The race to secure a play-off spot in the Indigo Premiership continues on what could be a crucial weekend in the race for the top four.
Ebbw Vale, who currently occupy third spot, need just six more points from their remaining four fixtures to cement their place mathematically as they head to Swansea, looking to put their agonising derby defeat at home against Newport last weekend firmly behind them.
The Steelmen have 71 points and are eight points ahead of Cardiff, who have three to play. The Blue & Blacks will look to make it three league wins on the bounce and tighten their grip on fourth spot as they head to the Talbot Athletic Ground to tackle Aberavon.
“We know it is a tough place to go, but we are at the business end of the season, and we know what we have to do to end up in the playoffs,” said Cardiff director of coaching Gruff Rees.
“Two good wins have left us in a good position, but we need to be consistent in everything we do. We also need to bring a performance again against the Wizards to secure the points we need.”
Pontypridd, six points further back in fifth spot, will be looking to take maximum points from their two remaining fixtures and then hope other results go their way. The first of those is a trip to Carmarthen Quins this afternoon where the visitors will be looking to make it four wins of four under interim head coach Chris Dicomidis.
Pontypool and Merthyr, who both still have five matches to play, will look to pounce should Cardiff falter in their remaining three games.
Pooler currently sit in sixth on 51 points as they welcome Bridgend to Pontypool Park. Last weekend Leighton Jones’ men ran in six tries in a 40-24 triumph at Neath.
“It’s going to give us a big confidence boost going into Bridgend and the games after,” said Pooler second row Dan Hill.
“It was a great result, and we can take that into the upcoming games. We scored a lot of good tries and threw the ball around and I think we’ll use that win as a springboard.
“If we play like we did on Saturday, where we scored 40 points, for the rest of the season then we could pick up more bonus points.”
Cup finalists Merthyr – who will undoubtedly have one eye on next Sunday’s showdown with Llandovery at the Principality Stadium – are also back in action today as they entertain RGC at the Wern.
The Ironmen, in seventh, are 13 points behind Cardiff with two games in hand and last time out edged an 11-try thriller 36-34 against Carmarthen Quins.
