EXCITING END OF SEASON LOOMS FOR THE DROVERS

Can the Drovers emulate last year’s remarkable feat and do the Triple Crown of finishing top of the SRC league, win the play off final and retain the WRU Cup? writes Huw S Thomas, courtesy of the Brecon and Radnor Express

To do so, they will probably have to win all their remaining SRC league and cup games between March 1 and May 17.

It is a tall order given the strength of the nearest opposition in Ebbw Vale, Cardiff and Newport

This Saturday, they will set out to achieve another annus mirabilis as related in “The Chronicle of an Unforgettable Season” by taking on Bridgend in Pool A of the SRC Cup.

To get to the final of the revamped competition, they will need to beat the Ravens and also overcome Aberavon at the Talbot Athletic Ground on March 14.

That would guarantee a final spot against the winners of Pool B which is likely to be Newport or Ebbw Vale who meet each other on Saturday.

The final is scheduled for Thursday March 20.at the ground of the club which has the highest number of points at the end of the pool stage.

The league picks up on March 8 when Cardiff are the visitors to Church Bank  and the Drovers will need to beat the Blue and Blacks who are currently one point ahead of them with five games to play.

Euros Evans’s men then have away games against Swansea, Cardiff and Bridgend and just the one home game against Aberavon.

To finish top of the regular table, the Drovers will need to win all five games- with some bonus points – and hope that league leaders Ebbw Vale – two points ahead of them – will slip up when they travel to Newport on April 13.

The play offs start on April 26 – a wild card round – when the sides seventh in the table face the tenth and eighth play the ninth.

The big noises enter the play offs at the quarter final stage on May 3

Top of the regular table take on wild card one winners, fourth in the regular table face fifth, the second face wild card two winners and third in the regular table entertain  the fourth.

The semi finals on May 10 see the winners of quarter final one meet the winners of quarter final four, the winners of quarter final two confront the winners of quarter final three

The grand final will be on May 17, venue decided by reference to the team that has finished the higher in the regular season table.

SRC FIXTURES MARCH 1 ONWARDS

* =  potential

01/03/2025 v Bridgend (h) Cup

08/03/2025 v Cardiff (h) League

14/03/2025 v Aberavon (a) Cup

*20/03/2025 potential Cup final

29/03/2025 v Swansea (a) League

05/04/2025 v Aberavon (h) League

12/04/2025 v Cardiff (a) League

17/04/2025 v Bridgend (a) League

26/04/2025

Wild Card Round

7th v 10th

8th v 9th

 

03/05/2025 play-off quarter final

1st v WC 1

4th v 5th

2nd v WC2

3rd v 6th

 

*10/05/2025 potential play-off semi final

Winner of QF 1 v Winner QF 4

Winner of QF 2 v Winner QF3

 

*17/05/2025 potential play-off final

Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2