photo by Mark Harris

Wales’ biggest weekend of rugby league starts this Saturday with what has become the East Wales Conference Championship match at St Peters RFC in Cardiff between Cardiff Demons and Blackwood Bulldogs (kick-off 2.30pm).

In a match schedulers’ dream, the top two sides in the division are meeting each other in the final game of the regular season with both sides on five wins and two defeats from their matches already played this season. A win for either side with give them the championship and a home tie against either Aberavon or Swansea next week, but defeat could see them missing out on the play-offs altogether and settle for third spot and a place in the Shield.

Cardiff could have won the title last week, but with a weakened side were defeated at Torfaen Tigers. However this week, they will be strengthened by the return of their influential Wales A internationals Gareth Jones and Sean Gilbertson – both of whom were unavailable in Pontypool.

Blackwood are reporting no injury worries and vice-chairman Roger Moore is looking forward to the match.

Moore said: “We’re very excited about the occasion, rather than the ambition or confidence of winning the game. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to display what we can do in a high profile match. Cardiff are at the top of the table by right so it’s a fitting climax to the regular season for us.”

Demons official, Simon Davies said: “Who would have predicted at the start of the season that this game would decide the East Wales championship. Both teams have surprised a few people – I’m sure a lot of people would have predicted that the Torfaen v Newport match would have been the decider but it’s great to see rugby league back in the limelight again and I hope we’ll be able to win our first divisional title in four years.”

photo by Ian Lovell

All eyes will also be on the Newport Titans v Torfaen Tigers match at Pill Harriers (kick-off 2.30pm). A win for Torfaen could mean points difference settling second place. Cardiff have a points difference of +70 but Torfaen aren’t far behind on +58. However Blackwood are only on +17 so if they lose and Torfaen win then the Tigers will definitely finish second whatever the scorelines.

A win for Newport Titans will mean that we will have to wait until next Wednesday, when the Titans play their game in hand at winless Valley Cougars, to see who grabs that runners-up spot. Newport’s superior points difference of +110 means that two straight wins for them will send them into the play-offs, unless of course the final unlikely factor

occurs - Cardiff and Blackwood drawing at St Peters. Should that happen then both sides will qualify and the Torfaen v Newport match will be inconsequential.

The final games take place in the West Wales Rugby League Conference this weekend with Aberavon Fighting Irish hosting the Bridgend Blue Bulls at the Green Stars ground and the Swansea Valley Miners travelling to face the West Wales Sharks at the New Dock Stars ground in Llanelli.

The Bridgend Blue Bulls celebrated last Wednesday night when the news come in that the West Wales Sharks beat Aberavon Fighting Irish 28-18, a result that guarantees the Blue Bulls top spot in the West Wales Conference and a home draw in the Wales play-offs on Saturday 5th August.

Bulls Team Manager Simon Green said “the boys had just finished training and we had told them all that Saturday is a must win game to get a home draw and then I got a call to say Aberavon had lost. We are obviously pleased as it takes the pressure of us but we still want to win on Saturday and will be travelling with a strong squad. We will also not be underestimating them, they have beaten us once this season and would love to do the double on us”.

photo by Simon Green

The Blue Bulls welcome back Michael John, Lloyd O’Connor and Craig Voisey for the match but will be missing star players Anthony Isaac, Geraint Lewis and Simon Mustoe.

The Fighting Irish meanwhile are likely to continue with former Neath RFC captain Gareth Morris at stand-off and will be desperate to become the first team ever to do the double on Bridgend and repeat their 50-32 victory they claimed at the start of the season.

Aberavons loss this week was also good news for the Swansea Valley Miners who can now overtake the Fighting Irish in second place if they beat the Sharks at the New Dock Stars ground on Saturday and Bridgend defeat the Fighting Irish by a big margin. Aberavon have a massive 84 points advantage over Swansea but a big win for the Miners and heavy loss for the Fighting Irish could see Swansea sneak through.

photo by Ian Lovell

Miners Chairman Neville Price said "we would love to make the play-offs, if we did it would really make our season. But the Sharks have improved since we played them at home and it will be tough. If we do get a big win I'll be on the phone straight away to see if the Blue Bulls have done us a favour. It would be a great reward for all the hard work put in if we did make it".

article by Ian Golden & Simon Green
27 July 2006