Words by: Paul Hopkins
Photos by: Riley Sports Photography
A Jamie Cox hat trick wasn’t enough to avoid a heavy defeat for the All Whites at home to a brilliant Newport side that were full of enterprising rugby.
The tone was set from the very beginning in a breathtaking start for the Black and Ambers, with fly half Matt O’Brien making a break through the middle and feeding the backs. Number eight Josh Reid then found centre Barney Nightingale, who used his pace to score. In the absence of a tee, O’Brien drop kicked the conversion.
The visitors again looked threatening with Nightingale making another break, but a clever crossfield kick was knocked forward by winger Elliot Frewen as the move broke down.
Swansea were awarded a penalty after the Newport pack brought down a maul, but fly half Harri Williams failed to find touch. A high kick by scrum half Iwan Temblett was dealt with by opposite number Luke Crane and then O’Brien found touch inside the Whites half.
Newport were penalised for driving in at the side of a maul and this time Williams found touch with his kick. Flanker Joe Greaves took the lineout and a chip through was initially dealt with by winger Liam Lloyd, but lock Matt Dodd ripped the ball from him, although a poor crossfield kick by Williams strayed into touch.
A clever lineout saw hooker Jamie Cox power towards the line, but he was brought down, although the visitors’ defence crept offside, with Williams dinking the ball into the corner.
Lock Chris Thompson took the lineout and a superb rolling maul almost resulted in a try for Greaves, but an illegal move gifted Newport with a relieving penalty.
Lock Max Williams took a lineout inside his own half and the visitors’ pack drove forward, earning a penalty. O’Brien chipped inside the 22 with his touch finder and Williams took the lineout again, with flanker Lewis David diving over for a second Newport try. O’Brien dragged the conversion horribly wide of the posts.
A superb break by Crane set the Black and Ambers away and he found centre Iestyn Galton and Frewen in support, and Crane linked back in, but wasn’t able to gather his chip ahead. The visitors were awarded a penalty though and the pack drove forward with number eight Josh Reid picking up to score. Williams converted.
The home side were awarded a penalty following an offside offence and Reid charged forward from the lineout, and a crossfield kick was taken by centre James Price. The home side were awarded another offside penalty and this time a powerful rolling maul saw Cox power over for a try in the corner. Williams converted.
Full back Carwyn Penny tried to find Frewen on a switch pass, but the Whites were initially up to the defensive task. Then Williams made a mini break and found Nightingale in support, who in turn sent Frewen over for a try in the corner. Williams converted.
Williams chipped up to the 22 with a penalty to get the visitors back on the attack again, but Cox failed to throw straight. And the Black and Ambers were back in possession again after Temblett tried to race out of defence, but found himself holding on after the tackle.
O’Brien chipped into the corner with the penalty and this time the Whites collapsed an unstoppable rolling maul and gave away a penalty try, with Dodd yellow carded.
Swansea were handed a penalty, which Williams kicked into the Newport 22. Greaves took the lineout and got the ball out for centre Callum Dodd to charge forward, but Williams’ crossfield kick was well defused by Penny, though the Newport pack were penalised for offside.
Williams again chipped deep into the corner with the penalty and lock Chris Thompson took the lineout, and the visitors were penalised for bringing down a maul, with David yellow carded.
It was same again as Williams chipped to touch and this time a powerful drive by the home pack saw Cox dive over for a try. Williams missed the conversion.
Half-time:- Swansea 12-33 Newport
It was a brighter start to the second half for Swansea, although Chris Thompson spilled a lineout and Newport got the ball out wide to Frewen who chipped ahead, forcing winger Ieuan Cornelius to take the ball dead for a scrum five.
The visitors looked like scoring from the scrum as quick thinking by Penny saw him race towards the line, but he was held up by a determined defence.
Newport were awarded a kickable penalty but O’Brien chipped to the corner and quick ball from the lineout saw Nightingale dive over for a simple try. O’Brien converted.
Out of nowhere full back Iwan Glynn took a pass in midfield and used his scintillating pace to score a fantastic solo effort in the corner. Williams missed the conversion.
Replacement lock Ben Roberts was penalised for a high tackle and O’Brien opted to chip to the corner, and although Crane took a quick tap penalty, the move broke down when substitute prop Josh Reynolds dropped the ball.
