Phil Cochran was already the toast of Bedlinog for the brace of tries he scored in their 24-9 SWALEC Cup first round win over Tredegar, but after the draw for the second round earned his side a trip to Cardiff Arms Park he is due the freedom of the village.
For the SWALEC Division One East outfit it will be the biggest game in their near 40 year history and will give them the chance of taking a massive scalp when they meet the reigning Principality Premiership champions.
Having toppled Tredegar in round one – they are one place above them in Division One – the Foxes will travel full of confidence to their big city neighbours and the game will send their chairman, Lyn Jones, rushing down memory lane.
The former Cross Keys centre captained the Gwent side at the Arms Park in a Swalec Cup tie against John Scott’s blue and black team in 1981.
“It’s a marvellous draw for us as we are a truly amateur club that prides itself on bringing through our own youngsters. I’m delighted to say that every player who runs out against Cardiff will have come through our junior ranks,” said Jones.
A veteran of more than 400 games for Keys, Jones returned to his village club to help them develop into one of the most successful sides in the Swalec Leagues.
Having won the Division Six East title in 2000, they rapidly progressed up the leagues by winning the Four South-East crown in 2007, Three South-East the following year and then rising to Division One East by taking the runners-up spot in Two East last season.
Bedlinog have a good cup pedigree having twice won the Welsh Districts Rugby Union Cup at the National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park, in 1988 and 1998, so Paul Moriarty’s Cardiff side will have to take them seriously.
While Bedlinog’s faithful, and noisy, fans will only have a short trip down to Cardiff, there will be an even shorter journey for the Carmarthen Quins supporters. The draw has give Division One West side Carmarthen Athletic the dream draw with a clash against their oldest rivals.
Any derby between the two Carmarthen sides – the Quins are in the Principality Premiership – is a day to savour in the town and Quins director of rugby Max Howells says he had a chuckle to himself when he heard the draw.
“What a day it promises to be. These derby matches are something quite special within the town and everyone will be looking forward to it,” said Howells.
“It will be a chance for the Athletic to make some money at the gate and bar and it will be a game in which we will have to be at our very best. It will be a case of keeping the emotions in check, riding the inevitable early storm and, hopefully, safely navigating a way into the next round.”
There will also be a massive local derby in Gwent, where Division One rivals Newbridge and Blackwood meet at the Welfare Ground. Only two points currently separate the two sides in the league table, with Newbridge in third and Blackwood in fourth.
There are two all-Premiership ties with Neath hosting Glamorgan Wanderers and Llanelli travelling to Eugene Cross Park to meet Ebbw Vale. Wanderers came out on top when the sides met in the league at the Memorial Ground earlier in the season, but the Welsh All Blacks, winners of the first competition in 1972, will be looking to launch their defence of the title with a victory at The Gnoll.
Ebbw Vale have already beaten Llanelli at home this season and will be seeking a rare double to keep alive their hopes of reaching the Millennium Stadium.
Full SWALEC Cup Round Two draw
Round Two (ties to be played weekend of 16 January, 2010)
Bargoed v Corus
Beddau v Aberavon
Bedwas v Bonymaen
Cardiff v Bedlinog
Carmarthen Athletic v Carmarthen Quins
Cross Keys v Cwmllynfell
Ebbw Vale v Llanelli
Llandovery v Whitland
Llangennech v Tonmawr
Merthyr v Newport
Narberth v Pontypool
Neath v Glamorgan Wanderers
Newbridge v Blackwood
Pontypridd v Felinfoel
Rumney v UWIC
Swansea v Caerphilly
