CROSS Keys are determined to make an impact in their first season in the British and Irish Cup, writes Robin Davey.

Keys will represent Gwent in the competition after beating Newport in the sixth place play-off and they make their bow in Scotland with a game against Ayr on September 21 after the pools and fixtures were released yesterday.

They follow up with their home debut against Welsh Premiership rivals Neath on October 12, then entertain Moseley on November 12 and travel to Cornwall to face the Pirates on December 17.

"We are representing Gwent in the competition and responsibility comes with that. We want to make a massive statement and we want to make an impact," said Keys coach Greg Woods.

"We are treating these matches as our marquee fixtures and we won’t be resting boys because we’ve got a league game the week after.

"If we can get off to a flyer against Ayr we will move on from there. We want to prove wrong those people who say we shouldn’t be in this competition.

"We are really excited about this, that’s the word for it. We worked hard for this last year, but we haven’t achieved anything yet.

"We wanted a great away fixture and we’ve got one with Ayr. There’s never much in it when we play Neath, and Moseley and Cornish Pirates are big sides, so we’ll see how good we are.

"We don’t just want to qualify and be in the competition, we want to get points and we believe we can win games in it."

Keys are one of six Welsh clubs in the British and Irish Cup, joining Aberavon, Llanelli, Neath, Pontypridd and Swansea and they compete with 12 English RFU Championship clubs including last season’s winners Bristol, three Irish provinces and three Scottish teams.

Keys have been paired with Bristol, Plymouth and Munster in Pool 2, but, along with the other teams play four sides from another group to provide one more fixture on the same lines as the LV Cup.

Hence Keys’ opposition from Pool 1 – Ayr, Cornish Pirates, Moseley and Neath.