JASON Strange and Ceri Jones have returned to Ebbw Vale to oversee their Principality Premiership clash with Bedwas tomorrow afternoon while the Steelmen wait for the arrival of their new boss, writes Chris Kirwan.

Cross Keys head coach Greg Woods is taking over at Eugene Cross Park in January as replacement for Lee Davies, who left earlier this month.

Strange and Jones have helped hold the fort while the Ebbw hierarchy have been hunting a new boss, with the Steelmen grateful to the Welsh Rugby Union and Dragons for allowing them to borrow the services of their former coaches.

Wales Under-20s boss Strange led Ebbw back to the Premiership and laid the foundations for the 2016 title triumph while Dragons forwards coach Jones was still at the club when they became champions.

Dragons hooker Gerard Ellis will continue his conversion to loosehead prop for Ebbw at Eugene Cross Park.

The 25-year-old is learning how to play to the left of the front row as well as in the middle with Rodney Parade boss Bernard Jackman keen for the summer recruit to provide more versatility.

Strong-running Ellis, who was converted from the back row by previous club London Irish, has been training at prop and will wear the number 1 jersey for the first time against Bedwas.

“He definitely has the power and strength to do it, it’s just how quickly we can fast-track him,” said Jackman about the project earlier this month.

Ellis is joined in the XV by his regional teammate Carl Meyer, who has not featured for the Dragons since the win against Southern Kings in September because of an abdominal injury.

The 26-year-old South African starts in midfield while Dragons fly-half Dorian Jones pulls the strings and Will Talbot-Davies is back from making his Wales 7s debut to slot in on the left wing.

The regional teammates Connor Edwards and Robson Blake feature for a Bedwas side who are locked into third place in the east and will head into the combined Premiership with six points regardless of events this afternoon.

Head coach Ian Gardner brings in teenage loosehead Tom Devine for a first start of the season while former Newport winger Ceri Young plays on permit from Cardiff.

Bedwas romped to an eight-try, 54-5 win when the sides met at Bridge Field in September and they will lock horns again at Eugene Cross Park on the penultimate weekend of the season.

Ebbw will avoid bottom place in the east if they match the result of Bargoed, who travel to face leaders Merthyr.

Ebbw Vale: D Haymond, S Thomas, C Meyer, D Langdon, W Talbot-Davies, Dorian Jones, Dai Jones, G Ellis, R Francis, R Sevenoaks, R Clarke, L Randall, C Regan, R Kynes (captain), L Young. Replacements: J Franchi, R Jones, J James, M Williams, K Parker, C Lewis, E Benham, C Hall.

Bedwas: L Evans, C Young, C Edwards, M Callow, O Halford, S Jones, N Griffiths (captain), T Devine, D Rogers, J Williams, B Thompson, C Hudd, J Richards, D McGuigan, R Blake. Replacements: D Preece, M Dacey, T Hutcherson, G Edmunds, A Waite, T Rowlands, M Hathaway, A Williams.

Premiership East fixtures: Ebbw Vale v Bedwas, Merthyr v Bargoed, Pontypridd v Cardiff