CROSS Keys start their challenge for a third visit to the Millennium Stadium in four years when they head west in the Swalec Cup this afternoon.

The draw for the first round wasn't kind to Keys with the men from Pandy Park having to travel to Parc y Scarlets to take on Llanelli.

Their hosts have enjoyed a good start to the season; they may only sit fifth in the Principality Premiership but they have played just three of their games on their own turf. All three of those encounters were bonus-point home wins so Keys will have to be on top of their game.

Keys select James Leadbeater at full-back while Phil Williams makes a welcome return from a knee injury at inside centre.

The first-choice tight five of Richard Cornock, Darren Hughes, Anthony Lott, Dan Hodge and Tom Lampard will have to be dominant at the set piece to deny a Llanelli back line that features last season's Wales Under-20s captain Steff Hughes at outside centre.

There will be no consolation of a bonus point if Bedwas are edged out in a tight encounter with Pontypool this afternoon.

Steve Law's side have lost by seven points or less in six of their seven league defeats, including their last three fixtures.

They will be favourites to avoid that frustration on Saturday afternoon against a Pooler side that were thrashed 39-7 by runaway Championship leaders Bargoed last weekend.

Pontypool had previously been in good form but director of rugby Alun Carter has called on his charges to up their game in the tight against their Premiership hosts while openside Rob Nash, captain and man of the match for Cross Keys in the 2012 cup final, will be a key figure at the breakdown.

Blackwood are on a six-game losing streak but still start their home tie against fellow Championship strugglers Llanharan as slight favourites.

The Glan-yr-Afon Park side have endured a tough winter and things won't get any easier with league fixtures against top-two Swansea and Bargoed looming so a cup victory against a side they beat 35-29 in October would be the perfect pick-me-up.

Newport are boosted by the return of their Wales Under-20s prospects for their tie against Aberavon at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

An international training camp meant that influential captain and openside Ollie Griffiths missed the 20-16 Premiership loss to the Wizards last weekend along with tighthead Alex Jeffries and centre Barney Nightingale.

Dan Robinson makes a welcome return in the Black and Ambers' midfield while the pack must be on song to help out novice fly-half Julian Mogg.

The scrum struggled at the Talbot Athletic Ground and it's all change in the front row with loosehead James Greenfield and seasoned hooker Andrew Brown joining forces with Jeffries.

Newport are on a four-game losing streak and are rock bottom in the Premiership, so could desperately do with a cup run.

Arguably the tie of the round is at Sardis Road where Premiership champions and cup holders Pontypridd host in-form Bargoed while Neath host RGC 1404, Llandovery face Narberth and there are all-Championship affairs between Merthyr and Glynneath and Tondu and Cardiff Met.

Cross Keys (at Llanelli): J Leadbeater, J Cordy-Redden, L Andrews (captain), P Williams, N Trowbridge, E Davies, R James, R Cornock, D Hughes, A Lott, D Hodge, T Lampard, R Tucker, S Matthews, A Powell. Replacements: J Howard, L Garrett, C Gould, J Condy, P Uhi, R Lee, R Dyer, S Williams.

Bedwas (v Pontypool): H Thomson, R Budina, A Pinches, A Humberstone, L Hudd, R Powell, L Crane, D Preece, R Wilkes, J Mills, P Rees (captain), J Walker, J Richards, J Sawyer, D Mattravers. Replacements: A Rees, M Pettit, J Carmichael, J Hayward, S Grainger, T Rowlands, J Maynard, S Thomas.

Pontypool (at Bedwas): C Gullis, C Laing, M Thornley/A Norton, D Davies, R Usher, T Hancock, A Quick, M Prosser, B Parry (captain), G Harris, J Porter, D Jones, E Goodman, R Nash, M Thomas. Replacements: J Jeune, J Edwards, K Bale, E Ferriman, R Bromley, T Organ, S Mills, N Brooks.

Newport (v Aberavon, Sunday): G ODriscoll, J Morris, D Robinson, B Nightingale, E Frewen, J Mogg, O Davies, J Greenfield, Andrew Brown, A Jeffries, Adam Brown, A Frampton, R Jenkins, O Griffiths (captain), S Cross. Replacements: D Rogers, D Pattison, C Davies, R Gibbon, S Feehan, A Quick, O Broad, C Rees.