Greg Woods Urges Ebbw Vale To End 20-Year Wait For Cup Redemption

Greg Woods gets a guard of honour at Cross Keys. Pic: Chris Meaker.

Greg Woods Urges Ebbw Vale To End 20-Year Wait For Cup Redemption

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Ebbw Vale coach Greg Woods has challenged his players to make history this season and go on to lift the WRU National Cup for the first time.

The Steelmen head to familiar territory for Woods this weekend for a semi-final clash with Merthyr. Having spent a decade coaching Cross Keys, Woods will know every blade of grass at Pandy Park as he plans to cause an upset and steer his new club into their first final since 1998.

Woods wants his players to go one better than the team of 20 years ago and knock mighty Merthyr off course in their bid for a league and cup double when they clash in the second semi-final at Pandy Park (5.15 pm Live on S4C).

“We know we are playing one of the best teams in the tournament and that we have to be better than them on the day. We’ve got to be prepared to fight to the death,” said Woods, who steered Cross Keys to six semis and two finals.

“I saw Merthyr beat Llandovery earlier in the week and they have got threats all over the pitch. The biggest compliment I can pay them is that they can play any style of rugby.

“It will be a small advantage to us that the game won’t be played on an artificial surface and the fact it is in Gwent will mean we will have big support. It is all about this team playing for each other and playing for their town.

“They have worked so hard since I arrived in December and there is a strong core of players who won the Premiership title a few seasons ago. That experience will be vital in the semi-final.

“We’ve looked at the stats and noted it is 20 years since Ebbw Vale last reached the final. There is a chance for this team to write their names in history over the course of the next few weeks.”

So, too, with Merthyr, who are six points clear at the top of the Principality Premiership with six games to go in the defence of their title, as they attempt to go one better than last season when they were pipped in almost the last play at the semi-final stage by eventual champions RGC 1404 at Sardis Road.

Their only defeat this year came at home when Newport beat them by a point last month and when they met The Steelmen in the first half of the Premiership campaign they came out on top 55-7 at home and 33-20 away.

In the first semi-final, which kicks-off at 2.30pm at Aberavon’s Talbot Athletic Ground, Newport will hope to reach their first final since 2003. They meet two-time winners Llandovery, who last picked up the title two years ago.

Head coach Euros Evans and his back room team are still in place from that great day and he returned from a family skiing holiday in Austria last night in time to make the final preparations for a potential third trip to the Principality Stadium.

“It would be amazing for a small club like ours to reach the final for a third time. There are a number of much bigger clubs with even greater history than ours who haven’t managed that,” said Evans.

“We are punching way above our weight, but the players who won the title against Carmarthen Quins two years ago all want to go back to the Principality Stadium and enjoy another fantastic day out. Getting there again once again won’t be easy, though, as Newport are one of the most improved teams in the Premiership this season.

“It was nip and tuck when we played them at home at the end of last month (24-19) but neither side showed too much of their hand with one eye on the semi-final. Realistically this is our best chance of winning some silverware this season and we intend to make the most of our opportunity.”

Newport warmed-up for their shot at the final with a thrilling, last-gasp win against Swansea on Tuesday. The Balck & Ambers have been hit by a number of injuries and skipper Rhys Jenkins is definitely ruled out

WRU National Cup Semi-Finals

Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Elliot Frewen, Tom Pascoe, Chay Smith, Jon Morris; Matt O’Brien, Ryan James; John Lavender, Will Evans, Tom Piper, Joe Bartlett, Dan Partridge, Kyle Tayler, Lennon Greggains, Alex Everett
Reps:  Henry Palmer, Nicky Boyce, A N Other, Andrew Mann, Josh Reid, Owen Davies, Haydn Simons, Harri Lang

Llandovery: Lee Williams; Corey Baldwin, Ryan Evans, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Jack Maynard, Lee Rees ; Berian Watkins, Dafydd Hughes, Scott Jenkins, Jack Jones, Joe Powell, Duane Eager, Stuart Worrall, Richard Brooks (captain)
Reps: Llyr Green, Jamie Kaijaks, Morgan Jones, Lewis Ellis-Jones, Ricky Guest, Rhodri Wall, Kristian Jones, Scott Maynard

 

Ebbw Vale v Merthyr
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Toby Fricker, James Lewis, Dom Franchi, Steff Thomas; Dai Langdon, Dai Jones; Ross Jones, Rhys Francis, Rob Sevenoaks, Kristian Parker, Lance Randall, Cameron Reagan, Ronny Kynes (captain), Lewis Young
Reps: Mathew Williams, Joel Harries, Curtis Hicks, Jon Davies, Joe Franci, Sam Ireland, Srdan Makjic, Lewis Dennett

Merthyr: Matthew Jarvis; Kyle Evans, Tom Riley, Arron Pinches, Richard Carter; Richard Powell, Justin James; Nathan Trevett, Rhys Williams, Joe Rees, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke(captain), Nick White, Osian Davies, Phil Rees

Reps: Louis Jones, Matt Dwyer, Rhys James, Jarryd Davies, Ed Siggery, Adam Hoskins, Gareth Davies, Josh Martin

 

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