EBBW Vale head coach Nigel Davies has called on the Steelmen to repeat the late season charge that brought them Principality Premiership glory as they attempt to retain their crown, writes Chris Kirwan.

The champions have left themselves with plenty of work to do in the bid for the Tier One play-offs after costly home defeats to Bedwas and Pontypridd.

They travel to RGC 1404 on April 8 and Llandovery on April 15 before hosting Merthyr on the final weekend of the regular season.

In 2015/16 they won the title thanks to a charge for the play-offs in the second half of the season and then play-off wins on the road to the Drovers and Ponty.

Davies knows the Steelmen, who have beaten Aberavon and Carmarthen Quins since the January split, need to dig deep to win back-to-back titles.

"I said to the players after Pontypridd that we've just got to go and win the next three games, simple as that," said the former Wales, Scarlets and Gloucester coach.

"We had an opportunity against Pontypridd and started really well and positively but we missed it. We have to regroup over the next few weeks then go away and put in some big performances.

"The last two games the conditions have been atrocious and it's been difficult to build a game. The games have been a lottery and unfortunately we have been on the wrong end of the results."

Ebbw came flying out of the blocks against Ponty to lead 10-0 in torrential rain but missed a number of chances before being hit by a comeback by the visitors.

"We had complete control of the game in the first 30 minutes but didn't take the opportunities that presented themselves and it was costly on a night like that," admitted Davies.

"Ponty got back into the game with a try from a kick that we dropped and their tails were up. They managed the game a lot better than us, particularly in the second half, and their work at the contact area was better than ours. Ultimately that was the difference."