By Huw S Thomas (with the permission of the Brecon and Radnor Express). Pic: Stuart Ladd
Cardiff are the bookies favourite to top the table at the end of the Super Rygbi Cymru season with Newport expected to be their closest pursuers.
Welsh bookmakers Dragonbet are of the opinion that the capital city club will emulate last year’s feat when, after 18 games, they finished in first place on 79 points, two ahead of Ebbw Vale with Newport third (65) and Llandovery fourth (63).
They quote Cardiff at 6/4, Newport at 5/2, with Ebbw Vale, Llandovery and Pontypool all available at 5/1.
Punters should be aware that these prices are on which club finishes top of the table after the full complement of 18 games and not who will be crowned SRC champions.
Despite only finishing fourth at the end of the regular season, the Drovers went on to won the SRC title after winning the play-off games with against the odds away wins at both Cardiff and Ebbw Vale.
They welcome the return of hefty lock Morgan Jones after his spell at Doncaster but they have crucially lost quicksilver Lee Rees to retirement and their chances will much depend on how well they can fix that hole.
George Macdonald is a very promising scrum half but he is now in the Scarlets squad and Euros Evans hopes that he will be made available on more than the odd occasion.
The Drovers will be again very well supported by Scarlets youngsters as well as regional fringe players and they will still have the experience of the evergreen duo of Adam Warren and Rhodri Jones at centre, backed up by new Merthyr signing Tom Hughes.
Their biggest problem is consistency. Capable of brilliance, they are also prone to dips in form – last year they lost two games in succession to lowly Carmarthen Quins.
Dragonbet may have got their pecking order wrong in quoting Cardiff clear favourites.
Last year they had any number of brilliant young Cardiff Blues players to call on – the likes Tom Bowen, Osian Darwin-Lewis, Steffan Emanuel, Elijah Evans, Matty Young and Harri Wilde but this year that fruitful supply line will be interrupted by promotions to the regional set up and the departure of Wilde to the Ospreys.
They will, of course, have more young players stepping up to the mark but 6/4 is not an attractive price.
Newport look worthy second favourites, rock solid up front under No 8 Ben Roach and with a sparkling fly- half in Jac Lloyd.
The Black and Ambers have a tried and trusted squad that have won the SRC title in 2025 and the 2026 SRC Cup in 2026.
They had a poor start last year but finished strongly before being edged out in by Ebbw Vale in the play-offs.
They will be the most difficult side to beat.
Rarely beaten at home, Ebbw Vale will be led by the SRC’s top flanker in Canadian Sion Parry but as consistently as they have played over the last few years under their excellent coach Jason Strange, the Steelmen still have no silverware to boast about.
They have crucially lost their best back, fly-half Evan Lloyd to Pontypool and – despite their strength up front – look short of pace behind the scrum.
The heavy scoring Lloyd will be a huge asset to Pooler who have recruited well in the summer and will probably have ex RGC and GB Sevens flyer Caio Parry – the fastest back in Wales – available when not in the Dragons match squad.
Former Wales U20 players in centre Connor Edwards, wing Ewan Rosser and scrum half Ellis Lewis are also significant signings.
I cannot see Swansea, Aberavon, Bridgend or Carmarthen Quins challenging for top spot but RGC are livewire 14/1 outsiders under canny coach Jon Callard and very hard to beat up in Colwyn Bay.
With no great confidence, I offer Newport to win at 5/2 with Llandovery also worth a bet at 5/1 with the biggest threat to profit a resurgent Pooler.
Regular Season winner odds
Cardiff 6/4, Newport 5/2, Ebbw Vale 5/1, Llandovery 5/1, Pontypool 5/1, RGC 14/1, Aberavon 16/1, Bridgend 16/1, Carmarthen Quins 16/1, Swansea 16/1
Please gamble responsibly.