ABERTILLERY have performed a dramatic u-turn and WILL now play Aberavon in the fifth round of the Principality Cup on Saturday.

The Gwent side followed fellow Division Two neighbours Brynmawr in pulling out of the competition last week after the draw descended into a farce.

Camarthen Athletic, who had been knocked out in the fourth round, were wrongly included in the fifth round draw and despite the confusion which ensued, the Welsh Rugby Union refused a re-draw, something both Gwent sides felt was only right and proper.

Brynmawr were first to pull out of their trip to First Division Camarthen Quins, slamming the draw as a 'shambles.'

Abertillery quickly followed suit, but following a plea from Aberavon, who stood to lose substantial revenue from match-day takings, have decided to play after all.

"We had hoped that other clubs would follow us and pull out, forcing the WRU to have a re-draw," said a spokesman for Abertillery. "That would have been the fairest way to resolve the obvious error.

"That hasn't happend, and last Friday Aberavon asked us to reconsider our decision.

"In view of the long history of friendship between the two clubs, we have decided to fulfil the fixture with the Wizards so that they are not effectively penalised by our withdrawal."

Abertillery though remain defiant that pulling out was the right course of action to take. "The inaction of other clubs is regrettable," said the spokesman.

"We are adamant that there was a gross procedural error with the draw. The WRU should have admitted it and made a re-draw.

"As a club we are extremely disappointed that most other clubs are seemingly prepared to accept this WRU irregularity."

Brynmawr though remain unmoved and say they have no plans to re-enter the competition.

"We've made our decision and will stick by that," said club chairman Brian Parry.

"We felt then and still feel now that the draw was unfair. But as a club we consider it to be the end of the matter."

And unlike Aberavon, Brynmawr's opponents, Camarthen Quins, made no request for the Gwent club to reconsider their position.

"Camarthen haven't been in touch since we informed them that we were pulling out," said Parry.

"They're happy to go through to the next round and really it's just unfortunate for our players who did so well to get us this far."