IT SEEMS strange to comprehend that come May there will be not one but two Principality Premiership winners’ trophies up for grabs.

However, that is exactly the case in Welsh club rugby’s elite league competition this season, with the new two-tier format now up and running for the first time.

The second block of the season – each of the 16 teams played 15 games before the Premiership was split into a top and bottom eight on January 7 – got under way last night at the Arms Park in Cardiff.

The 14 other clubs begin their final set of seven fixtures today, all of them aiming to make the top four of each tier to qualify for the play-offs.

Champions of both sections will be crowned in the spring, so even a side like Swansea, bottom of the pile when the league split, could still walk away from this season with some silverware.

In tier one, Bedwas, second before the points were reset to zero, take on Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park this afternoon hoping the four-week league break won’t have affected their momentum.

Steve Law’s troops, who got the better of the Steelmen when the rivals met at Bridge Field on Boxing Day, are without Robson Blake, with the forward away on Anglo-Welsh Cup duty again.

Rory Budina replaces Andy Evans on the wing, Geraint Edmunds starts in the second row, and Nathan Hudd and Pat Lewis are on the bench in place of Tom Bell and James S Dixon.

For the hosts, fans’ favourite number-eight Cameron Regan returns having got back to full fitness and prop Rob Sevenoaks comes into the front row.

Centre Dom Franchi and fly-half Josh Lewis get the nod in the back line.

In tier two, Cross Keys, who host Llanelli, make just three changes to the XV that started the handsome cup win at Glynneath.

Club captain Scott Matthews is again named among the replacements as he continues his comeback from injury, while also on the bench is hooker Rob Jones, a new signing from Treorchy.

All of the changes are in the backs where Barney Nightingale, Joe Goodchild and Owain Leonard replace Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge and James Leadbeater.

Newport go to Bridgend with Brendan Lampitt and Owen Williams still unavailable, while wing and Wales Sevens star Elliot Frewen misses out through illness.

Steve Barber’s Bargoed make the trip to St Helen’s to tackle Swansea buoyed by their cup win over Championship outfit Bedlinog.

Fixtures: Tier One: Ebbw Vale v Bedwas, Llandovery v Aberavon, Pontypridd v Carmarthen Quins, RGC 1404 v Merthyr.

Tier Two: Bridgend v Newport, Cross Keys v Llanelli, Swansea v Bargoed.

Squads: Ebbw Vale (home to Bedwas): D Haymond; N Preece, G Maule, D Franchi, Ja Lewis; Jo Lewis, D Jones; I George, J Franchi, R Sevenoaks, D Hudd (capt), J Bartlett, R Clarke, R Kynes, C Regan. Reps: J Bowen, R Jones, G Robinson, J Davies, J Goodey, D Rubasniak, S Majkic, R Lewis.

Bedwas (at Ebbw Vale): A Bramwell; R Budina, A Williams, M Callow, M John; R Powell, N Griffiths (capt); 1 D Preece, A Rees, M Pettit, J Davies, G Edmunds, J Richards, G Lee, A Waite. Reps: B Toms, R Hutcherson, C Budgen, R Verley, N Hudd, T Rowlands, J Dixon, P Lewis.

Cross Keys (home to Llanelli): L Andrews; M Powell, L Barnett, B Nightingale, J Goodchild; J Prosser, O Leonard; L Smout, D Hughes (capt), R Cornock, D Hodge, S Andrews, A Powell, R Fitzgerald, I Jones. Reps: R Jones, G Price-Jones, G Carpenter, T Lampard, S Matthews, P Williams, J Leadbeater, N Trowbridge.

Newport (at Bridgend): G O’Driscoll; W Cunliffe, T Pascoe, T Riley, J Morris; M O’Brien, O Davies; J Lavender, W Evans, G Harris, A Brown, D Partridge, R Tucker, C Attwell, R Jenkins. Reps: J Greenfield, He Palmer, T Piper, D Mock, R Jones, R Bates, C Smith, L Ap Myrddin.

Bargoed (at Swansea): J Hallett; D Dyer, L Prothero, P Price, D Evans; J Mogg, M Bancroft; J Williams, L Meades (capt), K Brown, J Locke, L Blacker, A Coupe, A Herbert, J Coombs. Reps: J Pizey, A Norton, L Bowden, L Beach, J Jacas, A Gardner-Key, L Lippiett, I Jenkins.