If you believe in symmetry and destiny in sport, then there can be only one winner of the inaugural Super Rygbi Cymru title in Sunday’s Grand Final – Newport!
Ebbw Vale will no doubt have something to say about that, and they are unbeaten at home this season in all competitions, but might the stars align to make it an extra-special celebration for the world renowned Black & Ambers as they come to the close of their 150th anniversary season.
Formed in September 1874 after a meeting at the Dock Road Brewery in Newport, the club attempted to play association football before turning to rugby. Their first game was against the Glamorgan club in Cardiff on 5 April 1875.
In season 1877-78 the South Wales Challenge Cup was inaugurated and after beating Pontypool, Llanelli, Carmarthen and Llandovery along the way, they then beat Swansea by a goal to nil at Bridgend to take the inaugural title. They also won it the next year as well.
It is interesting to think that in reaching the first SRC final Ty Morris’ side have had to play against four of the clubs – Pontypool, Carmarthen, Llandovery and Swansea – they beat almost 150 years ago to carry off the first piece of silverware put up in the history of Welsh rugby.
There were between 1,200 and 2,000 fans at the game staged at the Cricket Ground at Newbridge Fields according to local media reports. The only scores of the game came from a try by E Jenkins which was converted into a goal by AJ Moggridge – 1 point to nil.
The won the original Challenge Cup five times and were beaten in another final and two years after celebrating their centenary season they won the WRU Schweppes Cup at the National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park.
They won the revamped cup competition for the second time in their 126th season in 2000-01 and notched a third win in 2022.
Ebbw can also boast a history that includes some major silverware. They were crowned Western Mail Unofficial Welsh Club Champions in 1952, 1954, 1957 and 1960, claimed the Snelling Sevens title in 1958 and were Welsh Challenge Cup runners up in 1999.
They won back-to-back Division 1 East titles championships in 2011 and 2012 and WRU Championship crowns in 2013 and 2014. They then became Principality Premiership play-off winners against Pontypridd at Sardis Road in 2016.
This season they were beaten in the inaugural SRC Cup final at Church Bank by Llandovery but are back for more this weekend when they seek to extend their unbeaten home sequence to 14 games this season.
It promises to be the game of the season in the second tier of professional rugby in Wales. Kick off at the CINER Glass Stadium, Eugene Cross Park is at 2.30pm.
Ben Breakspear will be the man in the middle with Adam Jones and Carwyn Sion as his assistants.