SRC: Newport hitting top form for Ebbw Vale final
The Steelmen will start as slight favourites for Sunday's showdown (kick-off 2.30pm) courtesy of home advantage, but there was little to choose between the sides that finished in the top four of the table.
Ebbw edged out Llandovery in the first semi-final and then the Black and Ambers stunned top seeds Cardiff at the Arms Park.
READ MORE: Strange hunting first major title with Ebbw
It means that Morris & Co have a shot at going one better than last year when edged out by the Drovers in a top-quality Premiership final at Church Bank.
Arguably Newport haven't hit the heights of 2023/24 this season… but they have challenged that assessment with performances in the run-in.
They have won seven games since defeat at Ebbw in the SRC Cup and are averaging 36 points per game.
A winning streak was brought to a crashing end by Llandovery a year ago but Newport hope that they have built towards one last huge effort.
BOSS: Newport head coach Ty Morris (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency)
'The whole season is planned so that we are performing at our best at the right time,' said head coach Morris, who is determined to add a league title to the Premiership Cup won at Principality Stadium in 2022.
'We want to be firing on all cylinders and I think we have that right this year because we are seven games undefeated, we are scoring some great tries and playing some excellent rugby.
'There are a number of players who are playing their best rugby of the season and that is down to the planning.
'We have made sure the squad is rotated, everybody has had a chance to compete for a start and eventually the cream rises to the top for this final.'
Ebbw's excellent campaign means they head into Sunday's derby with a perfect Eugene Cross Park record of played 13, won 13.
Two of those successes were against Newport but Morris, like opposite number Jason Strange, doesn't read too much into past games.
DOUBLE: Ebbw Vale beat Newport at Eugene Cross Park in the SRC Cup and the regular season (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency)
'We won comfortably at home in dry conditions but lost at Ebbw Vale in the wet and the dry,' he said.
'You can look back at those games to try and find a couple of themes but this is a cup final. Ebbw Vale will bring something new and so will we for what will be a hell of an arm wrestle.
'They are undefeated at home and that will give them another five per cent to their game but it takes a big effort to beat them whatever the ground.
'The dry conditions suit us but there's more to their game than just a set piece. We have to deliver what we can, and control what we can control.
'We finished runners-up last year so really wanted to achieve a final again, so fingers crossed we can be more than the bridesmaid this year.
'It'll be a noisy day and a great atmosphere, Ebbw Vale have a big following and I am sure our supporters will turn up in their numbers.'
Newport have also profited from the experience of last year's final, plus the build-up to three Principality Stadium cup clashes since 2018.
'The players are controlling this now,' said Morris. 'It would be quite easy to do an extra session or really go hard at them but they know everything about policies, our attack, our defence.
'There is a bit more detail around Ebbw Vale this week but not around intensity, it's making sure there is a clear understanding of things.
'We had an easy session and walk through on Tuesday, then got to Tiny Rebel for some food and a sparkling water. The hard work has been done all year and the guys are raring to go for Sunday.'
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