Relegation on agenda as Premiership returns

THE Principality Premiership returns today with plenty of thrills and spills promised as the threat of relegation is restored.

The league is set to fall from 16 teams to 12 next season so the bottom four will all move down.

The side that finishes 12th will also be at risk as they will compete in a play-off with the Championship winners with their Premiership status on the line.

Champions Merthyr will be aiming for a third consecutive title, but new backs coach Gavin Dacey insists they are wary of relegation.

“We’re not arrogant enough to say it’s not a worry because it is,” he said. “It’s a massive threat to all the clubs.”

The Ironmen start their campaign at Cardiff with many labelling them as title favourites. Dacey understands why but predicts a tough season ahead.

“It’s probably an obvious thing for us to be favourites having won it two years on the bounce,” he said.

“We’ve lost one or two players during the off-season but replaced them with real quality so I can understand people making us favourites for the season to come, but we lost a handful of games [last year] and we got pushed very tightly in a lot of the games as well.

“We’re not going to change who we are and how we play massively. We’re just going to improve on the things we did last year.

“We like to think we can play a good expansive brand of rugby and that is something we try to do but we do know we’ve got a big pack as well and that is one of our strengths.

“Cardiff are going to be a really big task. It’s also a little bit more spicy when a Valleys team goes down into the city.

“The boys are looking forward to it and it’s a great place to go and start the campaign.”

Another new feature for this season will be live games on the BBC, while S4C will also continue their coverage.

The first match on the BBC will see Ebbw Vale host Aberavon next Friday, but before that the Steelmen travel to Llanelli as Greg Woods begins his first full season in charge.

Elsewhere, RGC 1404 welcome a new-look Neath to North Wales, with the game being staged at Ruthin due to the Gogs being unable to play at their Stadiwm Zip World home this weekend.

Cross Keys take on Bridgend Ravens and beaten National Cup finalists Newport travel to Carmarthen Quins.

Other fixtures see Bedwas take on Pontypridd, Bargoed host Llandovery and Swansea battle with Aberavon.