CROSS Keys are set for a push for silverware in the Principality Premiership Tier Two play-offs but director of rugby Jonathan Westwood says thoughts are already turning towards next season, writes Chris Kirwan.

The men from Pandy Park are four from four in the league since being the wrong side of the line after the January split and can ensure they will be playing beyond the end of the regular season by beating Neath tomorrow.

However, their primary target after missing out on Tier One was WRU National Cup glory and they head to the Gnoll after an agonising semi-final defeat to Pontypridd at Aberavon.

A sterling comeback from 39-16 down with 10 minutes left fell just short with Ponty just managing to stand firm in the face of late pressure on their line.

It means that Westwood and the coaching team will take the opportunity to blood younger talent ahead of 2017/18.

“The Tier Two play-offs is all we’ve got to play for now and that’s not what was anticipated or wanted at the start of the season,” admitted the director of rugby.

“But this is where we are, we’re unbeaten since the split and have Neath next, who in fairness have improved as the season has gone on.

“We are going to be very young this weekend following on from where we finished against Pontypridd in terms of the personnel.

“They were outstanding at the end of that game so we will be looking to build on that.

“Next season has started now in terms of our building. We have Tier Two to go for but our priority is next year if we are honest and that will probably be reflected in the way that we select teams.

“We are looking to give youngsters more experiences so that when we start next season we will be in a good place.”

That means likely starts for flanker Rhys Fitzgerald, centre Barney Nightingale and wing Joe Goodchild.

Ross Pritchard gets the nod in the absence of scrum-halves James Leadbeater and Owain Leonard.