Cardiff face tough start to defence of WRU Cup

IT was only five months ago that Cardiff celebrated winning the WRU National Cup for the first time in 22 years, but the opening game in their defence of their title in North Wales this weekend will be as difficult as any game that carried them to victory last season.

RGC 1404 opened their league game with a great victory over reigning champions Merthyr last weekend and now new head coach Matt Silva is looking to make it a notable early-season double by knocking-out the cup holders at Parc Eirias.

“It was great to see 1,300 at last weekend’s game and the noise they created made a huge difference to the boys on the pitch. We need to create more of that on Saturday when Cardiff come to us,” said Silva.

“We started the season against the League champions, next up are the Cup winners and then we have to go to Llandovery.

“This is going to be the hardest year for the Premiership clubs because the talent is more concentrated and there is no margin for error.”

Cardiff were 27-15 winners in Colwyn Bay in January in the second round last season, but were hammered 63-24 on the final day of the Premiership season on their last visit when there was nothing on the fixture.

Head coach Steve Law doesn’t foresee any repeat of the latter result and, despite losing a number of players to injury and unavailability this weekend, is looking to keep his hands on what is now the Specsavers National Cup.

“We worked really hard to win the cup last season, enjoyed the ride in the Principality Premiership and are in no mood to let go of the trophy without a real battle,” said Law.

The game in Colwyn Bay is one of only two all Premiership matchups, with Merthyr, runners-up to Cardiff earlier in the year, hosting Pontypridd in the other one at The Wern.

Giant killing will be on the agenda in a number of other matches, none more so than at Pontypool Park, where the home side host Swansea in a repeat of the 1983 Cup Final that the Gwent side won.

Having beaten Cross Keys (129), Bridgend (21-11), Carmarthen Quins (23-8), Cardiff (43-22) and Llanelli (19-14) in the past three seasons in the cup, there will be little or no fear in the home ranks when the Whites arrive.

Narberth will also be fancying their chances at Eugene Cross Park, where the Steelmen of Ebbw Vale went down to Newport in their opening game of the season last weekend.

The competition kicks-off at Rodney Parade tonight when Newport host Carmarthen Quins.