EBBW Vale captain Damien Hudd is confident his side can make history by lifting the Premiership title for the first time.

The Steelmen have made the league play-offs after securing a top three place following their thrilling 32-30 victory at home against Aberavon on the weekend at Eugene Cross Park which ended the Wizards’ title dreams.

It has set up a showdown away to Llandovery on Sunday, May 8, the winners going through to a shoot-out against Pontypridd at Sardis Road a week later in the Grand Final.

Vale have enjoyed a remarkably successful last few years by being crowned Division One East champions in 2011 and 2012 and going on to win the Championship 2013 and 2014, the last honour seeing them promoted to the Premiership.

But the big crown still eludes them, although they pushed Pontypridd hard before losing last season’s Premiership Grand Final 28-14.

But lock Hudd thinks they can go one better this year and beat both the Drovers, who play Carmarthen Quins in the Swalec Cup final at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday, and then Ponty who are looking to secure a remarkable fifth successive league title.

“It will be a tough challenge at Llandovery, but we’ve got two weeks to prepare for them,” the 35-year-old said.

“We can’t rest on our laurels after beating Aberavon. Llandovery have the upper hand on us at the moment, but I have every confidence in the lads in our changing room.

“If we play to the best of our ability, we will beat most sides in this division.”

Llandovery do seem to have something of a hoodoo over the Steelmen during this campaign.

They have played the Drovers three times so far this season with the West Walians leading the series 2-1.

They thumped Vale 50-0 in the league when they hosted them in September before Ebbw got their revenge in the Premiership return encounter following a 14-6 triumph in late January.

But Llandovery prevented Ebbw from the chance of reaching only their second Swalec Cup final when they defeated the Blaenau Gwent side 16-8 at Eugene Cross Park in a last eight tie in April that most expected would go the hosts’ way.

Impressive Vale centre Adam Jones, who scored a try in the pulsating win over Aberavon, added: “The boys are very confident we can beat Llandovery and then Ponty. We are very hopeful.”