IT PROMISES to be a fierce battle at the top of the SSE Swalec Championship this season but stability is the aim for Newbridge, writes Chris Kirwan.

The Welfare Ground side made a superb start to the campaign when they beat RGC 1404 23-17 thanks to scores by flanker Kyle Tayler and scrum-half Lloyd Peart and the right boots of fly-half Kieran Meek and Matthew Williams.

Tomorrow they make the trip to Cyncoed to face Cardiff Met but even if they make it two from two head coach Neil Edwards won’t be getting carried away.

He took over the reins last season when ‘Bridge were lurching towards relegation and the former lock believes they would be getting used to life in Division One East were it not for the man who brought him to the club.

“Our chairman Idris McCarthy felt it was time to step aside after an unselfish and long tenure at the club,” said Edwards.

“I’d like to thank him for all his help because we wouldn’t have got through last year, or many years before that, without him. He has done so much for Newbridge over the last two decades.

“We are a club in transition now and we want to stabilise. I’ve got a three-year plan and key to that is working with our mini and juniors section because the amount of players that drift off after under-18s is phenomenal.

“We want to join the club up, attract the town to the club and for them to feel part of it.”

‘Bridge take on the students in fine spirits after stunning their north Walian visitors last weekend, a notable success after suffering 47-7 and 87-7 losses to them last season.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect in that first game because we’ve had a limited amount of work with the boys but it was pleasing to see that they have taken what we have managed to do on board,” said Edwards.

“It’s a much younger squad this season and the key is to keep them together and keep working hard.”

One of the promotion hopefuls will suffer their first setback this afternoon when Pontypool host Swansea.

Pooler got their campaign off to a cracking start at Narberth last weekend when they triumphed 26-18 out west and today will be another test of their title credentials.

The Whites have won the last six meetings between the sides and enjoyed a 17-8 success in the corresponding fixture last season.

Other fixtures: Beddau v Merthyr, Bridgend Ath v Llanharan, Newcastle Emlyn v Glynneath, RGC 1404 v Bargoed, Tata Steel v Narberth