SECURING league points won’t be the only incentive for players at Gwent’s Principality Premiership clubs this weekend with some big National Cup quarter-finals on the horizon.

Top-tier fixtures today and tomorrow are Newport, Ebbw Vale, Cross Keys, Bedwas and Bargoed’s primary focus, seven days before all five face tough matches in the WRU knockout competition.

So as well as serving as an opportunity to make progress in the Premiership, the latest round of league matches will give those involved the chance to nail down starting places for the forthcoming cup ties.

For Newport, who go to Bedwas next Saturday, it’s Pontypridd at Rodney Parade this morning (kick-off 11.30am).

Head coach Craig Warlow makes a couple of changes from the side that started last Friday’s defeat of Llanelli.

Loosehead John Lavender and blindside Morgan Burgess come into the XV after returning from injury.

Adam Sabri moves to outside centre following Chay Smith’s call-up to Wales Sevens duty, while Elliot Frewen switches to full-back to cover Geraint O’Driscoll.

There’s a dress rehearsal for next weekend’s cup quarter between Keys and Llandovery today as both go head-to-head there in the Premiership (kick-off 11.30am).

Keys head coach Morgan Stoddart makes five changes to his starting XV from the bonus-point victory over Swansea at St Helen’s.

Gary Carpenter comes into the pack at loosehead in place of Corey Hewlett.

Hewlett is joined on the bench by younger brother and Dragons academy hooker Zac, who could make his Keys debut.

In the backs, Keys switch Lewis Barnett to inside centre alongside the returning Leon Andrews.

Calvin Wellington takes his place on the wing and Owain Leonard gets the nod at scrum-half.

Bedwas scrum-half Tom Rowlands is rewarded for his try-scoring appearance off the bench against Beddau with a starting role in today’s home encounter with Bridgend (kick-off 11am).

Tomorrow afternoon sees league leaders Merthyr take on Ebbw, who go to Bargoed next Saturday, at Eugene Cross Park.

Luke Garrett and Rhys Francis come in at loosehead and hooker respectively, Josh Jacas takes over at blindside and Lewis Young takes the number eight jersey.

Behind the pack, Dai Langdon assumes the fly-half duties in place of Callum Hall.

Bargoed (at Carmarthen Quins): A N Other; D Dyer, J Howells, L Bowden, A Norton; C Jones, J Pizey; R Morgan (capt), G Clarke, Alex Gardner-Key, O Cooper, L Weyman, J Armitage, G Rogers, I Jones. Reps: M Bancroft, L Smalley, D Evans, L Meades, L Johnson, L Lippiett, K Griffiths.

Bedwas (home to Bridgend): M Hathaway; L Evans, M Callow, A Williams, P Lewis; S Jones (capt), T Rowlands; B Toms, M Dacey, D Suter, G Allen, B Thompson, C Hudd, J Richards, A Waite. Reps: D Preece, R Hutcherson, J Williams, W Fishlock, C Tucker, L Crane, M John, A Bramwell.

Cross Keys (home to Llandovery): J Prosser; M Powell, L Andrews, L Barnett, C Wellington, C Shephard, O Leonard; G Carpenter, D Hughes, R Cornock, T Lampard, S Andrews, J Skinner, S Matthews (capt), A Powell. Reps: Z Hewlett, C Hewlett, S Evans, A Gibson, J Thomas, N Trowbridge, J Leadbeater, B Nightingale.

Ebbw Vale (home to Merthyr): D Haymond; T Fricker, J Lewis, D Franchi, S Thomas; D Langdon, D Jones; L Garrett, R Francis, R Sevenoaks, K Parker, L Randall, J Jacas, R Kynes (capt), L Young. Reps: J Franchi, J Harries, J Rogers, R Clarke, J Davies, S Ireland, S Majkic, L Dennett.

Newport (home to Pontypridd): E Frewen; J Morris, A Sabri, T Pascoe, H Lang; M O’Brien, O Davies; J Lavender, He Palmer, G Harris, J Bartlett, D Partridge, M Burgess, K Tayler, A Everett. Reps: W Evans, M Prosser, T Piper, A Mann, J Reid, R James, H Simons, C Ayling.