The only team to have a bad dress-rehearsal was Pontypridd, who were beaten 35-20 at Aberavon in Tier 1 of the Principality Premiership. They were missing former Wales outside half Ceri Sweeney and inspirational skipper Dafydd Lockyer.
Their rivals in the third and final game on Easter Sunday, RGC 1404, enjoyed a 37-31 win over reigning Premiership champions Ebbw Vale to ensure they got into the game in fine fettle. Player-coach Phil John will be hoping to repeat his Cup final victory with Llandovery in 2007.
It will be one of the biggest days in the history of rugby in North Wales and for a handful of the players it will complete a journey from the lower reaches of Division 1 East to the home of Welsh Rugby. One of those key characters is former Wales Under 20 full back Afon Baghsaw, who reached 100 appearances for RGC earlier this season.
“This season was all about gaining experience and trying to establish ourselves because not many of the boys had played Premiership rugby. I think we’ve probably over achieved and to finish in the Top 8 changed our thinking,” admitted Bagshaw.
Expectations for the second phase of the season came from within the squad, and we knew we had to deliver the standards needed week in week out in the top tier. As for the cup, it was our aim to go one step further than last season, and we did that in reaching the semi-final.
“Competition for places in the squad is getting stronger every week and the first aim for everyone is to get into the match day 23. It’s great as it drives all the players on in training with so many big games ahead.
“We haven’t reached the levels needed in the Premiership since the split and, looking at the remaining games, they are all cup finals, not just the match at the Principality Premiership.”
The WRU National Cup final kicks-off at 5.35pm with the Gogs looking to add a new name to the list of winners having reached their first final. Pontypridd will be making their 13th trip to the final and are hoping to secure a seventh win.
In the WRU Plate final (3.15pm kick-off), Penallta will be hoping to end a year of pain after losing out 12-10 to Bedlinog in last season’s final thanks to a drop goal with the last kick of the match. The aim is to turn the agony of 12 months ago into ecstasy this weekend with a second title to add to their 2012 victory.
They warmed-up with a convincing 52-15 home win over Abertillery BG to stay in the hunt for a top two finish in Division 1 East. Joe Thomas helped himself to three of the eight tries and Joe Scrivens slotted six conversions.
They will face Ystalyfera, of Division 1 West Central, who went to Builth Wells last weekend and came up with a splendid 30-15 win. They have already accounted for four teams from East Wales, Abercarn, Rumney, Dowlais and Mountain Ash, in their run to the final and will be seeking to take the trophy beyond Bridgend for the first time since Ammanford won in 2011.
The next two weekends will determine whether or not Amman United’s season is a major success. They notched a 16th successive league win to remain three points clear at the top of Division 3 West B with a 75-6 home romp against New Dock Stars.
They will put their unbeaten record on the line against Caerphilly in the WRU National Bowl final (kick-off 1.00pm) on Sunday as they attempt to win the title for the first time. The following weekend they travel to last season’s winners, Burry Port, for a game that could well determine who wins the league title.
Amman have beaten Burry Port twice already this season, once in the league and once in the cup, but are only three points clear of them in the league with two games left to play. It is one of the most important weeks in the 114 year history of the club.
Caerphilly will go into the Bowl Final on the back of a 37-21 Division 3 East A home win over Newport HSOB. This week will be spent listening to the cup final experience of coaches Brett Davey and Matt Nuthall, who both won the WRU National Cup at the Principality Stadium during their Pontypridd days.
“It has been a tough effort trying to get Caerphilly back to where they think they should be. We’ve beaten Llandaff North, Markham, Oakdale, in horrendous conditions, Wattstown, Taffs Well and then Cilfynydd in the semi-final,” said Davey, a winner in 2002.
“We didn’t do ourselves justice in the semi-final – we were 20-0 up and we lost a bit of concentration – but hopefully we can do that in the final. We’ll be playing at the greatest rugby stadium in the world and we are looking to enjoy the day.”
One of the key men for Caerphilly will be outside half Matthew Hurley, who has scored more than 250 points already this season.
WRU NATIONAL FINALS DAY
WRU Bowl
Caerphilly v Amman United (kick-off 1.00pm)
WRU Plate
Penallta v Ystalyfera (kick-off 3.15pm)
WRU Cup
Pontypridd v RGC 1404 (kick-off 5.35pm)
