Risca are hoping the spirit of Ryan Jones will inspire them to follow in his footsteps and reach the Millennium Stadium on SWALEC Cup finals day on May 9.

The Division Four East outfit are one step away from realising their dream having beaten Cardiff University in last weekend’s quarter-finals of the SWALEC Plate.

That victory, 46-28, earned them a place in the semi-final draw, which took place at the Millennium Stadium today (MON). As a result, they will meet fellow Division Four East side Tredegar Ironsides at a neutral venue on the weekend of April 18.

“It will be the biggest day in their careers for our players, and also one of the biggest days in the club’s history, if we can reach the Millennium Stadium,” said Risca secretary John Hayes.

“We are very proud of the fact that current Wales skipper Ryan Jones started his rugby career at Risca, representing our youth side, and our players would love to follow in his footsteps by walking down the tunnel at the Millennium Stadium for a major game.

“But we know there is a lot of work to do before that dream can become a reality. We’ve already played Tredegar Ironsides twice this season and we need to make sure they don’t make it a hat-trick of wins.”

The other semi-final will see two Division Two sides battling it out for the right to play at the home of Welsh rugby - Ammanford representing west Wales and Rhydyfelin, east Wales.

“We are both struggling a little bit near the bottom of our respective divisions at the moment, but maybe a good cup run will kick start a good end to the season,” said Rhydyfelin secretary Chris Fowler.

“To reach the Millennium Stadium would be a very special thing for our club. The oldest player in our team when we beat Mountain Ash last weekend was 25 and all the players had come through our junior ranks.”

In the SWALEC Bowl competition, the draw matched Morriston, of Division Three South West, with Division Five South East’s Pontyclun, while Division Three West’s Lampeter will face Glyncorrwg, of Division Four South West.

The semi-finals in both competitions will be played at neutral venues over the weekend of April 18.

The incentive for Glyncorrwg is to march on the Welsh capital in May for a fourth major final in the club’s 127 year history.

“We’ve been to the old Cardiff Arms Park twice before as a Junior Union side in the Welsh Brewers and Worthington Cup Finals. We lost 18-9 to Llantrisant in 1982, beat Llanishen 16-12 three years later,” said Glyncorrwg president Brian Poulton.

“We also reached the final at the Millennium Stadium in 2003, where we went down 24-20 to Clwb Rygbi. It would be great to get back.”

“Our coaching team of Gareth Thomas, Glan Goodridge, Kirk Bogdun and Kevin Lewis all played for us in one or more of those finals and we’re very much a village club.”

“We’ve been drawn out of the hat away from home in every round of the Bowl, so maybe this is a good omen. We don’t know much about Lampeter, but I’m sure they’ll be as keen as we are to reach the final.”

SWALEC Plate Semi-Finals (Matches to be played on weekend of April 18)
Ammanford v Rhydyfelin
Risca v Tredegar Ironsides

SWALEC Bowl Semi-Finals (Matches to be played on weekend of April 18)
Lampeter v Glyncorrwg
Morriston v Pontyclun

Tags: SWALEC CUP

Three-times champions Swansea have been drawn to play current holders Neath in the semi-finals of the SWALEC Cup.

In the other semi-final Llanelli will tackle Aberavon - with both games to be played on the weekend of 18/19th April.

Neath progressed to the semi-finals by beating Cross Keys 32-31 in the quarter-finals while Llanelli had to fight hard to repel Glamorgan Wanderers 27-20 at Parc y Scarlets.

Swansea overpowered Caerphilly 62-3 but Aberavon had to work considerably harder to beat Newport 20-10.

Llanelli head of rugby Anthony Buchanan is expecting a tough challenge from Aberavon. He said:

“It’s going to be quite a challenge and we look forward to that,” he said immediately after the draw. “It should be an interesting contest because we feel at the moment we are very fortunate to be in the next round as we didn’t play well against Glamorgan Wanderers. But we’re in the hat.”

The draw for the SWALEC Plate and Bowl will be take place at 12:00 noon on Monday, 30 Match

Tags: SWALEC CUP

Division One clubs enter the competition for the first time at this stage and there are three all-Division One clashes. Merthyr are top of One East and they travel to the Dairy Field where Llanharan, from the same division, will be confident of success after already claiming a 25-19 league victory over the leaders this season.
One West sides Maesteg and Cwmllynfell will do battle at Llynfi Road, while there is an East v West meeting at Narberth where the Otters play host to Newport Saracens.

