PONTYPOOL RFC were reborn yesterday but the champagne corks are not popping for now.

Owner Bob Jude's Pontypool Premier Rugby Ltd have been wound-up and placed into compulsory liquidation by a judge at Cardiff County Court, as exclusively revealed in later editions of yesterday's Argus.

Cwmbran-based company PMS Sportswear, owed around £5,000 in debts and legal costs by Jude's company, had their application to wind up PPR Ltd approved, leaving the way clear for a breakaway group, which has the support of 14 of last year's squad and other players plus head coach Steve Jones and fitness guru David Smith, to take over.

Jude has the right to appeal against the county court decision but, if he does not, the Welsh Rugby Union will have the final say on the matter.

A WRU source has already indicated that the new group have a high chance of being given the go-ahead to assume control.

The WRU can choose who should run the club, with Union chief executive David Moffett saying: "The process is very simple and has not changed. The process is that the ownership of Pontypool is a matter for anyone who wants to purchase it or acquire it and, once that happens, it is up to the Union's ratifying committee."

Last night, Jones and Smith put their charges through a tough work-out on a grisly night at Pontypool Park as they prepared for the future in the Welsh Premier Division.

But there was a lot of sadness around The Park that all this had to happen.

Colin Tuckwell, rugby secretary of the group which is aspiring to be the official Pontypool RFC, said: "It is a big day for the club in that it ensures that the town of Pontypool has a team in the Premier Division next season.

"I feel very sad in the way it has gone. It has dragged on long enough now. It has not been good for the club and the town and sad because of the work that Bob Jude has done for the club in two seasons.

"At the end, the players went out to win the (Welsh National League) First Division for the club and the supporters and the coach, Steve Jones, and for the town itself.

"At many other clubs, the players would have walked out in the second half of the season."

That last reference was to the fact that Jude's company did not pay many players their wages from February onwards.

The new group will now plan their way forward in the expectation that they will receive the WRU's approval in the very near future.

The group have the backing and support of people such as former Pontypool and Wales number eight Eddie Butler, loyal club supporter and former secretary Arthur Crane plus businessmen Geoff Taylor and Alan Francis.

They are also pressing on with the off-field administrative processes that every team needs to sort out in the summer.

Tuckwell added: "The next stage for us is to get the season ticket sales out and hopefully sign a few more players and get ready for a trip to Newport.

"There are players within the club and outside the club that have just been waiting for this to go ahead. They are now prepared to talk to us about next season.

"It's reborn Pooler. We have to make sure that it does not go down the same path as it has over the last few years and I look forward to a healthy future."

Jude has been 'tied up' with work, according to his spokesman Colin Jeramiah, and unavailable to comment on the issue.

Asked if PPR Ltd would be appealing against the county court decision, Jeramiah said briefly: "We have got our plans in place."