The race is on to follow in the footsteps of Llandovery, who beat Carmarthen Quins 25-18 at the Principality Stadium in last year’s showpiece final, with all 28 clubs in the Principality Premiership and National Championship targeting one of the top pieces of silverware in the Welsh game.
Newport last reached the final in 2001, when they beat Neath, while Swansea were last at the Millennium Stadium in 2000. Between them they have won the cup five times – Newport twice (2001, 1977) and Swansea three times (1999, 1995, 1978).
Swansea: Roger Blyth; Huw Rees, Alan Meredith (captain), Gareth Jenkins, Alun Donovan; David Richards, Huw Davies; Hywel Hopkins, Jeff Herdman, Phil Llewellyn, Geoff Wheel, Barry Clegg, Trevor Evans, Mark Keyworth , Richard Moriarty
Reps: Gerwyn Jones, Roy Woodward, David James, Peter Thomas, Alan Mages, Phil Jones
Scorers: Try: Jeff Herdman; Pen: Roger Blyth; DG: David Richards, Gareth Jenkins
Newport: Chris Webber; Ken Davies, Dai Burcher (captain), Neil Brown, David Bale; Gareth Evans, Brynmor Williams; Colin Smart, Steve Jones, Rhys Morgan, Jeff Watkins, Tony Mogridge, Bryan Lease, Geoff Evans, Jeff Squire
Reps: Leighton Davies, Alun Billinghurst, Steve Willis, Roy Cridland, David Waters, Richard Barrell
Scorer: Pens: Chris Webber 3
Referee: Clive Norling
This season the two teams have met once in the Premiership with Matt O’Brien inspiring the Black & Ambers to a 25-12 victory at St Helens with 13 points. Both teams will meet again in Tier 2 of the Premiership at Rodney Parade.
There will be another re-run of a former Cup Final when Llanelli host the unbeaten Championship leaders Pontypool at Parc y Scarlets. They met in the 1991 final when Llanelli triumphed 24-9 to launch a hat-trick of titles.
Pooler are currently 14 points clear at the top of the Championship with a 100 per cent success rate from their 16 league outings. Their only defeat this season was way back on 20 August when they went down 7-6 to Aberavon in a pre-season friendly.
Cup holders Llandovery face a daunting trip to the Talbot Athletic Ground where they will face an Aberavon side that finished on top of the table in the first-phase of the Premiership season. The Drovers were beaten 22-16 at the same venue on the opening weekend of the season, but went on to join the Wizards in Tier 1 for the second half of the Premiership campaign.
The 2015 champions, Bridgend, are one of four teams who have been given a Bye into the last 16 and they will be waiting to see who they get in the next round. Joining them are Neath, Beddau and Narberth, who are currently second in the Championship table.
Championship clubs Bedlinog, Cardiff Met and Glynneath will all receive Premierships sides. Bedlinog went all the way to the Principality Stadium last season and won the National Plate and will be hoping to cause an upset against a team a mere six miles down the road from them in Bargoed.
The students of Cardiff Met have a busy week as they host Loughborough Students in a BUCS Super Rugby match at Cyncoed on Wednesday night and then host Pontypridd on Saturday. Glynneath entertain Cross Keys, while all the other Championship sides are on the road.
Glamorgan Wanders head to Bedwas, Cardiff host Tata Steel, RGC 1404 receive Dunvant, Merthyr welcome Newbridge, Ebbw Vale take on Skewen and Carmarthen Quins meet
WRU National Cup Round 1
Wednesday, 25 January
Newport v Swansea (7.30pm)
Saturday, 28 January (2.30pm kick-off unless stated)
Aberavon v Llandovery
Bedlinog v Bargoed
Bedwas v Glamorgan Wanderers
Cardiff Met v Pontypridd
Cardiff v Tata Steel
Carmarthen Quins v Newcastle Emlyn
Ebbw Vale v Skewen
Glynneath v Cross Keys
Llanelli v Pontypool (3.00pm)
Merthyr v Newbridge
RGC 1404 v Dunvant
Byes: Beddau, Bridgend, Narberth, Neath
