They first met in 1977 when Newport won a semi-final by 7-3, but in another semi of 1998 it was Ebbw Vale who won 44-10, en route to losing the final to Llanelli at Bristol’s Ashton Gate. Newport, twice winners of the cup, won the third meeting – again in a semi-final – by 19-12 two seasons ago. Thus, this will be their first cup meeting on one of their club grounds.
Newport have won the last six meetings of the clubs in all matches – four in the Welsh/Scottish League, one in the cup and one in the Premiership. They will be playing in their 110th tie against Ebbw Vale’s 102nd.
Shane Howarth makes his 100th first-team appearance for Newport. Thus far he has scored 1,030 points, having set the club record earlier this season. This means that Jason Strange, now with Newport after having been Ebbw Vale’s lone scorer in the 2001 semi-final, is on the replacements bench.
Former under-21 cap Haldane Luscombe has suffered injury and has had an operation to remove a piece of bone from his knee; Dale Burn has been loaned to Pontypridd and prop Ceri Jones has joined Harlequins, also on loan. They await fitness tests on locks Simon Raiwalui and Mike Voyle.
Ebbw Vale await a fitness test on fly half Scott Mitchell, but lock Neil Edwards and full back Richard Davies are definitely out with injury.
Newport will select from: Backs – P Montgomery; M Mostyn, J Jones-Hughes, J Pritchard, A Cadwallader; S Howarth, O Tonu’u/D Llewellyn. Forwards – R Snow, P Young, C Anthony, A Garvey,
M Veater, S Raiwalui (capt), M Voyle, I Gough, J Forster, S Ojomoh, R Jones, A Powell.
EBBW VALE v NEWPORT (at Eugene Cross Park, 2.30pm).
Previous cup meetings: Newport lead 2-1.
1976/77 Newport 7 Ebbw Vale 3 (semi); 1997/98 Ebbw Vale 44 Newport 10 (semi);
2000/01 Newport 19 Ebbw Vale 12 (semi).
Ebbw Vale have won 70, lost 31. Runners-up in their only final appearance in 1998.
Newport have won 80, lost 29. Cup winners twice, runners-up twice.
This season.
Ebbw Vale beat Carmarthen Quins 13-8(a-aet). Newport beat Bedwas 27-10(a).