Tredegar of Two East travel to Porthcawl of Four South West with Greg Jones keen to add to his impressive array of cup points this season. He crossed for a try and landed eight conversions as his side made short work of visitors Cwmgwrach 56-10 in round two and that followed a 90-0 success in the opening round when Pontllanfraith were put to the sword.

Five clubs from One North retain an interest and with Bala and Caernarfon lucky enough to get home draws it will mean long trips for Cowbridge of Five East and Bridgend Athletic of Two West.

Eight clubs from Division Five hope to make further progress. Apart from Cowbridge, only Oakdale of Five East have to travel and they have a tough task against Bonymaen of One West.

One of the most intriguing ties of the round will be at Tonmawr where the home side, who lie second in One West, entertain Llandeilo, the unbeaten leaders of Four West.

SWALEC Cup
Round Three
(ties to be played 15 November, 2008)
Abercwmboi v Caerphilly
Aberdare v Briton Ferry
Aberystwyth v Bedlinog
Bala v Cowbridge
Beddau v Vardre
Blackwood v Pembroke Dock Quins
Bonymaen v Oakdale
Brynithel v Felinfoel
Builth Wells v Llandaff North
Caernarfon v Bridgend Athletic
Caldicot v BP Llandarcy
Cardigan v Llantrisant
Carmarthen Quins v Maesteg Quins
Crymych v Birchgrove
Cwmavon v Whitland
Cwmgors v Newbridge
Dunvant v Loughor
Gilfach Goch v Brynmawr
Kenfig Hill v Betws
Kidwelly v Glynneath
Llanharan v Merthyr
Llanishen v Bryncoch
Llantwit Fardre v Waunarlwydd
Maesteg v Cwmllynfell
Maesteg Celtic v Fleur de Lys
Milford Haven v Llangennech
Narberth v Newport Saracens
Newport HSOB v Carmarthen Athletic
New Tredegar v Bethesda
Old Illtydians v Cwmbran
Penallta v Penarth
Pencoed v Gwernyfed
Penygroes v Chepstow
Pontypool Utd v Corus
Pontyates v Llandudno
Porth v Garndiffaith
Porthcawl v Tredegar
Rumney v Skewen
Talywain v Trimsaran
Tondu v Nant Conwy
Tonmawr v Llandeilo
Treorchy v Nantyglo
Tumble v Monmouth
Tycroes v Bargoed
Tylorstown v Pill Harriers
UWIC v Hendy
Ynysybwl v St Peters
Ynysddu v Pontyberem
Ystalyfera v Aberavon Quins
Ystradgynlais v Ystrad Rhondda

This season a new competition will take place consisting of all the clubs who lost in the first two rounds of the SWALEC Cup. It will be known as the SWALEC Plate and will be run in 16 pools of four clubs. The winner from each pool will then take their places in the last sixteen with the final being staged at the Millennium Stadium.

The losers of the first round of the Plate will be entered into the SWALEC Bowl competition which will kick off on December 20. The SWALEC Finals Day at the Millennium Stadium on May 9 will include the finals of the SWALEC Cup, Plate and Bowl.

SWALEC PLATE
Round One ties to be played 15 November, 2008)

Pool 1
Haverfordwest v St Davids
Newcastle Emlyn (bye)
Neyland v Fishguard
Pembroke v Tenby

Pool 2
Aberaeron v Llangefni
Burry Port (bye)
Laugharne v Aberystwyth University
St Clears v Lampeter Town

Pool 3
Cefneithen (bye)
Llandybie v Pwllheli
Llanelli Wanderers v Bynea
New Dock Stars v Furnace Utd

Pool 4
Ammanford v Gorseinon
Amman United v Penclawdd
Dolgellau (bye)
Mumbles v Gowerton

Pool 5
Brynamman v Morriston
Glais v Crynant
Llanidloes v Cwmtwrch
Pontarddulais v Cwmgwrach

Pool 6
Alltwen v Banwen
Neath Athletic v Pontardawe
Resolven v Swansea University
Seven Sisters v Swansea Uplands

Pool 7
Aberavon Green Stars v Pyle
Baglan v Tonna
Nantyffyllon v Glyncorrwg
Taibach v Cefn Cribbwr

Pool 8
Blaengarw v Newtown
Nantymoel v Bridgend Sports
Ogmore Vale (bye)
Pontycymmer v South Wales Police

Pool 9
Heol y Cyw v Ferndale
Penygraig v Brecon
Rhigos v Colwyn Bay
Treherbert v Hirwaun

Pool 10
Dinas Powys v Taffs Well
Pentyrch v Barry
Tonyrefail v Pontyclun
Welshpool v Llantwit Major

Pool 11
Fairwater v Canton
Llandaff v Cardiff HSOB
Old Penarthians v Cardiff University
Rhyl (bye)

