Monthly Archives: May 2026
As a club, we are incredibly proud of the players and staff once again this season. It has been a fantastic campaign, filled with many memorable moments and valuable lessons that we will carry forward into next year.
Considering the number of injuries we suffered after Christmas, which significantly impacted the squad, it was a remarkable achievement to secure a home playoff final. The occasion itself was a tremendous advert for both the club and the local community, and everyone involved should take great pride in what was accomplished.
Congratulations to Llandovery, who were deserved winners on the day.
However, we can look ahead to next season with real optimism and enthusiasm, particularly knowing that we have managed to retain the vast majority of our squad.
That, in itself, is a significant achievement. Many of our players will undoubtedly have received more lucrative offers from elsewhere, but their loyalty to the club and their desire to continue competing for trophies here says everything about the character and commitment within this group.
As always, there will be a small number of departures.
We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Dan Buffery, Evan Lloyd, Charlie Manship and Lewis Young for their commitment, effort and contribution to the club. We wish them every success for the future and thank them for being part of this journey.
Finally, we would also like to thank our supporters, volunteers, sponsors and everyone behind the scenes who continue to give this club such incredible backing throughout the season. Your support plays a huge part in everything we achieve, and we look forward to building again together next season.
— Jason Strange, Head Coach
Ebbw Vale suffer heartbreak in the final
The Steelmen played their second play off final in two years at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium against Llandovery RFC in front of the S4C cameras.
Within the first few minutes, Llandovery took a quick lineout inside the hosts half. A quick one-two saw the ball be passed to flyhalf Ioan Hughes who went over the line chased by Ebbw flanker Sion Parry. However, after reviewing the try on the screen, referee Carwyn Sion concluded Hughes had crossed the dead ball line and overturned his decision of a try.
Moments later there was a long pause in play. On the 14th minute, the first substitution of the game was made by the Steelmen after number eight Owen Conquer had to leave the field with concussion after what looked like a nasty injury. Conquer was replaced by Lewis Young. The TMO intervened and referee Sion decided to show the away side`s second row Joe Powell a yellow card for a shoulder to the head challenge. Evan Lloyd slotted the penalty to put Ebbw three points in front.
With the Drovers on the front foot. The away side were awarded a penalty when Luke Garrett committed a crock roll. The away sides number ten Hughes drew the scores level from the tee.
With a period of play being played on the away sides try line, a penalty awarded by referee Sion saw Lloyd kick to the corner. From the resulting lineout the host`s forwards accompanied by the backs set up a driving maul and resulted in hooker Corey Lewis driving over the tryline to score the game`s first try. Lloyd kicked the conversion to put Ebbw seven points ahead.
Around the half an hour mark, some off the ball scuffling between Ebbw’s second row Curtis Gregory and Llandovery’s flanker Tom Curry saw both players sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
The Steelmen were reduced to thirteen for the remainder of the half when the home side scrum half Jon Evans was shown a yellow card for ripping the ball illegally.
Having kicked to the hosts twenty-two. The Drovers got quick ball off the lineout and centre Rhodri Jones sliced through the defence and scored near the posts. Hughes kicked the conversion to make it 10 all.
Despite the best efforts of the visitors, good defence by Ebbw saw the scores remain level going into the break.
Halftime: Ebbw Vale RFC 10 Llandovery RFC 10
Ebbw Vales first substitution of the second half saw coach Jason Strange bring prop Morgan Bosanko onto the field to replace Adam Williams two minutes after the interval.
The away sides second try of the game came ten minutes into the second half. After a good break by centre Abraham, quick ball out to Harri Doel, saw the winger score in the corner. However, Hughes was unable to add the extras.
Straight from the restart, a missed tackle on the away sides Jac Davies, saw the 15 make yards, draw the covering defence and pass to winger Doel, who crossed over the line unopposed. Hughes sliced the conversion through the uprights.
A further change by the Steelmen saw prop Adam Court replace Luke Garrett.
After applying the pressure, the Drovers sealed their win with thirteen minutes to go. After some clever football by the retiring Lee Rees, the scrum half fended off a defender to dive on the ball and score Llandovery’s fourth try of the game to give his side a seventeen-point lead. Hughes sent the ball wide of the uprights.
