THERE will be Gwent derbies in the Super Rygbi Cymru Cup during the Six Nations after Pontypool, Ebbw Vale and Newport were all drawn in the same pool.
The new league was launched at Principality Stadium on Thursday evening and coaches and players watched on as Welsh Rugby Union performance director Huw Bevan and Wales Under-20s head coach Richard Whiffin conducted the draw.
Pooler and Ebbw will play in the first round of the Pool B fixtures when hosting Swansea and Carmarthen Quins respectively while Newport have a bye on the opening weekend.
There will be relief to have avoided RGC and a long trip to Colwyn Bay while there is the prospect of boosting the coffers with Gwent derbies.
The 10 top-flight clubs are split into two groups and, after playing a pair of home and away games each, the two table-toppers will clash in the final.
The fixtures will fill a gap in the schedule when the league stops for the Six Nations, which will stretch squads with young talent on Under-20s duty.
There will also potentially be the need for promising prospects to step up to cover for their regions in the United Rugby Championship with games on three of the five weekends.
Meanwhile, the WRU announced that the SRC will trial a new bonus point system in which there will be an extra point on offer if teams win by 15 points or more.
It is in addition to the current incentives for scoring four tries - countries and competitions have variations, such as the Rugby Championship being for scoring at least three tries more than the opposition - and the losing bonus for teams who go down by seven points or under.
There is also the added gimmick of the SRC Challenge Shield, which has been inspired by New Zealand’s Ranfurly Shield.
The holder – currently champions Llandovery – will put the Shield on the line in every home game of the regular league season.
Ebbw Vale will have the first chance to claim custody of the Shield at Church Bank on October 5 and if they cause an upset then they will defend it in fixtures at Eugene Cross Park.
The SRC gets under way on Thursday when Pontypool entertain the champions in a fixture that will be covered by the S4C cameras.
SRC Cup dates
Round one: January 25 (week before Six Nations, URC games).
Round two: February 1 (France v Wales on January 31).
Round three: February 15 (Six Nations fallow week, URC games).
Round four: March 1 (Six Nations fallow week, no URC games).
Round five: March 15 (Wales v England).
Pool A: RGC, Aberavon, Llandovery, Cardiff, Bridgend.
Pool B: Pontypool, Swansea, Ebbw Vale, Carmarthen Quins, Newport.
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