Pool 12
Cardiff Medicals v Rhydyfelin
Cilfynydd v St Albans
Mold v Rhiwbina
St Josephs (bye)

Pool 13
Cefn Coed v Abercynon
Dowlais v Mountain Ash
Nelson (bye)
Ruthin v Senghenydd

Pool 14
Crumlin v Trinant
Deri v Wrexham
Pontllanfraith v Tredegar Ironsides
Rhymney (bye)

Pool 15
Abercarn v Blaina
Abertillery BG (bye)
Blaenavon v RTB Ebbw Vale
Llanhilleth v Denbigh

Pool 16
Abergavenny v Croesyceiliog
Machen v Usk
Risca v Bettws
UWIN (bye)

Tags: SWALEC CUP

Llandeilo’s reward for their record104-8 SWALEC Cup victory over Welshpool in last weekend’s first round is another home tie in Round 2 on the weekend of 25 October against Gowerton.

The SWALEC Division 4 West club ran in 16 tries against Welshpool and Lee Davies helped himself to a massive 39 points.

But before they book their ticket into the next round they will need to be mindful of the fact Gowerton were 36-21 winners on the road at Newtown last weekend.

The Division 5 South West club had raced into a 21-0 lead against the Mid Wales outfit before needing three tries in the final 10 minutes to secure their safe passage.

Penarth’s 78-14 home win over Baglan has earned them another home game, this time against Cardiff club St Alban’s, while fellow Division 3 South East side Treorchy have to travel to Blaina.

Local rivals from Division Three South West, Nantyffyllon and Kenfig Hill, will clash in one of the many derbies, while Division Five East sides Oakdale and Usk also meet.

The 76 winners will progress into Round 3, while the 76 losing teams will join the Round 1 losers in going into the hat for the first round of the SWALEC Plate competition.

SWALEC CUP ROUND 2 (To be played the weekend of 25 October, 2008)

Aberavon Quins v Abergavenny
Abercarn v Nantyglo
Abercwmboi v Mold
Aberdare v Risca
Abertillery BG v Garndiffaith
Aberystwyth v Pontycymmer
Alltwen v Maesteg Celtic
Bala v Blaenavon
Barry v Ynysybwl
Bedlinog v Llanidloes
Bethesda v Rhydyfelin
Betws v Cardiff University
Birchgrove v Amman United
Blaina v Treorchy
BP Llandarcy v Penclawdd
Brecon v Skewen
Brynithel v Llangwm
Bynea v Porth Quins
Caernarfon v Heol y Cyw
Canton v Gwernyfed
Cardigan v Pwllheli
Colwyn Bay v Kidwelly
Cowbridge v Mumbles
Crymych v Cefneithin
Crynant v Old Illtydians
Cwmbran v Gorseinon
Cwmgors v Pembroke
Dinas Powys v Chepstow
Fairwater v Llantwit Fardre
Fishguard v Tondu
Fleur De Lys v Banwen
Furnace v Hendy
Gilfach Goch v Haverfordwest
Glynneath v Cefn Cribbwr
Lampeter Town v Caldicot
Llandeilo v Gowerton
Llandudno v Burry Port
Llanelli Wdrs v Tycroes
Llangefni v Cwmavon
Llanhilleth v Llandaff North
Llanishen v Crumlin
Llantrisant v Treherbert
Llanybydder v RTB Ebbw Vale
Loughor v Aberaeron
Milford Haven v Cefn Coed
Nant Conwy v Glais
Nantyffyllon v Kenfig Hill
Nelson v Builth Wells
New Dock Stars v Bridgend Ath
New Tredegar v Pyle
Oakdale v Usk
Ogmore Vale v Bryncoch
Penarth v St Albans
Penygroes v Aberavon Green Stars
Pill Harriers v Croesyceiliog
Pontyates v Senghenydd
Pontyberem v Resolven
Pontyclun v Waunarlwydd
Pontypool United v Newcastle Emlyn
Porthcawl v Brynamman
Ruthin v Briton Ferry
St Davids v Pencoed
St Peters v Rhigos
Swansea Uni v Ystradgynlais
Swansea Uplands v Brynmawr
Taibach v Maesteg Quins
Talywain v Nantymoel
Tonna v Newport HSOB
Trebanos v Seven Sisters
Tredegar v Cwmgwrach
Trimsaran v St Josephs
Tumble v Llandybie
Tylorstown v Bridgend Sports
Vardre v Ferndale
Ynysddu v Deri
Ystalyfera v Old Penarthians

Tags: SWALEC CUP