After skippering his team with aplomb throughout the campaign, Tomlinson will live out a lifetime ambition when he leads out Cardiff at Principality Stadium for their do-or-die clash with familiar foes Merthyr.
A proud club with tremendous history, Cardiff are eyeing their first silverware since 2009 and the only side standing between them and doing exactly that are the Ironmen.
“There is no hiding away from it. Cardiff haven’t been involved in a fixture like this for some time, but because of that it’s something to get really excited about,” Tomlinson said.
“It’s the same for the players, coaches, and everyone involved with the club. We deserve to be here and hopefully we come out on the right side of the result.
“There was a real edge in training this week. There are a couple of players who hadn’t cemented their places so there was a bit of nervous energy around the place which only raises the standards.
“There has been a special edge about the final, but we have to enjoy every minute of it because they don’t come around all the time.”
Cardiff won the Premiership title in 2009 and 2007 was their last appearance in the Cup final. They won the last of their seven cup titles as far back as 1997. But could they finally need to start rearranging their trophy cabinet to make room for another WRU National Cup.
If they are to make it a magnificent eighth cup triumph, they will have to overcome the current holders and familiar foes, Merthyr.
The Blue & Blacks are one of only five teams to have tasted victory over Dale McIntosh’s high-fliers this season, and Tomlinson insists his men are ready to seize the initiative at the home of Welsh rugby.
“There is no mental block with Merthyr. We can take so much confidence from beating them away from home in the league on a Friday night,” said Cardiff’s leader. “We’re coming into this at 1-1 with it all to play for so we can’t wait.
“They pipped us in the last minute at home with a cross-field kick and there were long periods for that game where we were well on top.”
Steve Law is the club’s head coach, but he has been helped by having the knowledge and experience of former Wales internationals Gethin Jenkins and T Rhys Thomas alongside him.
Wales’ record cap holder Jenkins is paving his way as a defence coach while Thomas works with Cardiff’s forwards. They will surely provide a great deal of help ahead of Cardiff’s big day out.
It comes after back-to-back Principality Premiership defeats for Cardiff, yet they are ones which cannot be allowed to ruin what has already been a tremendous season.
“Gethin and TRT have been brilliant this week. It’s great when you have coaches who can draw from their experiences,” said Tomlinson.
“Our back-room staff has those experiences and memories. The finer details they can impart on our game plan can be huge. It’s been great to work with them both.
“TRT has been fantastic for me personally as a hooker. I can’t talk highly enough about him and the time he has taken to work with me. The amount of experience they have been able to channel into us has been fantastic and everyone in the squad has learnt so much from this season.”
