ONLY three Gwent sides are in Welsh Premier Division action today, all involved in relegation zone battles.

Ebbw Vale are currently the Gwent side most in danger of going down dependant, of course, on Welsh Rugby Union decisions regarding Premier Division criteria.

They have yet to win under new coaches Alex Codling and Gareth Lintern but three of their last four league and cup defeats have been by one score.

The Vale pack are capable of testing the best on their day but face a particularly stern test against visiting Neath, though the current champions will be without some players on Wales age group duty.

Codling would relish victory over a club he once played for but Vale were 47-29 victims of Neath on their own patch back in October and it would be a massive upset were they to win.

Pontypool too face an enormous task visiting an Aberavon side unbeaten at home in the league for over a year, though defeated at the Talbot Athletic Ground in the cup by Newport last week.

Pontypool were defeated 21-3 at home by Aberavon back in October but generally have a pretty decent record against their hosts.

Aberavon have the division's highest points scorer in outside half Jamie Davies who is not far short of 350 points for the season and will punish any indiscretions.

Pontypool's away form is much improved this season and they have won at Newport, Maesteg and Swansea, drawn at Bedwas and been defeated by just three points at Carmarthen and Bridgend, two points at Llanelli and six at Cross Keys.

They are capable of putting up another brave fight but again it would be a surprise if they won.

There appears to have been little love lost between Newport and Llandovery in recent seasons.

They have been involved in more than one dispute over fixtures with Newport, feeling particularly hard done by when they suffered a three-points deduction by the Welsh Rugby Union for postponing last season's home fixture outside the permitted time period.

This season the game was rearranged from its original date to today only for Newport to seek a further rearrangement when it was realised, among other things, that head coach David Rees and some players would be away on international age group duty.

Llandovery declined to move again, but Newport are still able to field a strong side and should complete the double and leave their opponents in deeper trouble.