Pontypool to host Dragons Cup Finals weekend

Pontypool RFC is pleased to be hosting the Dragons Cup Finals at Pontypool Park for the very first time.

The club will welcome community clubs across the Dragons region for a feast of youth rugby with the Plate and Cup finals – from under-12s to under-16s – being staged across the weekend of 14th May and 15th May.

The stars of tomorrow have been battling it out all year to earn their spot at this prestigious event, which is usually held at Rodney Parade – the home of the Dragons.

Dragons Cup rugby co-ordinator and Pontypool RFC lock Ashley Sweet is a key organiser of the event and is happy to see the competition being staged at Pontypool Park.

“The Dragons Cup is the main cup for our mini and junior sections along with our youth but with COVID striking and the youth league having to catch up they haven’t been involved this year,” he explained.

“We organise all the male game events in the Dragons region so this is one of the biggest male game events of the year and we’re hosting it at Pontypool Park, which is a very prestigious ground.

“It will be a great experience for the young players and aspiring Pontypool players coming through and playing on the park.

“Normally we hold it at Rodney Parade but due to COVID and the amount of games they’ve got to catch up on with football and rugby it was unavailable.

“Ben [Jeffreys] has been superb in offering Pontypool Park to us and we bit his hand off. It’s a perfect place to host the event.”

The weekend will kick off in style with Garndiffaith RFC facing Oakdale RFC in the Under-15s Plate final at 10.30am on the Saturday and will finish the next day at 4.30pm with Caldicot RFC taking on Senghenydd RFC in the Under-14s Cup final.

Tickets cost £3 per day with four games on Saturday and six games on Sunday.

Full schedule:

Saturday 14th May:

10.30am – Garndiffaith RFC v Oakdale RFC (Under-15s Plate final)

12pm – Cwmbran RFC v Pontypool United RFC (Under-15s Cup final)

1.30pm – Pontypool United v Rhymney RFC (Under-16s Plate final)

3pm – Newbridge RFC v Risca RFC (Under-16s Cup final)

Sunday 15th May:

10am – Caerleon RFC v Newbridge RFC (Under-12s Plate final)

11.15am – Monmouth RFC v Pontypool United (Under-12s Cup final)

12.30pm – Risca RFC v Pontypool United (Under-13s Plate final)

1.45pm – Whitehead RFC v Caerphilly RFC (Under-13s Cup final)

3pm – Beaufort RFC v Blackwood RFC (Under-14s Plate final)

4.30pm – Caldicot RFC v Senghenydd RFC (Under-14s Cup final)