CROSS Keys captain Rob Nash relished being part of a cup upset last weekend and now he wants to avoid being a victim.

The openside flanker led the way as Keys beat professional English Championship side Cornish Pirates in the semi-final of the British and Irish Cup last Saturday.

But the boot is on the other foot at Rodney Parade tomorrow when they go up against Division One East champions Ebbw Vale, who have already sent Newport, Carmarthen Quins and Swansea packing on their way to the last four of the Swalec Cup.

"We were the underdogs against the Pirates and proved a point and now, without wanting to sound cocky, we are the favourites," said Nash.

"We are the Premiership team and we have to live with that tag against a very dangerous side.

"They are top of their league, haven’t lost for 18 games and have beaten Newport, Carmarthen and Swansea.

"I am sure they will be pretty confident of claiming another Premiership victim and it will be one hell of a game."

Keys head into tomorrow’s game protecting a seven from seven record in derby matches this season.

"We take our Gwent derbies very seriously and we are very proud of the fact that we have won all of them, home and away,"

"We don’t want Ebbw Vale to take away our claim of being the top team in Gwent on semi-final day.

“The Pirates game is gone now. We are patched back together and our serious heads are back on ready for business.”

Keys are forced into two changes to the side that beat the Pirates with both Dragons absent.

Dean Gunter replaces Steffan Jones at fly-half while Cae Trayhern is in for Jevon Groves at number eight.

Cross Keys: G David, K Baller, L Andrews, P Williams, N Trowbridge, D Gunter, R Dyer, R Cornock, G Price, M Jones, D Hodge, T Lampard, R Peebles, R Nash (captain), C Trayhern. Replacements: M Popham, J Sollis, C Gould, S Mills, N Williams, L Williams, O Jones.