The Steelemen dethroned serial champions Pontypridd at Sardis Road last season to claim their first Premiership title. Ebbw Vale’s crowning moment had been six years in the making following their relegation from the top-flight in 2010.
The men from Eugene Cross Park were denied the perfect return when they were beaten by Ponty in the 2015 final. But they managed to go one better a year later to etch their names in Ebbw Vale’s history. And skipper Hudd is not ready to give up the prize they worked so hard for.
He said: “Being reigning champions brings added pressure to the players and the club. But there is pressure on everyone playing in the Premiership because it’s a prize everyone is fighting for. Once you’ve won it once, you want to win it again and again as Pontypridd and Neath have done in the past. We’ve recovered from our opening defeat against Llanelli so we just have to keep on winning now.
“I try to lead from the front and I’ve taken up a part-time coaching role. Hopefully the boys at the club will follow me.”
Nigel Davies’ men were beaten in their season opener against Llanelli before recovering to beat Newport at home. Flanker Ronnie Kynes crossed for 19 tries last season, and was back on the scoresheet on the weekend.
Kynes scored most of his tries from the back of rolling mauls, but he admits he has had to change his game with recent rule changes making it more difficult to crash over from close range.
He said: “I’ve been taking all the glory at the back of the driving maul, but the rules have changed slightly so I will have to share out the tries. I want to score some more from open play which I managed to do against Newport.”
