Cambrian are still on a remarkable rise Local rugby

PHIL Webster believes two wins from Abercwmboi’s final five games would be enough to clinch promotion to Two East Central.

The club won promotion to Three East Central A in 2016, and finished just four points behind Cilfynydd last year just missing out on a place in Division Two.

However, this year they’ve come back stronger and lead the way at the top of the table, level on points with Taffs Well, who have played two games more.

Abercwmboi are in action tomorrow night against struggling Llandaff North and a victory would make them outright leaders before a top-of-the-table clash on May 2, with the Wellmen, who beat them 25-13 in November – Abercwmboi’s only defeat in the league so far.

“I’m not taking anything for granted but, touch wood, we can get in front by a couple of points after Wednesday night,” said chairman Webster.

“We did well on Saturday [beating Llandaff 66-12], there were actually six or seven guys missing on Saturday and we still managed to score 10 tries so that was pleasing. Three of the guys that were missing are back on Wednesday so we’re going to be stronger.

“Taffs Well have been big rivals for the last couple of seasons so it’ll be nice to put one over on them.

“We got promoted to this division together and both missed out [on promotion] last year.

“We should have won the away game but an interception try right at the death lost us the game. We were in control for long periods but hopefully we’ll learn from that.

“We should have a big crowd for that so that will be nice.

“If we can win on Wednesday and then beat Taffs Well then I think we’re almost guaranteed promotion and then it’s just a matter of getting the title then.

“We’ve got to play Llandaff North twice and, not taking anything for granted, that’s two games we should win.

“Two wins should get us promoted and three should get us the championship.

“We’re in a good position and hands.”

Webster insists promotion is the key aim but admitted it would be great to add silverware to the trophy cabinet. “It’s nice to win a championship,” he added. “We came from Three East Central B as runners-up to Taffs Well so it would be nice to reverse it this season.

“We haven’t won a league title for a number of years so it would be nice to be champions.”

As well as their mini rivalry with Taffs Well and missing out on a top-two finish last year, Abercwmboi have another incentive that is pushing them on in the final weeks of the season.

“The great disappointment this season was missing out in the semi-final of the WRU National Bowl,” confessed Webster.

“When you are 20-9 up with less than 10 minutes to go you expect to win.

“It was a big disappointment but it has spurred us on in the last couple of games.

“These conditions on dry ground suit us. Our aim is not to lose another game so if we can do that then we will be champions 100 per cent.” it’s in our own CAMBRIAN Welfare’s recent rise shows no signs of slowing down with Division One firmly in their sights.

The club were plying their trade in Division Six just five years ago but multiple promotions saw them climb through the leagues.

And last season’s Three East Central A title win handed them their first ever campaign of Division Two rugby.

Despite a new adventure in unknown territory, team manager Marc Whitford admitted the club set their aims quite high.

And after a difficult start, which saw them lose their first four away games, the club are on the cusp of another promotion.

“The main goal was to try and hit the league hard and try and push for promotion,” said Whitford.

“You always aim high. It was new for us so we weren’t sure exactly how it’d go but at the moment we are achieving our goals and hopefully we can complete them.

“We’ve made massive strides in the last five years.

“We’ve gone from a dark place down the lower leagues and we’ve just moved up into a place where the club is thriving, and the committee and community have all bought into it.

“We had a bit of a slow start. In our home games we were beating teams 50-0 and then going to teams like Abercynon, who are bottom of the league, and losing there.

“So the first month was a learning curve, getting used to this league and we’ve adapted to it quite well.

“Our points for and against are phenomenal – we’ve got the most points in the league and the best defence.”

Saturday’s crushing 73-0 victory over Penarth, whose relegation was then confirmed, made it 12 league wins in a row for Cambrian.

Julian Huntley led by example as he bagged a hat-trick while Dylan Seldon helped himself to a brace. Jamie Wicks, David Gibbs, Tarion Emmanuel and Mark Jones added the other tries while Huntley kicked the rest.

Welfare sit second in the league, two points behind leaders Cilfynydd, with a game in hand. While Gilfach Goch make up the three-horse race for promotion as they trail Cambrian by four points with a game in hand.

The club brought in a new coaching set-up this season, which Whitford credits as a key part of their success, but kept faith with the squad that won promotion last year.

“We got two new coaches in – Danial Roberts taking the head coach’s job and Jack Dunning as forwards coach.

“I stepped down to do the team manager role. I still work with the coaches but they take all the credit for this season. They’ve worked wonders.

“They are both young coaches, Jack is 23 and Danial is 29. Danial is our player/coach, he’s plays centre and he’s massive for the club. He’s a very very good coach and a fantastic player.

“There are one or two new faces [in the squad] but 95 per cent are the same as last year.”

And Whitford would be more than happy to keep the squad the same if they were to win promotion up to Division One.

“The boys we’ve got now, I think they can do a job in Division One,” he said.

“We’ll have one or two come in and youngsters coming through but at the moment the boys we’ve got now are doing the job.

“I think that [Division One] would be our level. If we do go up we’ll just do our best.

“The coaching staff have got to aim high to give the boys the belief and confidence to achieve goals.

“They’ve done that so they’ve got to keep on plugging away now.”

Cambrian Welfare could move top of the table tonight with victory over Llantwit Fardre.

But Gilfach Goch play Barry and Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd before Welfare’s final game of the season at Barry, with Cilfynydd at Aberdare, so there could be plenty of twists still to come.