THE argument that the Principality Premiership East is fiercer than the conference in the west is strengthened by some humdingers on opening weekend, writes Chris Kirwan.

The league has undergone more change with a geographical split with eight teams playing each other home and away.

East and west then join together with teams awarded points for where they came in the first half of the season – eight points for being top down to one for being last – and face each other home OR away with the end-of-season play-offs scrapped.

Merthyr start as red-hot favourites after strengthening in the summer despite winning the title last term. Cross Keys are the first to try and topple them and head to the Wern with a youthful side led by influential captain Scott Matthews.

Head coach Greg Woods has pledged that Keys will be more expansive this season and there will be early evidence of that with Josh Skinner moving forward to form an extremely mobile second row partnership with Tom Lampard.

Carl Meyer is a popular addition to the Ebbw Vale side at full-back when they kick off their campaign at Bargoed. The South African earned a Dragons deal thanks to his exploits with the Steelmen and is sent out for game time as he attempts to wrestle the regional 15 jersey from compatriot Zane Kirchner.

Meyer has made 52 regional appearances over the past two years since earning a full-time deal so will add some experience to a new-look Ebbw side that has some familiar faces such as Ronny Kynes, Rob Sevenoaks and Ross Jones mixed in with some youth.

Former Dragons number eight Ieuan Jones makes his Bargoed bow following his summer move from Keys.

Other debutants in the Bulls’ XV are lock Matthew Thomas, fly-half Iain Smerdon and centre Jordan Howells.

Bedwas are boosted by the presence of Robson Blake, whose impressive form last season earned a full-time Dragons deal, for their trip to Pontypridd.

He lines up at lock at Sardis Road with Steffan Jones, the former Dragons fly-half, captaining the side and his fellow new recruit Morgan Allen, formerly of the Scarlets and Ospreys, bringing power from number eight.

Wales Under-20s hooker Ellis Shipp makes his debut while Dragons scrum-halfTavis Knoyle is on the bench as he returns from a wrist injury.

Newport must wait to get going with their derby with Cardiff taking place tomorrow because of County’s game today, although that does mean lock and Exiles physio Adam Brown can be on the bench.

The Black and Ambers are led by back row Rhys Jenkins and field a novice back three with Curtis Ayling and Harri Lang on the wings and Hayden Simons at full-back. Dragons prop Phil Price is a replacement.

Cross Keys (at Merthyr): D Richards, M Powell, L Barnett, B Nightingale, J Goodchild, J Prosser, O Leonard, C Hewlett, D Hughes, R Cornock, T Lampard, J Skinner, L Davies, S Matthews (captain), A Powell. Replacements: R Jones, L Smout, N Buck, J Thomas, M George, C Sheppard, J Leadbeater, B Snell.

Bargoed (v Ebbw Vale): M Lewis, D Dyer, J Howells, D Humphries, D Evans, I Smerdon, M Bancroft, R Morgan (captain), L Lippiett, J Williams, M Thomas, L Blacker, A Coupe, A Herbert, I Jones. Replacements: J Hallett, J Mogg, L Smalley, G Rogers, L Meades, L Weyman, K Brown, S Evans.

Ebbw Vale (at Bargoed): C Meyer, S Thomas, S Majkic, D Franchi, T Fricker, C Hall, D Jones, R Jones, J Franchi, R Sevenoaks, K Parker, L Randall, R Clarke, R Keynes (captain), J Davies. Replacements: L Belcher, J Harries, D Brooker, C Regan, O Jones, C Lewis, L Dennett, J Lewis

Bedwas (at Pontypridd): A Bramwell, R Budina, R Wardle, A Williams, M John, S Jones (captain), T Rowlands, D Preece, E Shipp, R Hutcherson, R Blake, C Hudd, A Waite, N Hudd, M Allen. Replacements: B Toms, M Dacey, C Budgen, T Basham, J Richards, T Knoyle, M Callow, L Crane.

Newport (v Cardiff): H Simons, H Lang, C Smith, T Pascoe, C Ayling, M O’Brien, O Davies, N Boyce, W Evans, T Piper, J Little, J Bartlett, M Burgess, A Everett, R Jenkins (captain). Replacements: H Palmer, P Price, G Harris, A Brown, K Tayler, R Bates, A Sabri, J Morris.