FROM playing Toulouse to Tredegar, Ebbw Vale have gone from locking horns with Europe’s best to the prospect of battling for local bragging rights with a side three miles down the A4047.

Pontypool’s midweek win over Newport condemned the Steelmen to Division One East, the final chapter in a horror season of financial worries, just four wins and only 16 tries.

Their demise has led to fears for rugby in the area, of Ebbw Vale going the same way as Abertillery, who disappeared completely and only resurfaced after joining forces with Blaenau Gwent at the bottom of the pile.

And Steve Lewis, director of rugby at Eugene Cross Park, has issued a stark warning about what the future holds.

“The current situation is not good for north Gwent, the Heads of the Valleys and Blaenau Gwent,” he said.

“We have already lost Abertillery and now we are without a Premiership club. I think people in the area have got to decide whether they want one.

“Our immediate plans are to reflect on where we are, where we want to be and how quickly we want to get there.

“We have to make a decision about whether we want to get back into the Premiership as quickly as possible or see where we settle and accept that as our reason for being.”

But if the Eugene Cross Park outfit need reassurance that it is not the end then they need only to look at the side that pipped them to 13th place.

Pontypool fought back to the top flight after suffering the same fate in 2006 but they will also be quick to stress that there is plenty of hard graft ahead.

Funding will plummet, the best players will be snapped up (some already have), Dragons Academy players will be sent to develop elsewhere and all of Division One East will want the scalp of the Steelmen.

It still isn’t easy for Pooler, who only have another late season surge to thank for saving them another rebuilding process, but they have the benefit of people grafting away behind the scenes.

And Lewis has issued a rallying call for the people of Ebbw Vale and the surrounding area.

“The number of people involved in running the club has been very low,” he said. “We need some assistance from businessmen and from people willing to help out at the club.

“We desperately need some local people to pitch up and lend a helping hand – the situation seems to be that everybody wants to sit back and let others try and get on with it.

“Blaenau Gwent is a deprived area socially and economically and there are clearly no individuals or corporate benefactors, so our financial position is difficult. We have to work out what revenues we can generate and we need a sound commercial model.”

The advent of regional rugby makes comparisons to past eras somewhat pointless but memories of taking on French giants Toulouse remain fresh for many.

A 108-16 thumping in the Pink City was followed by a 19-11 victory at Eugene Cross Park, a success that led to post-match scuffles and a policeman’s helmet being knocked off.

But while Toulouse are now plotting their way towards a fourth Heineken Cup triumph, Ebbw are planning for a season where they will be the team to beat in Division One East.

Bridgend, another of Welsh rugby’s famous names and the team that suffered at the hands of Pooler’s late surge in 2009, are currently rallying to avoid the drop down to Division Two.

“There is no doubt it will be tough,” said Lewis. “Others will enjoy playing at Eugene Cross Park and we will be the team that everyone wants to beat.

“We have got to get used to running a club with nothing like the funding we have had this year.

“The current squad have to accept some of the responsibility and hopefully they will stay on to try and get us back up at the first effort. It can be done but we need 12 months loyalty from the players.

“It’s a new challenge but we can’t change the history and we have to look to the future.”