NEWPORT and Ebbw Vale will hope to make long-awaited returns to Premiership action this weekend after frustrating spells without rugby because of the stormy weather.

Ty Morris’ Newport were scheduled to play Merthyr on the Ironmen’s artificial surface last Saturday, but even that fixture didn’t survive following wind damage at the Wern.

The Black and Ambers are set for 80 minutes on another plastic pitch tomorrow with a trip to Pontypridd (kick-off 2.30pm).

Morris’ men haven’t played since beating Swansea 17-0 at Rodney Parade on February 6, so the head coach is desperate for the Sardis Road showdown to go ahead.

“I hope we get a game this weekend,” he said. “Everyone has been ready to play for two weeks.”

“It was a surprise when the Merthyr game was called off because of their 4G, but I suppose the conditions were extreme.

“We were feeling good about ourselves and really keen to play, so it was frustrating that we weren’t able to get out there.

“It’s difficult keeping players fresh. We only spoke last week about changing things slightly to keep the players’ energy levels up.”

He added: “They don’t come much tougher than going to Sardis Road, I think Pontypridd have only lost there once this season.”

Meanwhile, the Steelmen face a tough test at second-placed Carmarthen Quins tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm).

Greg Woods’ charges haven’t played since January 31, while Quins slipped to a 14-12 defeat by fellow west Walians Llandovery last Saturday.

Ebbw won’t be able to call on flanker Dawid Rubasniak following his call-up to the Poland squad for their Rugby Europe Trophy tie with the Netherlands.

Rubasniak has been training with the Poles in Warsaw this week ahead of tomorrow’s crunch encounter.

Elsewhere, Ebbw’s rivals in the fight against relegation, Bridgend, head to leaders Cardiff.

Ebbw Vale: D Haymond; M Powell, R evans, D Franchi, A Grabham; R Jones, M Flanagan; L Garrett, J Franchi, D Whiting, C Talbot, A Sweet (capt), D Hill, O Young, L Young. Reps: J Harries, M Blake, R Sevenoaks, M Ayling, A Waite, D Jones, L Williams, E Phillips.

Newport: G O’Driscoll; H Lang, J Morris, T Pascoe, E Frewen; M O’Brien, L Crane; L Smout, M Dwyer, L Jones, A Mann, J Bartlett, R Jones, K Tayler, R Jenkins (capt). Reps: D Preece, J Jeune, G Harris, J Reid, M Burgess, G Watkin, H Simons, R Gardner.

Fixtures: Cardiff v Bridgend, Carmarthen Quins v Ebbw Vale, Llandovery v Merthyr, Llanelli v Aberavon, Pontypridd v Newport, Swansea v RGC.