The hosts coach Strange made various substitutions in the closing moments, with scrum half Gruff Tough replacing Jon Evans, flanker Dylan Burrows came on for Alfred Bateman – Lloyd, centre and captain Dom Franchi went off to be replaced by Cameron Davies, winger Ryan Gardner came on for Mitch Rankine and hooker James Talamai came on for Corey Lewis.
Ebbw were to see out the game with fourteen after referee Sion viewed the monitor and decided to show second row Dylan Bartlett a red card for head contact on an opposing player at the ruck. From the penalty, Hughes sent the ball wide of the posts to bring the game to a close.
Fulltime: Ebbw Vale RFC 10 Llandovery RFC 27
Try: Corry Lewis
Conversion: Evan Lloyd
Penalty: Evan Lloyd
S4C Man of the Match: Sion Parry
Everyone at Ebbw Vale RFC would like to thank their volunteers, sponsors and supporters for their support during season and look forward to seeing you again next season
Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans
SRC GRAND FINAL
The day has finally arrived! The Steelmen entertain Llandovery RFC at the CiNER GLASS Community Stadium in the Grand Final of Super Rygbi Cymru. This is the 3rd meeting between the two teams with the Steelmen winning at CINER GLASS and Church Bank earlier in the season.
Jason Strange has made a number of changes to the squad from the semi-final over Newport RFC. Mitch Rankine retains his place on the wing with Alfred Bateman Lloyd starting in the back row in place of Ben Main. Corey Lewis plays his second game for the Steelmen at hooker on permit from Bridgend, while young Dragons hooker James Talamai retains his place on the bench. Dylan Burrows also comes into the match day squad. Dom Franchi continues as captain.
Here is the Ebbw Vale team
15 Dylan Edwards 14 Mitch Rankine 13 Ethan Phillips 12 Dom Franchi (c) 11 Dafydd Thomas 10 Evan Lloyd 9 Jon Evans
1 Luke Garrett 2 Corey Lewis 3 Adam Williams 4 Dylan Bartlett 5 Curtis Gregory 6 Alfred Bateman Lloyd 7 Sion Parry 8 Owen Conquer
Replacements
16 James Talamai 17 Adam Court 18 Morgan Bosanko 19 Dylan Burrows 20 Lewis Young 21 Gruff Tough 22 Cameron Davies 23 Ryan Gardner
We caught up Dom Franchi recently to discuss the Grand Final…
Games don’t come bigger than this… the Grand Final going toe to toe with Llandovery. It’s going to be a great occasion for both teams with fans, families and friends all being present in what’s going to be a great game! We know it’s going to take a complete 80 minute performance to come away with the victory but as a group we are chomping at the bit to get on the field.
We know that Llandovery are a great team who are solid upfront and with pace behind but for us it’s about focusing on the things we can control and executing our game plan to the best of our ability.
Lastly I’d like to thank all the Ebbw fans who travel week in week out to games supporting us whatever the weather forecast might be!
We really wouldn’t be playing in these types of games without you. We all look forward to seeing you all pack the bank on Sunday and we as players will do our best to get over the line.”
Match Tickets
Reminder that tickets can be purchased online at the following link:
Super Rygbi Cymru Final – Ebbw Vale RFC v Llandovery RFC
Full Price: £15
Concession: £10
Tickets can also be paid for with with cash or card on the day
Souvenir Match Programme
There is a special souvenir match programme that has been created for this game. This will cost £3 and can be purchased from the club programme sellers in the ground .
Match Information
SRC GRAND FINAL
Ebbw Vale RFC v Llandovery RFC
SUNDAY 10th May
CiNER GLASS Community Stadium
Kick Off 4.45pm
Steelmen reach SRC Final
Ebbw played Newport RFC in the semi final of the SRC play offs, in front of the S4C cameras at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium. An hour before the game, a heavy down pour of rain made the pitch wet and slippery. The game saw Hooker Corey Lewis make his debut for Ebbw Vale on permit from Bridgend Ravens.
Within the first few minutes of kick-off, Ebbw Vale number seven Sion Parry was shown a yellow card by referee Adam Jones for being off his feet and slapping the ball down earning him 10 minutes in the sin bin.
