PONTYPOOL will end their season with potentially crucial SSE Swalec Championship encounters with promotion rivals RGC 1404 and Bargoed.

Pooler will host the north Walians on Saturday, April 23 before entertaining the current champions on Saturday, April 30, both games kicking off at 2.30pm.

Pontypool will hope that by then they will have secured a top four spot that will mean a return to the Principality Premiership.

The top flight of Welsh club rugby is being revamped next season and the 16-strong league will be ring-fenced for at least three years. That has left Merthyr, Swansea, Pooler, RGC 1404 and Bargoed scrambling for the four spots.

Louie Tonkin's side are now fully focused on the promotion push after a plucky 19-11 Swalec Cup defeat to Bedwas last weekend and on Saturday head to bottom club Llanharan, who sadly are having a tough time of it with 13 defeats from 13 and a tries against tally of 98.

Pooler face crunch dates against leaders Merthyr (home, date to be confirmed) and a trip to Colwyn Bay on Saturday, March 5.

Merthyr (played 16, 74 points) and Swansea (played 15, 67 points) are looking well set for the Premiership.

Pooler are currently looking good in third (played 15, 58 points) but are being chased hard by RGC (played 14, 49 points) and a Bargoed side who face a fixture pile-up (played 12, 38 points).