AT LEAST one Gwent club will be in the hat for the WRU National Cup quarter-final draw – but there could be as many as five if results go the way of the region’s teams in today’s second-round ties.

The guaranteed last-eight place is up for grabs at Pandy Park where Cross Keys of the Principality Premiership host runaway Championship leaders and local rivals Pontypool.

A few faces familiar to Keys supporters are set to return to their old stomping ground, notably 2012 cup-winning captain Rob Nash and another former skipper in Scott Matthews.

A bumper crowd packed into the same venue two years ago for a quarter-final that Keys won 19-3 – Pooler had knocked out Llanelli and Cardiff in the two previous rounds.

Leighton Jones’ visitors hadn’t announced their starting XV at the time of going to press, while Keys’ matchday squad was a provisional one given injuries in the ranks.

While Keys or Pooler will take one of the spots in the next stage of the competition, they could be joined by Ebbw Vale, Bedwas, Bargoed and Newbridge, but all have difficult assignments today.

Ebbw go to Premiership frontrunners Merthyr, who beat the Steelmen in last season’s semi-finals, Bedwas and Bargoed visit Cardiff Met and Swansea respectively, and Newbridge host Bridgend.

Steelmen chief Greg Woods makes four changes to the team that began last Saturday’s win at Bridgend.

Two in the backs sees Paul King replace James Lewis at outside-centre and Matthew Flanagan make way for Dai Jones in the 10 jersey.

Up front, loosehead Ross Jones and hooker Rhys Francis get the nod ahead of Luke Garrett and Joe Franchi, who like Lewis and Flanagan drop to the bench.

The Welfare Ground hosts the first meeting between Newbridge and Bridgend in 14 years.

Despite being embroiled in a Premiership relegation dogfight, the Ravens will be favourites to prevail, but ‘Bridge have won or drawn four of their last seven in the Championship.

There’s a reunion in Cyncoed where Bedwas hope to avoid an upset at the hands of Cardiff Met, the Championship club coached by former Bridge Field chief Ian Gardner.

“The squad is looking forward to putting the jersey on again, particularly after our second-half response versus Newport,” said Bedwas supremo Stefan Sankala, whose charges drew 18-18 with the Black and Ambers last weekend.

“Of course, our aim is to put a full 80 minutes together against a very organised, athletic and well coached side in Cardiff Met.

“This fixture gives us the chance to progress in the cup as well as change our focus from what continues to be a challenging task in the league.

“It will be great to see Gards again after leaving his legacy with us, but we are fully aware that he will have prepared in every way possible.

“It goes without saying we need to be at our best to outwit Gards and the team, but we are up for the challenge.”

Gardner added: “From a personal point of view, it’s not the draw I wanted, but it will be good to catch up with so many friends.

“It’s going to be a real challenge for the Met players to cope with the physicality and power that Bedwas will bring, but it will be a great learning experience for the players to play against Premiership opposition.”

For Bedwas, Sam Cochrane starts at loosehead with Brynley Toms moving to the bench.

Openside Jonathan Armitage misses out through injury so James Richards takes his place and Dale Rogers starts at number eight with Nathan Hudd on the bench.

Rory Harries gets the nod at scrum-half, Kane Teear-Bourge returns on the left wing and Lewis Bowden partners Connor Edwards in the centre.

Ben White starts at full-back in place of Joe Scrivens.

Bargoed were thumped 50-7 at Swansea last November and return to the scene of that mauling this afternoon.

The Bulls are being cut adrift in the race for Premiership survival, while Swansea have pulled themselves clear after a poor start to the season.

Today’s second round ties (all 2.30pm kick-offs): Cardiff Met v Bedwas, Cross Keys v Pontypool, Llandovery v Trebanos, Merthyr v Ebbw Vale, Newbridge v Bridgend, Pontypridd v Llanelli, RGC 1404 v Cardiff, Swansea v Bargoed.

Bargoed (at Swansea): J Mogg; D Dyer, J Howells, D Humphries, A Norton; J Prosser, M Bancroft; R Morgan (capt), R Buckley, A Gardner-Key, G Edmunds, B Morgan, L Blacker, C Davies. Reps: J Leadbeater, J Bunyan, C Jones, W Langley, G Rogers, K Bale, M Kavanagh.

Bedwas (at Cardiff Met): B White; J Rees, C Edwards, L Bowden, K Teear-Bourge; E Lloyd, R Harries; S Cochrane, A Rees (capt), C Budgen, G Allen, J Davies, C Hudd, J Richards, D Rogers. Reps: M Dacey, B Toms, O Ford, B Hill, D Mattravers, L Crane, J Chilcott, A Williams.

Cross Keys (home to Pontypool – provisional squad): L Andrews; S Majkic, C Nicholls, D Fidler, W Cunliffe; J Botica, J Guy; G Carpenter, E Shipp, R Cornock, D Welch (capt), T Lampard, E Hopkins, J Carlin, G Price.

Ebbw Vale (at Merthyr): D Haymond; S Thomas, P King, D Franchi, T Fricker; Rh Jones, D Jones; Ro Jones, R Francis, R Sevenoaks, K Parker, A Sweet (capt), R Clarke, L Evans, C Regan. Reps: J Franchi, L Garrett, C Coleman, L Young, O Young, M Flanagan, D Langdon, J Lewis.

Newbridge (home to Bridgend): TBC

Pontypool (at Cross Keys): TBC