After applying pressure, from a rolling maul, the Black and Ambers forwards got up a head of steam and scored the first try of the game through number four Josh Skinner. Jac Lloyd slotting the ball through the uprights to put his team seven nil up.
With the weather ramping up, knock-ons and overthrown lineouts from both teams made the game stop/start.
A lovely 50-22 kick by the hosts outside half Evan Lloyd, put the home side on the front foot. The visitors number 12 Harri Ackerman was sent to the sin bin by referee Jones for three continues offsides.
The Steelmen were forced into an early change when Ben Main went off due to injury with Alfred Bateman-Lloyd replacing the flanker.
After going through phase after phase, Ebbw thought they had scored their first try of the game through Corey Lewis. However, the TMO overturned the decision with an Ebbw Vale player knocking the ball on at the base of the ruck.
With the game approaching half time, the Steelmen were reduced to fourteen again when Alfred Bateman-Lloyd was shown a yellow card for a tip tackle.
Halftime: Ebbw Vale RFC 0 Newport RFC 7
At the start of the second half, Ebbw coach Jason Strange replaced prop Adam Williams with Morgan Bosanko.
With Newport knocking the ball on and a player in front of the ball, Ebbw were awarded a penalty which was kicked to the corner. However, the Steelmen were unable to collect the ball at the lineout, and the visitors cleared their lines.
The tide had started to turn, with the Steelmen forwards gaining metres every time they had the ball. With referee Jones penalising the Black and Ambers, a kick to the corner by Ebbw Vale’s Evan Lloyd saw the home side win the line out and set a rolling maul. Joined by the backs, number two Corey Lewis benefited to score Ebbw’s first try of the game. The conversion went wide from the home side’s Lloyd.
After being awarded a penalty in the away side’s twenty-two, fly half Lloyd sent the ball through the posts to put his team in front for the first time in the game.
Further ill-discipline by Newport, saw second row Josh Skinner spend ten minutes in the sin bin. With the penalty, Lloyd stepped up and delivered to put Ebbw four points in front.
Ebbw were awarded another penalty just inside the away side’s half. Lloyd smashed the ball, however it only just missed the uprights.
From the drop out, the away side’s fly half Jac Lloyd took a quick tap and was adjudged to have been fouled by the Steelmen’s hooker Corey Lewis. Lewis was shown a yellow card as a result.
Inside the last five minutes of the game, good back play by the Black and Ambers saw replacement Harrison James go through a gap in the hosts defence, draw the player and pass to winger Fin Baker, who scored in the corner to put the away side 11-12 in front. Number ten Jac Lloyd kicked the conversion to make it a three-point game.
With minutes to go Ebbw coach Strange then brought on Lewis Young, Adam Court and Gruff Tough for prop Luke Garrett, scrum half Jon Evans and number eight Owen Conquer.
With the home side still down to fourteen, winger Mitch Rankine came off for hooker James Talamai to come on, with Ebbw having a lineout 2 metres away from the Black and Ambers tryline.
After having the lineout disrupted, the Steelmen forwards regrouped, went through phase after phase to get within a few metres of the tryline. Brilliant thinking from the hosts replacement Gruff Tough, saw the scrum half put in a pinpoint cross-field kick to fullback Dylan Edwards out on the wing. With little space on his outside, Edwards jumped up into the air and caught the ball, rolling over the tryline with his opposite number underneath him, he dotted the ball down and scored to score the winning try of the game. Lloyd hammered the ball through the sticks.
Newport was allowed to restart the game. However, the ball was knocked on, and referee Jones brought a titanic battle to a close, sending the home side fans into eruption of cheers and the Steelmen into their second final of the Super Rygbi Cymru play offs, where they will play against Llandovery RFC.
Fulltime: Ebbw Vale RFC 18 Newport RFC 14
Tries: Corey Lewis (1), Dylan Edwards (1)
Conversions: Evan Lloyd (1)
Penalties: Evan Lloyd (2)
Ebbw Vale RFC will play Llandovery RFC in the final of the SRC play offs at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium on Sunday 10th May 2026, with kick off at 4:45pm, tickets available https://evrfc.short.gy/e8LsIu
The game will be shown live on S4C.
Written by Alex Kinsella-Evans