Both sides are in-the-hunt for league and Plate honours. Ystrad could complete an historic double this season, as they sit second in SSE SWALEC 1 East Central, but the West Walians will arrive in the capital full of attacking intent hoping to secure a pair of titles of their own on Sunday at 3.15pm.
Emlyn are chasing a league title of their own and are banking on some professional advice to boost their bid for a maiden SSE SWALEC Finals Day triumph. Wales stars Scott Williams and Gareth Davies along with Blues flanker Josh Turnbull and Ospreys prop Gareth Thomas will be in support of their boyhood club.
They are presenting the selected XV with their shirts on Friday night before joining Emlyn in every step of their Finals Day journey.
Captain Gethin Greves said: “The club asked the boys, as former players to help out at the final. They always come back and watch games and help out whenever they can. They were happy to be part of the team they were in as youngsters.
“It’s going to be a really good day for the whole club, it’s probably the biggest day in the club’s history. It’s going to be great being one of the players that will get to be out on the Millennium Stadium pitch, trying our best to be successful.”
But they will be facing an Ystrad side chomping at the bit to complete their Plate mission, having seen-off the challenges of Glamorgan Wanderers, Loughor and Skewen on the road to the Cardiff final.
And captain Dano Roberts, who has been a winner and loser in the SSE SWALEC Bowl with Wattstown, is determined to make it two successes out of three on Sunday.
He said: “By all accounts, they are really sharp out-wide so we might have to tighten up a bit. We’ve played our best rugby in this tournament, every time we’ve been in the SWALEC Plate, we’ve turned it on. It’s a great day for the Rhondda Valleys with Cambrian and Ponty also here, there won’t be many people left in the Valleys on Sunday.”
SSE SWALEC Finals Day, Sunday 3 May, Millennium Stadium
1pm SSE SWALEC Bowl Final Cambrian Welfare v Ystradgynlais
3.15pm SSE SWALEC Plate Final Ystrad Rhondda v Newcastle Emlyn
5.35pm SSE SWALEC Cup Final Bridgend v Pontypridd
Tickets £10 (Under 16s £5)
Go to wru.wales/tickets for print at home option available until 10am Sunday. Tickets also availbale to personal callers from WRU Ticket Shop on Westgate Street including matchday
