Derby battle confirmed - Newport to host Ebbw Vale in Premiership semi-finals

NEWPORT will take on Ebbw Vale in the semi-finals of the Premiership after Llandovery finished top of the table.

The Drovers leapfrogged the Black and Ambers with a 62-13 hammering of Bridgend at Church Bank on Thursday evening.

The champions ran in nine tries in a one-sided game to finish the regular season on 105 points, one ahead of Newport.

That means they will host Cardiff while Ebbw Vale make the trip to Spytty Park to take on Ty Morris' men, with both fixtures on Saturday, May 4 (kick-off 5.15pm).

Newport will go into that derby clash on a 14-game winning streak going back to the November loss at Llandovery.

The Gwent rivals traded away victories in the regular season with Ebbw winning 28-20 in November before the Black and Ambers stole the spoils 31-25 with a late Elliott Ferriman try at Eugene Cross Park last month.

The winner of the Gwent derby will either travel to Llandovery or host Cardiff in the final.

Dragons and Wales U20 wing Walker Price on the run for Pontypool against Merthyr (Image: NCR Photography)

Pontypool finish their season with a trip to Colwyn Bay to face RGC on Saturday afternoon, with the prize for victory a fifth-placed finish.

Pooler could have secured that spot on Wednesday night but they paid the price for a poor first half against Merthyr.

The Ironmen led 24-0 at the break and eventually triumphed 29-26 to close to within two points of Leighton Jones' side, who did bag a pair of bonuses at the death.

If Pooler slip up against RGC then Merthyr would leapfrog them by winning at Swansea.

Newbridge will secure the fifth and final promotion spot if they beat Ystrad Rhondda at the Welfare Ground in the Championship East.

If ‘Bridge slip up then they could be overtaken by Beddau, who travel to Rumney on Tuesday, or Bedwas, who travel to Cross Keys this weekend then face champions-elect Bargoed and Treorchy.

Premiership: Carmarthen Quins v Neath, RGC v Pontypool, Swansea v Merthyr.

Championship East: Bargoed v Penallta, Cross Keys v Bedwas, Newbridge v Ystrad Rhondda, Treorchy v Rumney.