Maesteg have plenty of cup experience, including former British Lions stars John Devereux and Allan Batemen, but meet the tough challenge of Llangennech in one of the three matches that will see Division One clubs in opposition.
Llanharan, under the former Pontypridd and Wales coach Dennis John, face the trip to Pill Harriers and he is set to produce a shock choice at lock in the 1990-91 Wales cap Glyn Llewellyn, whose rugby this season has been restricted to one match as a replacement. John commented: “The Cup is just as important as the league and doubly so to keep a winning run going.
“We will worrying about one match at a time and I will think about who we might play next, only if we win on Saturday. We had a good run in the cup when I was with Pontypridd and that is good for any club to have.”
Former Wales scrum-half David Bishop, is still turning out as player-coach of Cardiff-based Old Illtydians 20 years after lifting the trophy with Pontypool and the Old Boys are playing at Cefn Cribbwr.
“The competition this year will be as exciting as ever culminating in a semi-final double header played at the Cup Final venue, our own Millennium Stadium,” said WRU commercial manager Gwyn Thomas.
“Konica Minolta have seen the value in the tournament and made an extremely welcome investment into Welsh Rugby, which shows the level to which our stock is rising. The fact that our regional sides won’t be involved in the competition has given it a different kind of strength, in that the playing field is very much a level one now.”
Alan Devonald, Managing Director of Konica Minolta Wales, sees this new investment in Welsh rugby as an exciting addition to his company’s sponsorship portfolio.
“We have always been enthusiastic supporters of Welsh sport,” he said. “The recent launch of the Konica Minolta brand in Wales is an exciting and appropriate time for us to be expanding our sponsorship of the WRU and the ‘Konica Minolta Cup’ in particular.”
At the end of tomorrow’s matches, 48 clubs will be going forward to next week’s draw along with the 16 Premier clubs
