BANKING ON THE BONUS

EBBW

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Gruff Tough crossed for Ebbw Vale but also had to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin in the win over Aberavon

(Ian Williams/ Huw Evans Agency)

Vale bagged maximum points for the seventh time in nine matches already in Super Rygbi Cymru and head coach Jason Strange says the extra bonus points could prove crucial.The Steelmen led 26-12 at the break and, despite being reduced to 13 men with skipper Joe Franchi and scrumhalf Gruff Tough sin-binned just before the hour mark, held off a second half Aberavon fightback.

It secured an eighth win from nine games for Ebbw - who have collected 48 points from a possible 54 on offer to them so far this season.

The only sides to deny them full bonus points have been RGC, who did so with a last-minute try in a 38-26 Ebbw win, and Newport - the only side to defeat Ebbw so far and in a game where Ebbw took just a losing bonus point from a 12-5 defeat.