Last season’s WRU Championship winners Merthyr were 34-23 victors’ over their closest rivals for the top spot, Aberavon, and are now certain of a home draw in the semi-finals. Bedwas won a thriller at the Bridge Field as they overcame Pontypridd 30-27.
Now the battle is on to see who will join them in the semi-finals, with four teams still in the hunt. Merthyr top the table with 25 points ahead of their final fixture at the home of reigning champions Ebbw Vale this weekend.
The Steelmen fell to a 21-15 defeat at Llandovery to dent their hopes of staying in the fight for the title. Their losing bonus point at Church Bank leaves them in sixth place going into the final round of regular season matches on 13 points.
They must now hope that the two teams immediately above them, RGC 1404 and Pontypridd, don’t pick up any more than two points when they meet at Sardis Road on Saturday. They are both on 15 points, with Aberavon just ahead on 20.
It means that whoever wins at Sardis Road will be guaranteed a place in the top four. A draw, with neither side picking up a bonus point, would allow Ebbw Vale to creep in if they can pick up five points at home against Merthyr.
The only game that won’t have anything riding on it this weekend will be the battle between the bottom two sides, Llandovery and Carmarthen Quins. Aberavon will host Bedwas, with the winners guaranteed a home play-off.
Aberavon v Bedwas
Ebbw Vale v Merthyr
Llandovery v Carmarthen Quins
Pontypridd v RGC 1404
Bedwas turned the tables on Pontypridd to claim a 30-27 triumph and cement their place in the Principality Premiership table. Tries from centres Garyn Smith and Gary Williams as well as a solo Ceri Sweeney score looked to have done the damage for Ponty.
But the hosts fought back with a Pat Lewis brace and a Matthew John score, before Richard Powell’s penalty sealed the victory to leave Pontypridd outside the top-four. The visitors got off to a dream start when centre Gary Williams made a storming break before the ball was worked to midfield partner Smith, who sliced through the defence to score.
Ceri Sweeney converted, but the hosts got back into it in spectacular fashion when Powell received the ball and gave a no-look pass over the shoulder for John to score at the corner. Sweeney struck a penalty before Powell answered with one of his own before Williams scored a crucial try on the stroke of half-time when he crossed.?
Sweeney rolled back the years when he pierced the defensive line and sprinted 30 metres to score. Ponty were well on-top before Pat Lewis intercepted a pass in his own 22 and sprinted home to score before John raced over at the corner for his second.
Powell slotted a penalty with eight minutes remaining before Sweeney answered, but Powell had the last laugh two minutes from time.
RGC 1404 stayed on course for a possible league and cup double as they picked up the bonus point win they needed to stay in the hunt for a play-off place in Tier 1 as they saw off Carmarthen Quins 38-20 at Parce Eirias.
It means the Cup winners will head to Sardis Road this weekend with a chance of making the top four and creeping into the semi-finals. They beat Saturday’s hosts, Pontypridd, in the cup final at the Principality Stadium.
The Gogs bagged the bonus point before the break, but then had to weather a storm as the Quins hit back. The visitors were 22 points adrift at one stage, but then closed the gap to eight points with two converted tries.
Steffan Marshall gave the Quins an early lead with the first of his two penalties in the first-half, but then RGC got going. Man of the match Tom Hughes powered over, wing Carwyn ap Myrddin crossed twice and then Andrew Williams brought up the bonus point.
Jacob Botica’s boot added four conversions and the Quins, without a win in five games since the split, were in deep trouble. Shaun Evans eased their worries with a try on the stroke of half time and then wing Morgan Griffiths ran in a second on the hour to make it 28-20. RGC steadied the ship with a Botica penalty before Tom Seddon added a fifth try, which Botica again converted.
Merthyr secured a home draw in the playoffs with a bonus-point, 34-23 triumph over title rivals Aberavon. A Gary Powell brace and tries from fellow front-rowers Rhys Williams and Nathan Trevett guaranteed a top-two finish while Aberavon bagged a late losing bonus.
Merthyr got off to the perfect start when former Cardiff Blues prop Powell crashed over from close-range and Matthew Jarvis converted for a 7-0 lead. But the Wizards conjured up a comeback while the hosts were down to 14-men.
Flying wing Stef Andrews raced in at the corner for an unconverted try before flanker Joseph crashed over. Stef Williams recovered from two missed conversions with a penalty to make it 13-7, before the Ironmen hit back.
Powell managed to barge over the line for an unlikely brace, but Ospreys wing Jay Baker showed the defence a clean pair of heels to give the visitors an 18-17 lead at half-time. Jarvis was on-target with a penalty after the break before they pulled further clear to all-but guarantee their playoff place.
Hooker Williams was the man of the moment as he crossed for a crucial score which Jarvis converted to make it 27-18. And replacement prop Trevett bagged the bonus-point late on to secure their playoff place before Ben Jones stole a late try-scoring bonus-point for Aberavon.
Ebbw Vale’s defence of their Premiership title took a hammer blow as they were beaten 21-15 at Llandovery to leave them relying on other results to reach to reach the top four.
Drovers outside-half Jack Maynard was the difference with a try and 11 points from the boot to add to Dean Howells’ score. The Steelmen are now playing catchup in the race for the playoffs despite a penalty try and a Dom Franchi effort.
Llandovery were out of the playoff reckoning but they made the early breakthrough when their influential outside-half Maynard spotted a gap and raced home. But they were soon on the back foot after Llandovery prop Howells was sent to the sin-bin.
Josh Lewis notched his first penalty before the Steelemen turned on the power up-front and earned a penalty try. Lewis converted to make it 10-8 before Maynard landed a pair of penalties to edge Llandovery back in-front.
The West Walians had the chance to extend their lead with another penalty, but it was missed and the first-half ended 11-10. Howells made up for his early indiscipline to put his side in firm control when he dived over for a converted try.
Franchi struck back for Nigel Davies’ side, but Maynard kept them at arm’s length with a third penalty. And that was the way it stayed to put a huge dent in the defence of Ebbw Vale’s title.
