IT'S good to talk and Cross Keys forwards coach Greg Woods hopes he is able to catch up with an old friend with a smile on his face tomorrow afternoon.

Nicky Lloyd swapped Pandy Park for the Talbot Athletic Ground last summer and returns with Aberavon, who are in the last four of the Konica Minolta Cup and in the battle for second spot in the table.

Woods has kept in contact with his old coaching pal and is determined to be the one with a spring in his step after the game following the 30-6 thumping the Wizards dished out when the sides met earlier in the season.

"We phone each other every Sunday," he said. "Some days it's after we have both won while others it's like a Samaritans call! Recently Nicky has been winning more than I have but hopefully that will all change this weekend.

"We'll have a pint afterwards and I just hope it's after a Cross Keys win, even by one-point will do me. He's a typical scrum-half, yapping in your ear, so it's crucial that we get our own back for earlier in the season!"

Last weekend was another frustrating defeat for Keys, the latest in the long line of games that could be filed under played well but lost'.

Swansea won their tenth game on the bounce and looked set to romp home after building a 20-0 lead only for Keys to fight back to eventually go down 23-19.

"We have played some tremendous stuff at times but the problem is that we haven't been able to string together 80 minutes," said Woods. "I was fearing the worst in the first half against Swansea but we were terrific after the break and just ran out of time.

"We need to take heart from that second half and start like we finished. It's not going to be an end of season throw around and that's pleasing for me.

"Training has been intense and it will be until the end of the season. Most of the squad will be here next year so it would be great to finish well and climb a few places.

"They will come here with a big, strong heavy pack and while it's a blow for them losing Jamie Davies (fly-half and the Premiership's top scorer) they are still dangerous, particularly young centre Ashley Beck."

Newport Gwent Dragon Aled Thomas comes in at full back for Leon Andrews, who injured his arm at Swansea, while Mark Curtis captains the side from lock with Ben Watkins on the bench.

Keys: A Thomas, J Leadbetter, C Pocock, D Price, M Pewtner, S Sneddon, O Jones, J Price, L Burns, C Gould, M Curtis (captain), A Sweet, G Gladwyn, T Lampard, C Bridges. Replacements: D Preece, N Buck, B Watkins, R Peebles, R James, B Fisher, AN Other.

l Cross Keys former players are meeting before the game, and they should arrive at 12 for 12.30pm.