EBBW Vale skipper Damien Hudd is thrilled to be the team that everyone wants to topple after the Steelmen's stunning Principality Premiership title triumph.

The trophy is residing at Eugene Cross Park just six years after Ebbw were facing an uncertain future following their relegation from the top flight.

The rebuilding process started under Neil Edwards, then Jason Strange and it was Nigel Davies at the helm for Sunday's stunning grand final victory against Pontypridd at Sardis Road.

Talisman Hudd headed from Brynmawr to Ebbw following their drop down in 2010 and has been to the fore in their remarkable recovery.

In 2011 they won Division One East, in 2012 they retained the title, in 2013 they romped to the newly-formed Swalec Championship crown and in 2014 they repeated the trick to finally earn promotion.

After beating Cross Keys in the semi-final at Eugene Cross Park they were denied a perfect return by Ponty in the 2015 final but on Sunday they didn't have to settle for second best, thrashing the standard bearers for the Premiership 38-12 on their own turf.

"After six years it feels so good," said 35-year-old Hudd. "The aim back then was just to get to the Premiership, compete hard and not go back down.

"We've done that and a bit more. We finished top two last year and top three this year, which made our achievement all the better because we had to go to Llandovery and win then Ponty. We deserved both wins as well.

"We will have a big pre-season and go again. Sides will be after us but we are up for the challenge and it's nicer to be at the top and have people chasing you than to be doing the chasing."

Hudd has been a vital cog in the Ebbw story alongside the likes of front rowers Mathew Williams, Ross Jones and Robert Sevenoaks, fellow lock Ashley Sweet and flanker Ronny Kynes.

Fresh faces have been added to the squad to keep on an upward curve and the captain says they had to buy into the Steelmen's way of doing things.

"We didn't bring in regional players to do this," he said. "We had Harrison (Keddie, number eight) and Jared (Rosser, wing) all season but they are development lads rather than first-teamers.

"It's the same boys who have played week in, week out for the club who have done this. A lot of us have been here six years, some more.

"It's not like we have brought anybody special in to win the final, it was those of us who have worked our socks off.

"The experience of losing in the final last year stood us in good stead and after five years of hard work Nigel came in, tweaked a few things and we did it.

"Our defence won us the league – it was outstanding at Llandovery and again at Ponty. They have some massive runners like Daf Lockyer but we just cut them down, there was nothing flash.

"We were deserving winners but we surprised ourselves with the scoreline – most of us thought it would be a one or two score game.

"The boys were confident from minute one but to be 30-0 up and know that you are going to win is what dreams are made of."