PONTYPRIDD captain Dafydd Lockyer says the champions are fuelled by a pair of painful defeats to Ebbw Vale as the Steelmen attempt to upset the odds in the Principality Premiership final.

Ebbw travel to Sardis Road on Sunday (kick-off 3pm, live on S4C) for a title showdown after beating Swalec Cup winner Llandovery in the semi-final at Church Bank last weekend.

Ponty are the standard bearers for club rugby, taking over from previous top dogs Neath by winning four titles on the spin.

But Nigel Davies' side make the trip to Sardis buoyed by a stunning 26-18 victory at the 'House of Pain' in October and a 34-8 rout at Eugene Cross Park in March.

Talisman centre Lockyer, consistently one of the Premiership's top performers, is confident that the champions can get their own back and avoid a repeat of 2011 when Llanelli lifted the trophy at Sardis Road.

"The success of the whole campaign hinges on that 80 minutes with everything to play for," he wrote on his blog at Ponty.net.

"Ebbw will be coming down to us full of confidence having done the double over us in the league but then we owe them one and with the experience we have of competing in the play-off finals over the years, we will have confidence in our own ability to win.

"We know that we will need to put in a big shift to claim the Premiership trophy but we have it in us to achieve that."

"We have had a two-week break without a game, have been training well, and will go into the Ebbw Vale match feeling fresh and up for it," he continued.

"It will be a big occasion on Sunday, in front of the live TV cameras, and the Ponty support will be out in force to make the most of it with Ebbw bringing their own numbers as well.

"In a tough encounter like the play-off final, having the big crowd behind us can be a big boost to us as players, enough to provide that drive to win against the odds."

Tickets for Sunday cost £10 with £5 concessions for senior citizens and students while under-16s are allowed in free when accompanied by an adult. The Sardis Road council car park will be open.