WALES A lock Neil Edwards (pictured) is the main injury worry for Ebbw Vale as they prepare to take on Cardiff at Eugene Cross Park tomorrow.

The Steelmen are looking to break their recent run of defeats against city-slickers Cardiff and will be hoping Edwards passes his fitness test on his neck injury which ruled him out of Wednesday's defeat at Newport at the eleventh hour.

Edwards withdrew from the side just before kick off, but Ebbw coach Mike Ruddock is hopeful he will pass a fitness test and bolster the Ebbw Vale line-out.

Fitness tests will also be given to centre David Weatherley and hooker Leyton Phillips after the squad meet for final preparations for tomorrow's game. Weatherley limped out of Wednesday's 35-25 defeat at Newport with an ankle injury, while Phillips twisted his ankle in last Saturday's 33-13 defeat by Pontypridd at Sardis Road.

If Weatherley is passed fit he will partner Rhys Shorney in the centre, otherwise Paul Matthews will once again step into the breach.

Likewise, former Pontypridd hooker Jon Evans will start for the Steelmen after facing the Black-and-Ambers.

But the return of Edwards would really help Ebbw Vale to combat Cardiff's line-out threat of Craig Quinnell and John Tait.

Using Craig Quinnell's bulk to punch holes on the peel and using the lofty Tait's height at the tail of the line-out, Cardiff have an imposing presence and Ruddock has been studying tapes of the Blue-and-Blacks' match against Pontypridd.

With Cardiff using the wheeled-scrum as an attacking weapon, Ruddock has been putting number eight Will Thomas through his paces so that the talented Wales A forward can counter the threat with a quick pick-up from the back of the scrum.

Ebbw beat Cardiff at Eugene Cross Park last season and Ruddock is hoping his men can produce a result which jusifies the huge effort they have put in during recent matches. He said: "Cardiff at home is a big test for the players, they have picked up results over the season and they are stacked with internationals.

"But that said, hopefully we can repeat the result we earned against them last year through a massive effort."

Ebbw Vale: M James, G Cull, D Weatherley/P Matthews, R Shorney, A Wagstaff, S Mitchell, K Ellis, M Jones, L Phillips, D Penisini, Neil Edwards/C Billen, O Booyse, K Tuipulotu/C Billen, P Williams, W Thomas. Subs A Clatterworthy, J Evans, K Tuipulotu, R Williams, A Bevan, A Takarangi, R Watts, M Ridley.