The Steelmen return to action in the SRC Cup today with a group fixture against Bridgend Ravens at the Electric Brewery Field. The Steelmen sit in second place in the group following the decision that the postponed game against Swansea RFC will not be replayed. Both teams have being awarded 2 points for a 0-0 draw so the Steelmen have 7 points from two games.

Jason Strange makes a number of changes to the squad that defeated Aberavon RFC in the last match. Jon Evans comes into the starting XV at scrum half. Ethan Phillips also returns with Cam Davies moving to inside centre. Morgan Rees starts on the wing with Dylan Edwards returning at full back

In the pack Joe Franchi and Adam Williams start in the front row, while Harry Arundel starts his first game for the Steelmen in the 2nd row. Mitch Rankine will be looking to make his debut for the Steelmen from the bench.

The full Steelmen squad is as follows:

15 Dylan Edwards 14 Morgan Rees 13 Ethan Phillips 12 Cam Davies 11 Ryan Gardner 10 Will Ford 9 Jon Evans

1 Morgan Williams 2 Joe Franchi (c) 3 Adam Williams 4 Harry Arundel 5 Alfred Bateman Lloyd 6 Ben Main 7 Joe Rees-Weldon 8 Lewis Young

REPLACEMENTS

16 Charlie Manship 17 Luke Garrett 18 Morgan Bosanko 19 Dylan Bartlett 20 Sion Parry 21 Rory Harries 22 Dom Franchi 23 Mitch Rankine

Match Information

Bridgend Ravens v Ebbw Vale RFC

Saturday 14th February

2.30pm

Electric Brewery Field

Ebbw’s SRC Cup starts
After last weeks postponed game against Swansea RFC, the Steelmen got their SRC Cup journey underway in a game that was played in terrible weather conditions at The Wern, Merthyr RFC.
The game saw young number ten Will Ford and full back Morgan Rees make their debuts for the team, and Harry Arundel make his debut from the bench. The latter, being brought in from the start as a late replacement for Dylan Edwards, who had to miss out due to injury.
The Wizards scored the first points of the game. After starting the game on the front foot, Aberavon flanker Cameron Loveys finished off a well put together move to score in the corner. Number ten Keillen Cullen hit the uprights with his conversion.
The hosts were forced into an early change when winger Ewan Bowden had to be replaced by Evan Lloyd due to injury. This saw Morgan Rees move out to the wing.
After continuing strongly, the visitors scored their second try of the game. Good work by the away sides pack led to a quick ball out to winger Noah Mason to go over out wide. Cullen was again unable to add the extras.
With the visitors dominant, the hosts had some possession in the Aberavon half. After being awarded a penalty inside the Wizards twenty-two, fly half Ford got Ebbw’s first points of the half from the tee.
A second enforced change for the home side saw replacement Evan Lloyd have to be replaced by Ethan Phillips, again due to injury.
The Steelmen had the grit between their teeth. A great 50:22 by winger Ryan Gardner put the home side in the visitors twenty-two. From the lineout, the ball made its way out to centre Cameron Davies, who used his strength to barge through tacklers to score. Ford sent the ball through the posts to level the scores at ten all.
A penalty to the away side, kicked by Cullen right in front of the posts, saw Aberavon lead by three points going into the break.

