVE on facebook, keep up to date with all the scores from all the games from 7pm on Thursday 21^st April, it could be a great night with twists and turns around every corner.

Words From Damian Burgess Press Officer, Squash Wales