Underdogs book last eight cup berths

THERE will definitely be at least three clubs from outside the Principality Premiership in the last eight of the Swalec Cup this season.

Ebbw Vale and Newbridge booked their places in the quarter-finals with victories on Saturday while Ammanford and UWIC, whose tie was postponed, will also be in tomorrow’s draw.

The four Division One sides are joined in the hat for the next round by Beddau after their clash with Swansea at Mount Pleasant was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The two postponed games are now likely to take place on March 3 though that hasn’t been confirmed yet by the WRU.

Beddau would have fancied their chances of making it four teams from the Swalec Leagues in the quarters but at the 11^th hour Pontllanfraith referee David Jones decided the pitch wasn’t playable.

The performance of the third round came at Eugene Cross Park as the Steelmen of Ebbw Vale dispatched their second Premiership opponents in a row with a 16-6 triumph over Carmarthen Quins.

And like a number of the other ties last Saturday, this one went down to the wire with the hosts sealing victory thanks to a late penalty try. Dorian Jones also kicked 11 points as the Division One East outfit continued their march to the Millennium Stadium.

There was so nearly a major shock further West as Bridgend Athletic, languishing at the bottom of Division One West, led Neath 14-3 at half-time through tries from Stuart Edbrooke and John Phillips.

In the end, Neath’s experience and fitness told as they just about scraped over the line 20-14 with two penalty tries and ten points in all from the boot of Dai Langdon.

Newbridge were also pushed to the limit by fellow Division One East rivals Bargoed, who had sent Aberavon crashing out in round two. Again, the match wasn’t decided until the closing stages when flanker Dean Gibbs darted over to seal Newbridge’s 13-3 success.

The cup’s most successful side, Llanelli, went out of this season’s competition following a thrilling encounter against Cardiff at the Arms Park. The hosts took a commanding 19-6 interval lead and although Owen Williams and Bowdy Davies touched down in the second period, the Scarlets came up just short.

Gareth Davies kicked 14 points and his replacement Scott Sneddon 11 as the Blue and Blacks won through.

The only one-sided encounter came at Pandy Park where Cross Keys eased past Rumney 36-18, outscoring the visitors by four tries to two and maintaining their impressive form in cup competitions this season.

Kristian Baller, Marcus Johnstone, Gerwyn Price and Steffan Jones all crossed the whitewash while Dean Gunter contributed 16 points through kicks. Gareth Stoppani and Dafydd Evans crossed for Rumney.

Cup holders Pontypridd were handed a walkover into the last eight as Tonmawr called off their tie because they couldn’t field a team. Pontypridd expressed its “deep concerns” at the manner in which the game was called off, saying that the news came to them through “indirect channels”.