It will be a battle between the two best teams in the Premiership this season. The Wizards finished top of the table in the first-half of the season and the Ironmen ended as the top team in Tier 1 after the mid-season split.
“We are really up for the clash with Merthyr in the final after winning a fantastic game of rugby against Bedwas. It was heart-stopping at times, especially when we were level at 21-21,” said Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt, who saw his team come through with a 31-24 win.
“We beat Merthyr in the first-half of the season at home and then they won when we met after the turn-around. It was so important to win the toss to get home advantage in the final.
“It will be a huge psychological advantage for us and it will be fantastic if we can get a really big crowd to back us. It is going to be a huge challenge and we know we will have to get party at the set-piece after what the Merthyr pack did to RGC – we will do our homework, rest up and get ready for a really good battle on Sunday.”
Merthyr were first to claim their place in the final with a resounding 35-7 triumph over WRU National Cup winners RGC 1404 at The Wern. It was fourth time lucky for the home side as they finally beat the north Walians to stay on course for back-to-back titles after winning the WRU National Championship last season.
The Ironmen had come up short in both their previous meetings in the league against the Gogs and were beaten by them in the last play of the game in the WRU National Cup semi-finals. They couldn’t afford another slip up.
The home fans must have been worried when visiting skipper Andrew Williams powered over for a try that Jacob Botica converted to give his side a 7-3 lead. But then former Wales Under 20 flanker Ed Siggery crossed for a try after 32 minutes that gave Merthyr the lead and they never looked back.
It greatly helped the home cause that RGC had lock Henri Williams sent to the sin-bin for persistent offending and while he was away the home side scored a further three tries to lead by 22 points. It was game over!
No 8 Phil Rees converted a five mere driving line out and then full back Josh Flye put wing Kyle Evans over with some great hands. Matt Jarvis, who kicked 12 points, converted both tries and the Ironmen were 24-7 ahead at the break.
That lead grew before Williams returned as another driving line-out was turned into a try for hooker Rhys Williams. Jarvis couldn’t convert that one, but popped over a penalty for good measure.
Dean Gunter rounded things off with another penalty and RGC’s dreams of a league and cup double were ruined, while Merthyr remain on course to add the Premiership title to their 2016 Championship crown.
Tries from props Rowan Jenkins and Alex Jeffries were at the heart of the Aberavon victory, but the Wizards were forced to fightback from being 16-14 down at half-time. Then the game was locked at 21-21 before the home side went on to reach the final.
The two sides had met at the Talbot Athletic Ground the previous weekend in the last round of regular season games and the return to the Bedwas line-up of outside half Richard Powell gave them a boost. He ended up kicking 14 points to go with tries from his half-back partner Nick Griffiths and Matthew John.
Bedwas increased their two point interval lead with John’s try two minutes after the re-start, but then lost Matthew Petit to the sin-bin. That opened up an opportunity for Aberavon and Jeffries crossed for their third try.
James Garland added the conversion to level the scores before Powell edged Bedwas ahead once more two minutes later with his fourth penalty of the game. Garland tied the game up once again at 24-24 with a penalty with 14 minutes to go before Ben Davies grabbed the matchwinning try and Garland added the extras to keep the Wizards on track for a potential first title at this level.