Half Time: Ebbw Vale RFC 10 Aberavon RFC 13

Ebbw Vale took the lead for the first time in the game, when after being awarded a penalty, outside half Ford kicked the ball to the corner. From the lineout, the hosts forwards got the rolling maul going, and hooker Ieuan Morris benefited by diving over the line to score. Ford continued with his fine form from the boot to extend the home sides lead to four points.
However, within minutes the Wizard retook the lead. From a scrum five metres out, centre Sam Matthews crossed to score his sides third try of the game. Number ten Cullen added the extras.
Ebbw Vale coach Jason Strange decided to make changes. Props Morgan Williams and Morgan Bosanko left the field and was replaced by Adam Williams and Luke Garrett.
The visitors were to be reduced to fourteen men, when after an hour, referee Cai Lewis awarded a penalty try to the hosts and sent the Wizards prop Jordan Walters to the sidelines to spend ten minutes in the sin bin.
Ebbw coach Strange replaced Morgan Rees with the returning Jon Evans and Jack Pope came on for Joe Rees-Weldon.
However, within a minute of coming on, flanker Pope had to leave the field due to a nasty looking injury. Harry Arundel came on to make his debut.
The decisive points came when from good play by Ebbw, second row Alfred Bateman-Lloyd crossed to score the bonus point try. Ford continued his 100 percent record from the tee to put the hosts eleven points to the good.
The final try of the game went to the visitors. From a lineout in the Steelmen’s twenty-two, the ball was passed out to fly half Cullen, who went over in the corner. Cullen sent the conversion wide of the posts.
Despite late pressure from the Wizards, and referee Lewis sending Ebbw Vale prop Luke Garrett to the sin bin late into stoppage time, the away side were unable to capitalise and referee Lewis brought the game to a close.

Full Time: Ebbw Vale RFC 31 Aberavon RFC 25

Tries: Cameron Davies (1), Ieuan Morris (1), Penalty try (1), Alfred Bateman-Lloyd (1)
Conversions: Will Ford (3)
Penalty: Will Ford (1)

Ebbw Vale RFC’s next game is in the SRC Cup, away to Bridgend Ravens at the Electric Brewery Field on Saturday 14th February 2026, with kick off at 2:30pm.

Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans

The Steelmen finally get their SRC  Cup campaign underway with a ‘home’ fixture against Aberavon RFC today. Due to the recent weather, the Steelmen pitch has been deemed unplayable so the fixture has been moved to the Wern, Merthyr RFC with a 1.30pm kick off.

Jason Strange has made just one change to the squad that was selected for the postponed fixture against Swansea RFC last weekend. Morgan Rees, signed from Queensland in the summer, comes into the squad following injury, to make his debut for the Steelmen. Will Ford and Harry Arundel will also be looking to make their debuts at the second attempt.

The full squad is as follows:

15 Dylan Edwards 14 Ryan Gardner 13 Cam Davies 12 Dom Franchi (c) 11 Ewan Bowden 10 Will Ford 9 Dan Buffery

1 Morgan Williams 2 Ieuan Morris 3 Morgan Bosanko 4 Dylan Bartlett 5 Alfred Bateman Lloyd 6 Ben Main 7 Joe Rees-Weldon 8 Lewis Young

Replacements

16 Charlie Manship 17 Luke Garrett 18 Adam Williams 19 Jack Pope 20 Harry Arundel 21 Jon Evans 22 Evan Lloyd 23 Morgan Rees

Match Information

Ebbw Vale RFC v Aberavon RFC

Saturday 7th February

The Wern, Merthyr RFC

1.30pm

Purchase Tickets: SRC Cup – Ebbw Vale RFC v Aberavon RFC

Parking Information

Parking will be available at the ground in the Wern2 Car Park

Pass the ground and turn right as you pass the grass field. Follow road around to the gym complex and enter there.

Ebbw Vale RFC Season Ticket Holders

Season Tickets are valid for home  cup games during the group stage of the SRC Cup

The Steelmen return to action in the SRC Cup, which will see the team play 4 group matches over the next 4 weekends. The Cup sees to groups of 5 teams with the top two in each group going into the cup semi-finals. A further change from last season will see the 3rd and 4th placed teams in the groups facing each other in the plate.

First up, is a trip to Broadacre to face Swansea RFC today with a 2.30pm kick off.

Jason Strange has made a number of changes to the squad with young, Dragons Academy prospect Will Ford making his debut at outside half. The game sees the return of Jon Evans to the match day squad following injury in the cup final last season. Harry Arundel will also look to make his full debut for the Steelmen from the bench. Dom Franchi will skipper the side.

