The reigning champions go into the last game of the first-half of the new-style Premiership campaign knowing that the battle against their near neighbours from 13 miles down the valley will determine whether or not they are able to defend their title.
Seven of the top eight places to chase the Premiership crown have been determined already, but the champions still have to secure their ticket. Their home win over Cardiff last weekend put them two points clear of the Blue & Blacks with one game to go.
While the Steelmen have home advantage against Keys this weekend, so do Cardiff. They host Bedwas at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park in a game they simply have to win to stand any chance of overtaking Ebbw Vale and creeping into the top eight.
“As soon as I saw the fixture list at the start of the season I said to the boys that I thought it was going to be a massive game against Cross Keys with all to play for. There is a big rivalry between the two of us and we both want to be the best team in Gwent,” said Hudd.
“This has turned into a cup final fixture for us and if we don’t reach the top eight it will mean we’ve had a poor season. The last thing we want is not to be able to defend our title.
“But we know it isn’t going to be easy. Cross Keys have got a big pack, there is still a lot of local pride at stake and they won’t want to lose live on TV for two weekends in a row.
“We’ve just got to get the job done, move on and start again in the next phase of the competition. It’s good for us that everyone goes back to zero after this and we will be better in the second half because we’ve got a number of players coming back from injury.
“Beating Pontypridd in the Premiership final at Sardis Road was a big game for the club, but that is history now. This game against Cross Keys is every bit as big and we don’t want to take a step back after building so well at the club over the last five or so years.”
The Steelmen will have Dragons No 8 Harri Keddie in their back row and he will be up against one of last seaso’;s fellow Wales Under 20 Grand Slammers, Leon Brown, who is in the Keys front row. Keys have made seven changes to the side that was beaten at Pontypridd last weekend.
Cardiff have made five changes from last week’s defeat in Ebbw Vale, two of them in the backline. Will Rees Hole returns in the centre and Liam Free comes in at scrum half, while up front, Rhys Carre starts in the front row, Ben Thomas takes over from James Murphy in the second row and in the back row Jordan Viggers replaces Luke Crocker.
There will be a top of the table clash at the Talbot Athletic Ground where Aberavon host a Merthyr side boasting two former Wizards’ favourites in full back Matthew Jarvis and wing Richard Carter. The home side are a point clear of last season’s Championship winners and whoever wins will have the satisfaction of finishing at the head of the pack at the end of the first-phase.
Just behind the leaders, third placed Pontypridd head north to tackle fifth placed RGC 1404 at Parc Eirias. Three of the four promoted teams from the Championship last season are in the top five places this season.
Carmarthen Quins host Bridgend and Llandovery head to Llanelli for two games that pitch top eight finishers against sides in the bottom half, while Neath entertain Swansea at The Gnoll in another derby match. Bottom of the table Bargoed welcome Newport in the other game.
Principality Premiership Round 15 – 7 January
Aberavon v Merthyr
Bargoed v Newport
Cardiff v Bedwas
Carmarthen Quins v Bridgend
Ebbw Vale v Cross Keys
Llanelli v Llandovery
Neath v Swansea
RGC 1404 v Pontypridd
Teams
Aberavon v Merthyr
Aberavon: Joe Gage; Matthew Jenkins, Rheon James, Will Price, Stef Andrews; James Garland, Jacob Flynn; Rowan Jenkins, Luke Davies, Jon Thomas, Ian Moore (captain), Ben Jones, Nathan Brown, Luke Joseph, Joe Tomalin-Reeves
Reps: Steffen Williams, Jon Phillips, Cameron Clement, Ieuan Davies, Ben Davies, Rhys Forse, Mike Burgess, Sam Williams
Merthyr: Matthew Jarvis; Richard Carter, Gavin Dacey, Aaron Pinches, Terri Gee; Dean Gunter, Rhys Downes; Louis Jones, Rhys Williams, Nathan Buck, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke (captain), Nathan White, Owen Jones, Phil Rees
Reps: Nathan Trevett, Ben Warren, Matt Dwyer, Ruan Ludrick, Tom James, Adam Hoskins, David Bishop, Owen Howe
Bargoed v Newport
Bargoed: James Hallett; Ashley Norton, Darren Humphries, Lewis Prothero, David Evans; Julian Mogg, James Pizey; Rhys Morgan, Leigh Meades (captain), Keiron Brown, Louis Blacker, James Locke, Lewis Weyman, Adam Coupe, Ross Coombs
Reps: Jack Williams, Ian Jenkins, Alex Gardner-Key, Franklyn Jacas, Luke Dyckhoff, Matt Bancroft, Lewis Bowden, Duane Dyer
Newport: Llywarch Ap Myrddin; Wes Cunliffe, Haydn Palmer, Chay Smith, Elliott Frewen; Matt O’Brien, Owen Davies; James Greenfield, Henry Palmer, Tom Piper, Adam Brown (captain), Dan Partridge, Rhodri Jones, Kyle Tayler, Rhys Jenkins
Reps: Evan Whitson, Keagan Bale, John Lavender, Dan Mock, Craig Attwell, Ryan James, Geraint O’Driscoll, Jon Morris.
