As the first half of the Principality Premiership season reaches its conclusion tomorrow, Saturday January 7, two local sides could have their say in who reaches the remaining vacant top eight spot.
The Premiership division was expanded to 16 teams from this season, and will split after the next round of fixtures into two tiers of eight teams.
Seven teams have already secured their place in the top tier, but the eighth is yet to be decided, with Cardiff and Ebbw Vale left vying for the final spot.
However, two teams from Caerphilly County Borough remain in their way.
Reigning champions Ebbw Vale occupy eighth position heading into matchday 15, and welcome Cross Keys to Eugene Cross Park at 2.30pm.
Keys’ defeat to Pontypridd on New Year’s Eve put paid to their own qualification hopes, while Ebbw Vale kept their own hopes alive with a nail-biting win over Cardiff, leapfrogging the Blue and Blacks into eighth.
The Steelmen were 13-6 down at half-time, but pegged Cardiff back thanks to 14 points from fly-half Josh Lewis. A win for Ebbw Vale over Keys will ensure their place in the top tier.
Bedwas, already qualified for the top tier, will prove a tough test for Cardiff, even at the Arms Park.
A six-try thrashing of Llanelli solidified Bedwas’ spot in the top eight, and Cardiff have to hope that Cross Keys can do them a favour, as even victory over Bedwas will not ensure the capital’s side qualification.
The Blue and Blacks must better Ebbw’s result to squeeze into the top tier.
After the final round of fixtures, which also sees bottom side Bargoed host Newport, the league splits in half.
In the interest of fairness, all points and score tallies will be reset ahead of the second half of the season, and each team will play the other seven in its tier once.
The top tier’s clubs will battle for a place in the end-of-season play-offs, and the Premiership has adopted the same method as the regions’ Guiness Pro 12 league.
Four play-off spots are now up for grabs, with first position playing fourth, and second and third facing off for a place in the final.
Futher dates are yet to be confirmed by the Welsh Rugby Union, but Premiership and Championship sides begin their WRU National Cup campaigns on Saturday January 28.
Bedwas host Glamorgan Wanderers, Bargoed travel to promoted Bedlinog – who won the Plate competition last year – while Cross Keys head west to Glynneath.