WINGS Andrew Wagstaff and Neil McKim will sit out Saturday's trip to the Brewery Field as Ebbw Vale take on Bridgend.
Both limped away from last weekend's 45-6 defeat by Neath at Eugene Cross Park and are being rested by Vale coach Mike Ruddock.
Wagstaff has a swollen knee, while McKim has a long-standing Achilles tendon injury and while they are not serious both will benefit from missing Saturday's match to recuperate.
Their places will go to Aaron Takarangi and centre Rhys Shorney who will take over and promising Under-21 players Ross Watts and Andrew Bevan have been drafted into the side.
With Shorney moving out from centre, Paul Matthews comes in and after impressing in the away match against Montauban, Ruddock is hoping last season's full-back will take his chance to impress.
Although not set to name his team until tomorrow, Ruddock expects the same pack that started last Saturday night's match against Neath to take the field at Bridgend in the Welsh/Scottish League match.
Bridgend were beaten up front by the Steelmen in the home match at Eugene Cross Park this season and Ruddock is hoping his towering pack can counter the effects of the home side's eight which includes former Vale player Deiniol Jones.
After Vale dominated the first 40 minutes of last weekend's defeat, Ruddock is hoping his team can get the result they deserve.
Ruddock said: "Our target is to play for the full 80 minutes the way we did against Neath, we can be competitive down at Bridgend, but I'm sure they know plenty about us. "We took their forwards apart in the first meeting this season and we smashed them in the scrums, while they frustrated our line out.
"Hopefully if our forwards can win as much ball as they did against Neath, then we our backs can take their opportunities."
Ebbw Vale squad: M James, R Shorney, P Matthews, D Weatherley, A Takarangi, G Cull, K Ellis, D Penisini, L Phillips, M Jones, N Edwards, O Booyse, C Billen, P Williams, W Thomas, A Bevan, R Watts, R Mills, J Evans, K Tuipulotu, R Williams.
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