Phillips’s team may have sewn up their fourth straight Principality Premiership title, but lost both home and away to the Valley’s side and Phillips claims: “All the confidence or any psychological advantage would lie with Ponty at the moment”.
But Phillips could still see his side clinch the club’s first Premiership and Cup double, if they can overturn Pontypridd at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday (May 17th).
The Blacks have been crowned Championship winners for the fourth season in a row, but failed to achieve the double in 2005 after winning the Premiership, then losing to Pontypridd in the Cup Final.
Pontypridd recently defeated Neath 10-23 at the Gnoll, admittedly with senior players rested, but Phillips still sees the performance as a disappointing.
“We’ve been to finals in the past as favourites and as underdogs and finals are totally different to any games throughout the season. It sounds like an old cliché but it is whoever plays the best on the day wins.”
Phillips is determined to see this Cup final as one game, playing down the potential for his side to win the historic double, adding, “I’m not focusing on the romantic side or cliché of the chance of winning the double. What I’m focusing on is preparing the team to be able to win a game of rugby, and what goes with the success we take.”
And Neath’s preparation for the Cup game are going well with a convincing 46-27 win and performance over old rivals Swansea at the Gnoll. “The club’s only focus must be on that we prepare well and we’re mentally in the right place for that game,” claimed Phillips.
Two years ago Pontypridd grabbed the win by a single point 26-25, when Dai Flanagan booted over a drop goal in injury time and denied Neath the double. Phillips believes that both teams have changed since that day and thinks the club are stronger from the experience, “What was disappointing was us clawing our way back into the lead and then losing in the final minute, but those things do happen in rugby.”
Looking back at this competition in the 1990s, the then Swalec Cup, Phillips adds, “In 1990 I played for Neath against Bridgend in the Cup final and we were watched by a crowd of about 55,000 which is massive. The tournament may have lost its appeal slightly since going to the semi-professionalism, but I believe that both ourselves and Ponty have loyal fans, and what we’d like now is good support from both clubs and we can get some atmosphere going there.”
“We enjoy playing in the Cup, and it’s a great competition and a chance for us to play in the Millennium Stadium at the end of the year.”
If Neath can pull off the double, then celebrations are likely to be slightly muted due to thoughts of seriously injured scrum half Gareth Jones. Phillips and his squad have commented, “We want to win the cup for Gareth, and our thoughts are with him and his family at this difficult time.”
