Unbeaten in their opening four games, the Blue & Blacks host 2016 champions Ebbw Vale this weekend and then have to travel to Bedwas to face the team that Law describes as “the best in the Premiership so far this season”.
You might think he would have to say that after a 16 year stint as coach at Bedwas, but Law believes that his successor, Ian Gardner, has carried on the work he put in that culminated in a major trophy last year when the village club won the Foster’s Challenge Cup.
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have half an eye on next week’s game. But before then we’ve got a big challenge to face against Ebbw Vale.
“What we managed to do at Cardiff so far is install a bit of honesty, transparency and hard work. I’ve been able to bring in some good people around me and at the moment the players are just working harder than anyone else.
“As far as I was concerned Cardiff was a sleeping giant that need to be woken up. That was the challenge for me and I’ve had a good reaction from the players.
“We’ve made a good start, but it is only going to get harder when the LV Cup comes around and we get to the Six Nations period and players get age grade call-ups.”
One of the players that Law expects to lose in the New Year is Wales U18 outside half Ben Thomas, who he describes as “a potential superstar”. He has slotted in seamlessly at No 10 and has a huge future ahead of him according to his coach.
He once again starts at outside half against the Steelmen, who are currently propping up the bottom of the East Division with only one win from their four games. Another side with only one win in the East are reigning champions Merthyr.
With three defeats on the bounce they will be looking to get back to winning ways at home against Newport. The Black & Ambers have beaten Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale on the bounce, so they will no doubt pack a punch at The Wern. League leaders Bedwas head to Cross Keys, while Bargoed host Pontypridd.
Principality Premiership East Division – Round 5
23 September 2017
Bargoed v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Ebbw Vale
Cross Keys v Bedwas
Merthyr v Newport
Teams
Bargoed v Pontypridd
Bargoed: Calum Jones; Jordan Purcell, Jordan Howells, Darren Humphries, David Evans; Julian Mogg, Matthew Bancroft; Rhys Morgan (captain), Geraint Clarke, Alex Gardner-Key, Matthew Thomas, Louis Blacker, Grant Rogers, Alex Herbert, Lewis Weyman
Reps: James Hallett, Luke Smalley, Iain Smerdon, Leigh Meades, Adam Coupe, James Locke, Jack Williams, Kieron Brown
Pontypridd: Lloyd Rowlands; Alex Webber, Garyn Smith, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Diggy Bird, Wayne Evans; Chris Phillips, Huw Dowden, Will Davies-King, Sean Moore, Chris Dicomidis, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Rhys Shellard, Morgan Sieniawski
Reps: Joel Raikes, Ceri Sweeney, James Lewis, Joe Page, Lee Evans, Shay Smallman, Huw Owen, Keelan Marney
Cardiff v Ebbw Vale
Cardiff: Llywarch Ap Myrddin; Ceri Young, Owen Lane, Will Rees-Hole, Pat Lewis; Ben Thomas, Rhodri Cole; Rhys Carre, Ian Jenkins, Tom Mably, Ben White, James Sheekey, Reuben Tucker, Luke Crocker, Sion Bennett
Reps: Rob Lewis, Ryan Spriggs, Ken Dowding, James Murphy, Corey Tucker, Mike Hale, Gareth Thompson, Jack Phillips
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Srdan Majkic, Dom Franchi, Dai Langdon, Toby Fricker; Lewis Dennet, Carl Lewis; Joel Harries, Joe Franchi, Rob Sevenoaks, Kristian Parker, Lance Randall, Ronny Kynes (captain), Owen Jones, Cameron Regan
Reps: Rhys Francis, Ross Jones, Josh James, Rhys Clarke, Dai Jones, Callum Hall, Garyn Payne
Cross Keys v Bedwas
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Mathew Powell, Barney Nightingale, Phil Williams, Joe Goodchild; Josh Prosser, James Leadbeater; Corey Hewlett, Rob Jones, Richard Cornock, Dan Mock, Josh Skinner, Liam Davies, Joe Thomas, Adam Powell (captain)
Reps: Gary Carpenter, Lewis Smout, Nathan Buck, Harvey Reader, Taine Basham, Corey Shephard, Ross Pritchard, Nathan Trowbridge
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; Rory Budina, Mike Callow, Adam Williams, Matthew John; Steffan Jones, Nicky Griffiths (captain); Dan Preece, Dale Rogers, Chris Budgen, Geraint Edmunds, Craig Hudd, Andrew Waite, George Lee, Nathan Hudd
Reps: Tom Devine, Mike Dacey, Brynley Toms, James Richards, David McGuigan, Tom Rowlands, Mike Hathaway, Lewis Evans
Merthyr v Newport
Merthyr: Mathew Jarvis; Kyle Evans, Harri Millard, Arron Pinches, Steff Andrews; Ben Jones, Justin James; L Jones, Matt Dwyer, Joe Rees, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke (captain), Joe Bearman, Osian Davies, Phil Rees
Reps: James Howe, D Watts, Pete Edwards, Nic White, Ed Siggery, Rhys Downes, Tom Riley, Josh Martin
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Harri Lang, Chay Smith, Tom Pascoe, Jon Morris; Matt O’Brien, Ryan James; Matt Prosser, Evan Whitson, Tom Piper, Gavin Bilton, Rhys Cresswell, Morgan Burgess, Joe Cullimore, Alex Everett
Reps: John Lavender, Will Evans, Garin Harris, Henry Palmer, Kyle Tayler, Owen Davies, Adam Sabri, Curtis Ayling
