EBBW Vale can cement a place in the Principality Premiership playoffs and set up a shot at earning a home semi-final by winning in Llanelli this weekend, writes Chris Kirwan.

Two points will be enough to secure a top-three berth for the Steelmen but a win at Parc y Scarlets will give them the chance to head to Cardiff next Friday with hopes of pipping Cross Keys, who play Pontypridd on Saturday before a pair of games against strugglers Bridgend, to second.

Ebbw have endured a tricky few months but settled their nerves with a super 22-13 win at Llandovery last weekend that established a nine-point gap to the Blue and Blacks and Bedwas.

Head coach Jason Strange has demanded that his charges don't let their standards slip again.

He said: "It was an important win but the performance was just as satisfying after our disappointment the previous week against Bedwas (when thumped 34-20 at Eugene Cross Park).

"We turned up with a positive attitude after some straight words and it was a reactive performance but we shouldn't be in that situation, there should never be any problem with motivation.

"The players were fantastic and some of the rugby that we played was really good. Now we need to continue that and show some consistency."

Llanelli sit ninth in the table and haven't won since beating Newport on February 13 so a playoff place is tantalisingly close for Ebbw.

"It would be a great reward for everyone at the club," said Strange. "We have stick to our principles and haven't had a big change of personnel. We have been loyal to the players that got us back to the Premiership and that approach was proved to be right."

Influential loosehead prop Ross Jones is unavailable this weekend so John Lavender starts with Wales Under-20s prop Keagan Bale among the replacements.