Preparations for Saturday evening’s final against Llanelli (KO 7pm) are now building up from a lull following the SWALEC Cup victory over Neath two weeks ago.
As team manager Richard Langmead explained, the Pontypridd squad took time out to savour their cup success but are now back in harness and fully focused on the crucial league decider to come.
“We did not train last week due to a combination of our cup celebrations and the adverse weather,” said Langmead.
“Neither could we focus on our play-off final opponents until the result of the semi-final was known last Saturday.
“We can now step up a gear in training and trawl through the videos to analyse the opposition. Llanelli are a strong outfit and we know they will give us a difficult time in challenging for the league crown.”
As clear table-toppers, who finished the regular season a full 23 points clear of second placed Llandovery, the onus might be on Pontypridd to prove themselves in the play-off decider and to claim an elusive league and cup double. That pressure, according to Langmead, is something that works in Pontypridd’s favour.
“Sprits in the camp are sky high and all the boys have been boosted by the cup win,” Langmead added.
“The last thing that anyone wants is to slip up at the final hurdle having worked so hard throughout the season. Looking at the whole campaign as a big jig-saw puzzle, there is just one piece missing and we intend to put that in place on Saturday evening.”
And with one game to go, no one at Pontypridd views the play-off final as a game too far according to Langmead.
“We knew from day one of the season that it would all come down to this one-off fixture and we have worked hard to finish top of the table and claim home advantage,” he said.
“No one is dwelling on what has been and gone, but focusing fully on finishing the job off.”