The full Ebbw Vale squad is as follows:

15 Dylan Edwards 14 Ryan Gardner 13 Cam Davies 12 Dom Franchi (c) 11 Ewan Bowden 10 Will Ford 9 Dan Buffery

1 Morgan Williams 2 Ieuan Morris 3 Morgan Bosanko 4 Dylan Bartlett 5 Alfred Bateman Lloyd 6 Ben Main 7 Joe Rees-Weldon 8 Lewis Young

Substitutes

16 Charlie Manship 17 Luke Garrett 18 Adam Williams 19 Jack Pope 20 Harry Arundel 21 Jon Evans 22 Evan Lloyd 23 Ethan Phillips

Match Information

Swansea RFC v Ebbw Vale RFC

Broadacre

Kick Off 2.30pm

Reminder that Swansea RFC are currently playing all fixtures at Dunvant RFC.

The full address for Dunvant RFC is:

Broadacre, Killay, Upper Killay, Swansea SA2 7RU

Ebbw lose on the road

The Steelmen met their match against a determined Cardiff side in their first game at Cardiff Arms Park, after a three-week break.

The home side went ahead within the first five minutes when hooker Alun Rees crossed the line from a driving maul inside the visitors twenty-two. However, flyhalf Harri Wilde sent the conversion wide.

The hosts scored their second try of the game shortly afterwards when Evan Rees scored. Again, Wilde missed the conversion.

The Rags scored their third try of the half when centre Elijah Evans showed his speed to cross the line. Wilde sent the ball through the posts to extend his teams lead to seventeen points.

The visitors scored their first try of the game when from concerted pressure, full back Morgan Richards crossed the line to score out wide. Outside half Evan Lloyd added the extras.

With the first half deep into injury time, good work by the Ebbw Vale forwards was rewarded with flanker Sion Parry scoring the Steelmen’s second try. Lloyd was unable to add the extras.

Halftime: Cardiff RFC 17 Ebbw Vale RFC 12

Ebbw Vale coach Jason Strange started to ring the changes. Firstly, scrum half Rory Harries and prop Adam Williams left the field and were replaced by Gruff Tough and Morgan Bosanko, then hooker Ieuan Morris came on for captain Joe Franchi.

With both teams taking it to each other, neither side was able to add to the scoreboard until just before the hour mark.

The first try of the second half was scored by the home sides winger Dewi Cross, who scored out wide after good work by the Blue and Blacks. Wilde was unsuccessful with the conversion.

The hosts took the game further away from Ebbw when full back Joe Goodchild collected the ball to score by the posts. Flyhalf Wilde added the extras to widen the gap to 17 points.

The visitors were forced into a further change when replacement Gruff Tough was forced off due to injury. Dylan Edwards came on for Tough.

Shortly afterwards prop Morgan Williams and second row Alfred Bateman-Lloyd came onto the field for Luke Garrett and Curtis Gregory.

With the game entering the final ten minutes, a penalty by home number ten Wilde extended the lead further.

Cardiff scored their sixth try of the contest courtesy of Gwilym Bradley. Wilde was unsuccessful with the conversion.

The away sides final replacements saw centre Cameron Davies and number eight Lewis Young enter the field for Dom Franchi and Ryan Jenkins.

Late on, referee Keith David sent Cardiff replacement Joe Williams to the sin bin for the remainder of the game.

With the final play of the match, the Steelmen scored a consolation try. Replacement Dylan Edwards crossed after pressure by the away side. Lloyd brought the game to a close by sending the ball through the middle of the posts.

Full Time: Cardiff RFC 37 Ebbw Vale RFC 19

Tries: Morgan Richards (1), Sion Parry (1), Dylan Edwards (1)

Conversions: Evan Lloyd (2)

The club would like to thank the fans who made the trip to the capital, for their amazing support for the team during and after the game.

Ebbw Vale’s attention now turns to the cup, with their next game against Swansea RFC at Dunvent RFC on Sunday 1st February 2026, with kick off at 2:30pm.

Written by Alex Kisella-Evans