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Weather permitting, Wednesday will see the first of what promises to be three titanic clashes between the Quins and Ystalyfera.

In the league, Quins currently lie second and Ystalyfera third. Precipitation and WRU Plate commitments have prevented the sides from meeting so far this season. Therefore, this first meeting between teams in Division One West Central, whose only blot on their combined copybook was an early season draw, is a High Motive Glamorgan County Silver Ball quarter-final at the Talbot Athletic Ground.

Ystalyfera have become knock-out kings. Undefeated in the WRU Plate since 2016, even their devastating defeat to Penallta in the 2017 Plate was a 16-all draw. Playing with fourteen men for much of the game, a superior try count allowed the ‘Pitmen’ to lift the prize.

It’s been a few years since the Quins got to the knock-out stages of the Silver Ball. The last time they achieved the feat was in 2012 in their narrow final loss to Glynneath [13-10].

Aberafan is also a bit of a gremlin that the Quins need to exorcise. Firstly, the coal black and blood reds have been twice knocked-out of the competition by the steel town based Tata RFC at the quarter-final stage. The second occasion being at the Talbot Athletic Ground in 2002.

Local sports reporter Tony Poole questioned the eligibility of many of the then British Steel team. So did Maesteg RFC secretary Keith David, who viewed several of the side perform for Aberafan a week or two earlier.

Hearsay is all well and good, but when Tata officials couldn’t name their try scorers or some of their influential performers, it was obvious the opposition were a conglomerate of competitors.

That’s one accusation that cannot be levelled at the Tawe valley team. Gradually they have built a squad who have been gelling together for a number of years now. Their more influential performers who left for Premiership pastures have returned to form a formidable unit.

On the other hand, the Quins are still smarting from their Plate quarter-final defeat in north Wales and desperately want to advance in the High Motive Silver Ball competition. Since first lifting the trophy in 2001, the club has had a great affinity with the title as it was the first major knock-out competition win.

Several members of the Quins squad remember their own success in 2011 and the feel-good factor of that particular victory over Mountain Ash.

With both teams packed to bursting point with talent, it promises to be a thrilling match between evenly matched clubs. A game that should not be missed by fanatical followers or neutrals alike.

Kick-off is at 7:15pm at the Talbot Athletic Ground. Be there!