PONTYPOOL RFC head coach Leighton Jones is confident his side will reap the rewards of a chastening return to action when drubbed 68-5 by Bristol Bears A.

Pooler headed to the Premiership side's training base for their first game since February 2020 and were up against a formidable Bears side featuring England number eight Nathan Hughes and rapid wing Niyi Adeolokun, a try scorer in Connacht's PRO12 triumph in 2016.

Jay Jones went over for the Gwent side but they shipped 10 tries in their first hit out ahead of the return of the WRU Championship.

"We are semi-professional, they are professional. Our boys will never get the chance to play against that quality of player," said Jones.

"Players like Nathan Hughes, for us it was nice for them to be on the field.

"Some of the boys are new to us, they've come up from lower leagues so for them to actually step on the field with a player with that experience [was great].

"He played 60 or 70 minutes – tackling him, carrying against him, that is life experience for some boys."

Pooler opted out of the Championship Cup and had to adapt their training schedule when the start of the league season was brought forward to November 13.

"It was good for the boys to get out there and play some real rugby," said Jones.

"We've been limited on what we can do in training so it's been nice to get out there and do some live stuff.

"From the scoreline we definitely came out second best but we can work on stuff there.

"There are a few positive areas but it was nice for the boys to get out there, get the jersey on and be together.

"The encouraging part, the last 10 minutes we were finishing with some phase play so the boys' attitudes were there, they were spot on and there was no giving up.

"The boys who came off the bench, some of them haven't even trained with us and they added to us as well. It was a tough day but there are positives in there."