NEWBRIDGE flanker John Bowd is destined to play in Premier rugby soon, his Welfare Ground coaches and club supporters agree.

But though the dynamic 21-year-old is ambitious to play in the Welsh/Scottish League, he would prefer it to be with his current club.

"I'm ambitious enough to want to play in the top league, but preferably with Newbridge," said Abertillery-born Bowd, a trainee gas engineer with Blaenau Gwent Council. "I hope we can win the First Division Championship this season and then get through the play-off.

"In the past couple of seasons we have been top around Christmas and then faded badly. Currently we are handily placed to make a challenge and I think this season we are good enough to sustain it.

"Although we have won eight games in a row I still don't think we have clicked all round. When we do somebody is going to get a hiding."

Last season Bowd was determined centre was going to be his position, but now he is back on the flank and that's where he aims to stay.

"I went for a Welsh Youth trial a few years back and because of the number of good flankers I was persuaded to take my chance in the centre," he said. "That's where I played for Newbridge, but I decided I wanted to go back as a flanker this season.

"Things are going well for me personally and the team at the moment." Bowd had a shoulder operation last season and was out for three months, but is fine now judging by the big hits he has put in this season. He will need to put a few more in tomorrow when Newbridge, in fifth, face Blackwood, sixth, in a crunch match.

"I watched Blackwood play Pontypool and was very impressed with their pack in the first half," he added. "It will be a hard battle, but I'd like to think we can do the job."

Huw Lock returns for Newbridge at full back after recovering from tonsillitis while Matthew Griffin, on loan from Cardiff, is a replacement.

Blackwood have front row problems and delay naming their side. Props Peter Harriman (pulled calf muscle), Ioan Jones (groin) and Julian Price (back) and hooker Andrew Peacock (neck) face fitness tests along with second row Wayne Sims (bruised leg). Newbridge: H Lock, A Harriman, A Green, S Webley, M Ridley, J Williams, M Taylor, P Douglas, D Williams, P Taylor, G Gladwyn, A Edwards, J Bowd, M Ackerman, S Greedy. Replacements: M Sage, G Turner, A Oliver, M Price, L Davies, D Cooper, M Griffin. Kick-off 2.30pm.