Carmarthen Quins v Bridgend
Carmarthen Quins: Gavin Thomas; Lee Williams, Callum Price , Josh Batcup, Morgan Griffiths; Craig Evans, Gareth George; Gethin Robinson, Torin Myhill, Nathan Williams, Ben Thompson, Josh Helps, Shaun Jones, Shaun Evans, Lee Taylor
Reps: Steffan Phillips, Lewis Roberts, Javan Sebastian, Haydn Pugh, Lewys William, Connor Lloyd, John Rhys Williams, Kieran Jones
Bridgend: Marc Bennett; Garin Lougher, Morgan Jones, Ryan Evans, Mike Powell; Joe Scrivens, Connor Tantum; Ollie Evans, Jordon Liney, Cai Lewis, Jon Kenny, Kyle Maiden, Tom Morgan, Gareth Beer, Matthew John (captain)
Reps: Huw Wilkes, Lewis Francis, Rhodri Apsee, Owain Lloyd, Dan Watkins, Geraint Watkin, Jamie Murphy, Matthew Edwards
Cardiff v Bedwas
Cardiff: Codey Rees; Ceri Young, Harri Millard, Will Rees Hole, James Beal; Gareth Thompson, Liam Free; Rhys Carre, Joe Tomlinson (captain), Ben Leung, Ben Thomas, Jack Davies, Jordan Viggers, Morgan Sienaiwski, Cam Dolan
Reps: Joe Page, Gavin Nash, Aled Rees, Joe Gaughan, Joe Miles, Tom Slater, James Whittingham, Diggy Bird
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; Mathew John, Adam Williams, Mike Callow, Pat Lewis; James Dixon, Luke Crane; Dan Preece (captain), Alun Rees, Matthew Pettit, Joe Davies, Geraint Edmunds, Andrew Waite, George Lee, Robson Blake
Reps: Bryn Toms, Darran Harris, Ken Dowding, Rhys Verley, Dan Crimmins, Myles Churcher, James S. Dixon, Rory Budina
Ebbw Vale v Cross Keys
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond, Nathan Preece, Gareth Maule, Dai Langdon, Craig Duncan; Josh Lewis, Dai Jones; Ross Jones, Joe Franchi, Gethin Robinson, Jonathan Davies, Damien Hudd (captain), Rhys Clarke, Ronny Kynes, Harrison Keddie
Reps: Jonny Bowen, Ian George, Rob Sevenoaks, Max Williams, Dawid Rubasniak, Chris Thomas, Ryan Gardner, Srdan Majkic
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Mathew Powell, Barney Nightingale, Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge; Josh Prosser, James Leadbeater; Luke Garrett, Darren Hughes (captain), Leon Brown, Danny Hodge, Scott Andrews, Tom Lampard , Rhys Fitzgerald, Adam Powell
Reps: Gary Carpenter, Richard Cornock, Lewis Smout, Lennon Greggains, Max George, James Thomas, Ross Pritchard, Jacob Unwin
Llanelli v Llandovery
Llanelli: Dion Jones; Ashley Evans, Paul Davies, Jonny Lewis (captain), Gwion Jones; Billy McBryde, Rhodri Cole; Rhys Fawcett, Greg George, Simon Gardiner, Chris Long, Ben Davies, Lloyd Pike, Owain Morgan, Trystan Lloyd
Reps: Dan Jacobs, Richard Bassett, Tom Kaijaks, Jack Davies, Nathan Hart, Matthew Flanagan, Ioan Hughes, Nathan Edwards
Llandovery: Mike Evans; Rhodri Wall, Richard Smith, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren; Jack Maynard, Rhodri Davies; Dean Howells, Ryan Williams, Berian Watkins, Bryn Griffiths, Phil Day (captain), Stuart Worrall, Richard Rees, Joe Powell
Reps: A.N Other, Jamie Hughes, Jake Baker, Emyr Price, Matthew Moore, Craig Woodall, Scott Gibson, James Davies
Neath v Swansea
Neath: Dan Guarneri; Ed Howley, Gavin Evans, Matthew Pearce, Aaron Grabham; Rory Morgan-Williams, Josh Guy; Neil White, Sion Crocker, Ryan Thomas, Jon Barley, Rhys Jones, Jordan Collier (captain), Aled Morris, Leon Ward
Reps: Ifan Phillips, Ben Uphill, Geraint James, Lyndon Bateman, Tom Hayward, Elis Hopkins, Chris Morgans, Kristian Corbisiero
Swansea: Josh Jones; Andrew Claypole, Ryan Evans, Jed Evans, Richard Williams; Jac Wilson, Martin Luckwell; Richard Murphy, Paul John, Mitchell Walsh, Jay Williams, Tudor Hughes, Jon Vaughan (captain), Jack Perkins, Rory Gallagher
Reps: Ricky Guest, Lewys Jonathan, Sam Martin, Gavin Ronan, Adam Thresher, Rhodri Wells, Rory Garrett, Ewan Gully
RGC 1404 v Pontypridd
RGC 1404: Afon Bagshaw; Sam Jones, Tom Hughes, Tiaan Loots, Aron Evans; Jacob Botica, Alex Schwarz; Joe Simpson, Evan Yardley, Sam Wainwright, Maredydd Francis (captain), Henri Williams, Andrew Williams, Tim Grey, Huw Worthington
Reps: Phil John, Robin Williams, Ross Davies, Mei Parry, Will Bryan, Efan Jones, Josh Leach, Danny Cross
Pontypridd: Gary Williams; Lewis I Williams, Declan Williams, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Lewis K Williams, Joel Raikes; Joe Popple, Huw Dowden, Mitch Auger, Sean Moore, Chris Dicomidis, Lee Evans, Jake Thomas, Dan Godfrey
Reps: Greg Mogford, Callum Hall, Joe Davies, A.N. Other, Hemi Barnes, Josh Novell, Sam May, Huw Owen
