The Chips Are Down

So now we know! Bridgend’s narrow victory at Sardis Road against Pontypridd means that they escape relegation and, with Bedwas relegated, Pontypool face Llanelli RFC in the play-off for the remaining place in the next season’s Premiership. The match will be played at the Talbot Athletic Ground in Aberavon on Friday evening. It couldn’t be much tougher for Pooler but as always they will meet the challenge head on and give it everything they can.

The debate will rage about the use of professional regional players to augment the strength of teams but Pontypool can’t worry about that. Whoever takes the field for Llanelli, team spirit and belief can help Pooler win through. It has all the makings of a classic East v. West showdown – roll on Friday!

If Pontypool need inspiration, they only have to look at the final Championship table below and think back to the cup matches against Premiership opposition over the last few seasons.

This makes great reading for Pooler fans with a second successive unbeaten season and a third title in a row. In any other pyramid league system they would surely have been promoted by now – ring fencing can only stifle ambition and thankfully it has ceased (for the time being anyway). As a fan, I have to say that a league size of twelve is too small there are just not enough matches to fill the eight months or so of a rugby season. The Premiership seems to have worked well with sixteen clubs so I am not absolutely clear why it needs to be reduced to twelve. As always, I guess it has something to do with money and the WRU not wanting to shell out as much cash to the community game in order to pump more into the professional game. It is a delicate balance but I cannot help feeling the scales are tipping in the wrong direction.

The Championship has been really competitive this season and Pontypool have had to work hard to come through some very tough matches to remain unbeaten. This is shown in their points difference which was +687 last season compared with +432 this season. Congratulations to Ystrad Rhondda who have had an excellent campaign following promotion to the Championship this season. Commiserations to the four relegated clubs and good luck to them for next season. The addition of Bedwas, Cross Keys, Bargoed and Neath will surely make the Championship even more competitive next season. Let us hope we can add Llanelli to that list!

Congratulations too to Merthyr for being crowned Premiership champions. The game against RGC on Friday night was almost as tough as the Cup semi-final against Pontypool!

So now the chips are down and everything rests on a one-off game at Aberavon with Llanelli standing in Pooler’s way. Can Pooler defy the odds and fulfil their ambition? It will not be for want of trying I am sure and with the Pooler Army behind them anything is possible. I can’t wait.

Come on Pooler!