GWENT failed to impress once again the Foster’s National 7s with all four Principality Premiership teams getting an early opportunity to sample the sponsor’s product at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.

With crunch British and Irish Cup qualifiers taking place on Saturday, the tournament was never going to be a priority for the quartet.

Cross Keys, Ebbw Vale, Newport and Bedwas all crashed out in round one of the cup in 2013 and the Bridge Field side, who won the plate last year, were the only ones to improve on that record.

They beat the Welsh Students 28-12 to earn a quarter-final against Aberavon but a late rally was not enough with the Wizards triumphing 26-24.

Keys were out of the cup before 11am after being beaten by Pontypridd with the men from Sardis Road, who had been beaten by Aviva Premiership new boys London Welsh in a friendly on Saturday afternoon, romping to a 31-10 success.

Ebbw Vale were also in the plate before the afternoon after conceding a last-gasp try to former Swalec Championship foes Cardiff Met that saw the students triumph 24-19.

They were swiftly followed by exiting the premier competition by Newport, who were hit by 19 unanswered second half points in a 31-12 loss to Aberavon.

The Steelmen took on Keys in the last eight of the plate – a warm-up for Saturday’s BIC qualifier at Pandy Park – and triumphed 29-7 but the Black and Ambers’ day was over when they were beaten by Welsh Students 40-14.

Ebbw took on Llanelli in a topsy-turvy plate semi-final but it was the west Walians that triumphed 19-17.

Llanelli won the plate while Llandovery beat Pontypridd to win the cup.