NEWPORT secured a home Premiership Cup quarter-final with a sensational eight-try win at Merthyr.

The Black and Ambers have cemented a top two place in the east group with a game to spare and will finish top if they beat Ebbw Vale on Saturday.

Newport needed to avoid defeat at the Wern to ensure home advantage against a western rival in the knockout stages and they did that with a stunning display of attacking rugby to triumph 52-31.

They were 19-0 up just past the quarter thanks to tries by full-back Dai Richards and centre Dafydd Smith (2).

The four-try bonus came before half-time with a score by back rower Ben Roach that earned a 24-5 lead at the break.

Scrum-half Luke Crane went over with a quick brace early in the second half to make it 38-5 and the tries kept flowing at both end.

Dragons wing Will Talbot-Davies and hooker Matthew Dwyer got on the scoresheet with in-form fly-half Will Reed ending with six conversions.

Cardiff thumped Pontypridd 45-6 at Sardis Road to ensure the battle for first place will go to the last weekend with Newport having a two-point lead.

Ebbw Vale suffered a last-gasp 22-21 defeat to RGC at Eugene Cross Park on Friday despite the visitors having to play with 14 men for 65 minutes.

Captain Tom Hughes was shown a red card in the opening stages because of a dangerous tackle and the Steelmen looked set to use their numerical advantage to end a six-game losing streak.

Sam Rogers opened the scoring for RGC with a penalty before Ebbw took the lead through lock Joe Beard's try that fly-half Evan Lloyd converted.

The numbers were evened up on the stroke of half-time when lock Dan Hill was shown yellow and the visitors went 14-10 up at the break thanks to a try by hooker Brodie Coughlan, a Dragons academy front rower playing up north.

Ebbw took the lead when Wales Sevens international Alex Grey scored and looked set to take the spoils when back rower Lewis Young collected wing Ewan Rosser's kick ahead to make it 21-10.

RGC defended with determination and got back within striking distance thanks to a Sam Williams converted try before securing a hard-earned win at the death when winger Zac Clow went over in the corner.