Frewen was penalised for crossing in midfield and Williams found touch just shy of the Newport 22, but the visitors stole the lineout and were able to clear.
Penny threw a clever flip pass to Galton as Newport looked to attack again, but Nightingale knocked the ball forward over the line.
The outstanding Penny powered forward from a scrum after the visitors got the ball out wide and replacement number eight Geraint Powell was yellow carded for a high tackle.
The home side gave away a penalty at the scrum following a devastating push by the Newport pack. The visitors opted for another scrum and this time replacement lock Ben Roach dived over for a try. Replacement fly half Jac Lloyd converted.
Williams chipped to touch with a penalty after the Newport defence crept offside at the ruck. Roberts almost spilled the lineout, but replacement flanker Seb Davies was able to tidy up, although Newport stole possession back.
Williams again chipped into the corner with another penalty and this time the home side created a rolling maul, with replacement scrum half Aron Hemmings stopped a few metres short of the line, only for the Black and Ambers to turn over possession.
However, in their attempt at enterprise the visitors gave away a penalty, which Williams chipped to the corner, but Cox was held up over the line.
Chris Thompson took the lineout and the Newport pack brought down the resulting maul, with Roach yellow carded. Williams chipped to the corner and Roberts took the lineout, before Cox drove over for his hat trick. Williams converted.
Roach made a break upfield, but was tackled 10 metres from the line, and replacement scrum half Dafydd Buckland was tackled out wide, but the ball was recycled for David to crash over for a try. O’Brien converted.
Next up for Swansea is a home match against Carmarthen Quins, while Newport travel to Aberavon – both league matches.
Full-time:- Swansea 24-52 Newport
Swansea:
Tries:- Jamie Cox (24, 39, 78), Iwan Glynn (53)
Cons:- Harri Williams (25, 79)
Yellow cards:- Matt Dodd (34), Geraint Powell (64)
Newport:
Tries:- Barney Nightingale (1, 47), Lewis David (17, 80+1), Josh Reid (20), Elliot Frewen (27), Penalty Try (34), Ben Roach (67)
Cons:- Matt O’Brien (2, 22, 28, 48), Jac Lloyd (68)
Yellow cards:- Lewis David (38), Josh Skinner (76)
Match facts:
Venue:- St Helen’s, Swansea
Weather:- Light cloud, 8C
Referee:- Craig Evans
Man of the match:- Barney Nightingale
Attendance:- 700
Swansea team:
15 Iwan Glynn
14 Tom Edwards
13 Callum Dodd (rep: Joe Thomas 61)
12 James Price
11 Ieuan Cornelius
10 Harri Williams
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Aron Hemmings 48)
1 Tom Crockett (rep: Ed Thompson 48)
2 Jamie Cox
3 Ellis Fackrell (rep: Ellis Fackrell 48)
4 Matt Dodd
5 Chris Thompson (rep: Ben Roberts 51)
6 Joe Greaves
7 Callum Bowden © (rep: Seb Davies 51)
8 Cai Davies (rep: Geraint Powell 48 (rep: Owen Thomas 75))
Replacements:
16 Owen Thomas
17 Ed Thompson
18 Ellis Fackrell
19 Ben Roberts
20 Geraint Powell
21 Seb Davies
22 Aron Hemmings
23 Joe Thomas
Newport team:
15 Carwyn Penny
14 Elliot Frewen
13 Iestyn Galton
12 Barney Nightingale (rep: Iwan Johnes 65)
11 Liam Lloyd
10 Matt O’Brien (rep: Jac Lloyd 65)
9 Luke Crane (rep: Dafydd Buckland 65)
1 Harry Fry (rep: Josh Reynolds 51)
2 Tyler Olding (rep: Henry Palmer 59)
3 Garin Harris (rep: Ollie Drake 51)
4 Joe Peard (rep: Josh Skinner 14)
5 Max Williams (rep: Ben Roach 40)
6 Lewis David
7 Scott Davis
8 Josh Reid
Replacements:
16 Henry Palmer
17 Josh Reynolds
18 Ollie Drake
19 Josh Skinner
20 Ben Roach
21 Dafydd Buckland
22 Jac Lloyd
23 Iwan Johnes