Neath revel in triple league glory
Martin is aiming for a fifth title in a row personally, he won it with Newport four seasons ago before going on to be a major part of Neath’s hat-trick. In fact, Martin has been involved in every Premiership title-winning team since the regions were set up – a unique record.
“Neath is not the type of club to give anyone else a chance, we will make everybody work for it. We are hoping to kick on from this and achieve again, you have got to keep looking forward and Neath are certainly a club who are raising the bar at Premiership level,” said Martin.
“This was the most satisfying of our titles. When Arwel Thomas kicked over the drop goal at Pontypridd to win it it was a great feeling and up there with the top achievements of my career.
“The record will show this was the hardest of our three. In previous seasons we have been runaway leaders, but then that has made it more rewarding that we have come through a difficult challenge to beat the rest to the top.
“It has not been plain sailing for us this year and the quality of the league is increasing, Llandovery winning the Konica Minolta Cup was a fantastic achievement and shows any side can beat each other in this league.
“I do not think you can ever be blasé about winning championships because there have been a lot of quality players who have never won leagues, so to achieve it for this season has been a tremendous effort.
“I have won three championships with Neath but the first season of semi-pro rugby I was a Newport player so I have done four championships on the trot. I think I am the only one to have done that and it is a nice achievement.
“I have worked hard for it but you get your rewards if you do work hard and Neath have certainly had to work hard this year.”
Neath Coach Rowland Phillips says he is trying to continue the club’s traditional approach that brought a string of titles in the 1980s and 1990s.
“I like to say Neath is a unique team and probably a lot of other coaches will say the same about Cardiff, Pontypridd and so on, but Neath have got that element of the underdog, backs to the wall and all the other clichés of someone who really wants to fight to succeed. Nothing was clearer on that than this season, especially after Christmas when we had to fight to succeed and did,” said Phillips.
“That is handed down, it is an historical thing. That is one of the things I try to instil in the squad, to keep that historical vein of fighting for success, not accepting the situation but creating situations. That is something I learned very quickly under Ron Waldron, Glen Ball and Brian Thomas.
“Giving someone else a chance to win the title would go against the philosophy and the history of the club. We do not plan to win the league, but we plan to work hard and win each game. If we get all these elements then we could be sitting back here next year with another trophy, but only if we get that process right.
“There will be no let up in our standards, we will continue to improve our physical and fitness levels and maximise the ability of our squad – if that is good enough to win the league again then we will be happy with that.”
Phillips also paid tribute to captain Martin, who had collected his second title as skipper. “Steve is getting good at lifting cups. His experience helps, being involved with Newport and then us. It always helps having somebody who can draw on experience and apply it directly in each situation. I need a current player’s perspective as well and that is what Steve does, as well as his contribution as a top class player and leader.”
