EBBW Vale will start the defence of their Principality Premiership crown against Llanelli at Parc y Scarlets while Newport face famous old rivals Cardiff in the capital.

The Steelmen won the crown by toppling frequent top dogs Pontypridd in the Grand Final at Sardis Road in May and they return to the ‘House of Pain’ in week two.

That comes a week after Bedwas have welcomed Ponty to Bridge Field on September 3 while Cross Keys open up their campaign against upwardly-mobile Championship champions Merthyr at Pandy Park.

Promoted Bargoed open up with a home encounter with Neath, Swansea return to the top flight against Carmarthen while RGC 1404 make their bow at Bridgend with Llandovery the first team to head north in week three.

The Premiership has been ring-fenced for three seasons and revamped with a split that means the 16 teams don’t play each other home and away.

That will leave certain clubs sweating on whether they will make it to the top half and secure the proceeds that come from entertaining the bigger travelling contingents of Ebbw and Ponty.

In terms of derbies between the Gwent quintet, the Steelmen and Bargoed have home advantage in three games while Newport and Bedwas travel for three and Cross Keys have an even split. Newport, Keys and Bedwas must wait to see if they face a trip to Colwyn Bay.

Ebbw Vale head coach Nigel Davies knows that the split - which happens in the first week of January - means they must hit the ground running in the defence of the title.

He said: “It’s going to be a tough start, Parc y Scarlets and Sardis Road are always difficult places to go but we expect everyone to raise their game against us as champions this season anyway.

“We did well away from home last season, and we will just have to prepare well in pre-season and back ourselves to get off to a good start. After all, the first 15 rounds of the season is like a mini-season in itself and if you don’t get momentum early on, you’ll be on the back foot and find it difficult to stay in the top eight when the league splits."

FIXTURES

September 3: Llanelli v Ebbw Vale, Swansea v Carmarthen, Bedwas v Pontypridd, Aberavon v Llandovery, Cardiff v Newport, Bargoed v Neath, Cross Keys v Merthyr, Bridgend v RGC1404

September 10: Carmarthen v Llanelli, Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale, Swansea v Aberavon, Newport v Bedwas, Llandovery v Bargoed, Merthyr v Cardiff, Neath v RGC1404, Bridgend v Cross Keys

September 17: Llanelli v Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale v Newport, Aberavon v Carmarthen, Bargoed v Swansea, Merthyr v Bedwas, RGC1404 v Llandovery, Cardiff v Bridgend, Cross Keys v Neath

September 24: Llanelli v Newport, Ebbw Vale v Bridgend, Carmarthen v RGC1404, Pontypridd v Merthyr, Aberavon v Bargoed, Cross Keys v Swansea, Bedwas v Neath, Cardiff v Llandovery

October 1: Bargoed v Llanelli, Neath v Ebbw Vale, Carmarthen v Cross Keys, Bridgend v Pontypridd, RGC1404 v Aberavon, Newport v Merthyr, Swansea v Cardiff, Llandovery v Bedwas

October 8: Aberavon v Llanelli, Merthyr v Ebbw Vale, Bargoed v Carmarthen, Pontypridd v Newport, Swansea v RGC1404, Bridgend v Bedwas, Llandovery v Cross Keys, Neath v Cardiff

October 29: Llanelli v Merthyr, Ebbw Vale v Llandovery, Cardiff v Carmarthen, Pontypridd v Neath, Cross Keys v Aberavon, Newport v Bridgend, RGC1404 v Bargoed, Bedwas v Swansea

Weekend of November 5: RGC1404 v Llanelli, Swansea v Ebbw Vale, Carmarthen v Bedwas, Llandovery v Pontypridd, Aberavon v Cardiff, Bargoed v Cross Keys, Neath v Newport, Bridgend v Merthyr

Weekend of November 12: Bridgend v Llanelli, Ebbw Vale v Carmarthen, Pontypridd v Swansea, Bedwas v Aberavon, Newport v Llandovery, Cardiff v Bargoed, Merthyr v Neath, Cross Keys v RGC1404

Weekend of November 19: Llanelli v Cross Keys, Aberavon v Ebbw Vale, Carmarthen v Pontypridd, Swansea v Newport, Bargoed v Bedwas, Llandovery v Merthyr, Neath v Bridgend, RGC1404 v Cardiff

Weekend of November 26: Neath v Llanelli, Ebbw Vale v Bargoed, Newport v Carmarthen, Pontypridd v Aberavon, Merthyr v Swansea, Bedwas v RGC1404, Bridgend v Llandovery, Cardiff v Cross Keys

December 3: Llanelli v Cardiff, RGC1404 v Ebbw Vale, Carmarthen v Merthyr, Pontypridd v Bargoed, Newport v Aberavon, Swansea v Bridgend, Cross Keys v Bedwas, Llandovery v Neath

Weekend of December 24: Swansea v Llanelli, Bedwas v Ebbw Vale, Carmarthen v Llandovery, Cardiff v Pontypridd, Aberavon v Neath, Cross Keys v Newport, Merthyr v RGC1404, Bargoed v Bridgend

Weekend of December 31: Bedwas v Llanelli, Ebbw Vale v Cardiff, Neath v Carmarthen, Pontypridd v Cross Keys, Bridgend v Aberavon, Newport v RGC1404, Merthyr v Bargoed, Llandovery v Swansea

January 7: Llanelli v Llandovery, Ebbw Vale v Cross Keys, Carmarthen v Bridgend, RGC1404 v Pontypridd, Aberavon v Merthyr, Bargoed v Newport, Neath v Swansea, Cardiff v Bedwas