EBBW Vale boss Jason Strange hopes that a second dose of semi-final pain can help his young side push on again next season.
The Steelmen, who only conceded an average of 18.6 points per game in the league this season, were overwhelmed 48-13 by Newport in the Premiership play-offs at Spytty Park on Saturday evening.
That came after Ebbw were thumped 43-7 by double-chasing Llandovery in the semi-finals of the Premiership Cup.
Strange’s men were soundly beaten by their Gwent rivals but the head coach was quick to point to the strides made by his squad, who finished the regular season third with a record of 18 wins from 24 games.
“It’s important to keep things in perspective,” said the former fly-half. “We finished fifth last year and third this year.
“All you want as a coach is to make progress and we are in a great position as a club with a great support base, our commercial side is very strong, we have a good ground and we have a young team who are only going to get better.
“It’s about learning and this is a young squad who probably aren’t going to peak for another two or three years, so we are excited about what is to come.”
Ebbw were in the game in the first half but were undone by tries by centre Joe Westwood, wing Elliot Frewen and scrum-half Che Hope before the break.
Westwood added two more and wing Lloyd Lewis sped over while the Steelmen at least avoided being held trylesss thanks to Wales Under-20s back row forward Owen Conquer’s close-range score.
“It was an even game in the first half but it was won in that 10-minute spell before half-time – they were clinical and we didn’t take our chances,” said Strange.
Conquer and wing Harry Rees-Weldon will now hope to feature for Wales at this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa while Ebbw start preparing for the start of the Elite Domestic Competition era.
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