CROSS Keys coach Greg Woods will be ringing the changes for his side’s Principality Premiership clash with Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground on Saturday (2.30pm).

But Woods has said it is not wholly as a result of Keys’ derby defeat to Newport at Rodney Parade last time out.

That is part of the reason but the Pandy Park chief is also mindful of Key’s upcoming Swalec Cup semi-final against Carmarthen Quins on April 16.

Woods wants to give all of his squad a chance to stake a claim for a place in the team for that last-four meeting.

Captain Leon Andrews could make his comeback from an elbow injury this weekend, with Woods stating that he is “90 per cent fit”.

“We will definitely be making changes for the weekend,” said Woods.

“One, because of the result last Saturday, but also because everyone should be given a chance to earn a place in the team for the cup semi-final.

“Leon is close to being fully fit and he has got to be right for that semi-final.”

Reflecting on that loss to Newport, Woods added: “It was just a disappointing performance from us.

“We played well against the wind in the first half and were pretty confident coming out for the second half at 0-0.

“The wind was in our faces again in the second half but that wasn’t the deciding factor.

“They took their chances to score and we couldn’t convert the pressure we had in their 22 into points.

“Credit to Newport, they deserved to win the game.

“We were good in the contact area and our scrum was good, we just need to be a bit more threatening in attack really.

“We probably haven’t got any room for error now and need 18-20 points more to make the play-offs.”

Keys are sixth in the league standings but have games in hand on all of the other sides above them.

And Saturday's match is the first in a busy period for the Gwent club, with the reverse fixture against Newport next Saturday and Ebbw Vale visiting Pandy Park four days earlier on Tuesday.