By: Paul Hopkins
It was agony at the death for the All Whites as they finished empty handed despite a valiant effort against in-form Newport in a pulsating game at St Helen’s.
Swansea showed their intent from the very beginning when flanker Geraint Powell took a lineout inside the Newport half and hooker Owen Thomas almost broke clear from a rolling maul, but he held on in the tackle to gift the Black and Ambers with a relieving penalty.
Hooker Wade Langley made a half break from a maul, with flanker Josh Reid taking a pass and making yards in midfield. Then fly half Carwyn Penny split the Whites’ defence and handed a scoring pass to Reid. Penny converted.
Centre Jac Lloyd took the restart and was smashed in the tackle, but the visitors managed to recycle the ball. Powell charged down a box kick but lock Sam Pailor was unable to gather, although the home side were awarded a penalty when Newport strayed offside at the breakdown.
Fly half Josh Phillips turned down the kickable penalty to instead chip to the corner. A powerful rolling maul was well marshalled by Newport who turned over possession.
A poor Dafydd Buckland box kick sailed out on the full and number eight Luca Giannini took a superb crash ball, but hooker Owen Thomas failed to take the pass for what would have been a certain try.
A well-meant chip ahead by winger Callum Dodd unfortunately bounced the wrong side of the try line, giving Newport a scrum just shy of half way. His opposite number Buckland came away with the ball from a scrum and raced down the wing, feeding Elliot Frewen, but he was tackled, although the home side gave away a penalty.
Penny chipped to the corner and a well worked lineout saw the Black and Ambers’ forwards control the ball, with Jac Lloyd attempting to dive for the line, but the home side were again penalised for offside.
Penny again dinked into the corner and full back Ioan Davies was held up just short of the line, but referee Aaron Parry gave captain Joe Thomas final warning following one penalty too many. Newport took a quick tap, but a poor pass had to be tidied up by winger Lloyd Lewis and the move broke down.
The ball popped out and Dodd hacked possession forward with Owen Thomas chasing, but the ball beat him over the whitewash, to give Swansea an attacking lineout, which they frustratingly made a mess of.
Swansea came again through full back Harri Houston who sprinted up to the 22, with a high tackle bringing him down. Phillips again opted to find touch deep inside the 22 with the penalty.
The home side over complicated the lineout though and Powell slapped the ball forward to allow Newport to clear. An outstanding break out wide by Dodd stretched the Newport defence, but flanker Morgan Morse was well tackled into touch on the other flank.
An infringement at the Newport gave Swansea a free kick, which Owen Thomas tapped quickly, before centre Callum Carson made a superb break through the middle, forcing Newport to kill the ball. Phillips successfully kicked the penalty goal.
Pailor took the restart but a box kick was collected by Davies, although a Penny attempted 50/22 was fielded by scrum half Iwan Temblett who cleared to touch.
The home side got their reward when Pailor collected a lineout on the Newport 22, with a fantastic inside pass splitting the Newport defence, to allow Phillips to race clear for a superb try. Phillips also converted.
Penny’s restart failed to go 10 metres and things went from bad to worse for his side as they were penalised at the scrum. Phillips chose to kick at goal and his decision paid off as he struck the Whites into a six point lead.
Number eight Ben Roach took a lineout and a loose pass was almost gobbled up by Carson, but he failed to take an interception, although the Black and Ambers were adjudged to have knocked the ball forward.
Joe Thomas picked up a loose ball and fed Phillips and winger Tom Edwards as the home side looked to turn the screw. Morse then made good yards up to the 22 as the forwards battered the visitors’ defence, but Joe Thomas was well tackled and gave away a penalty for holding on the ground.
Owen Thomas stole in at the back of a Newport lineout and Carson used his feet well to feed Edwards on the wing, before the backs used hands to get the ball out wide to Dodd, who scored his side’s second try. Phillips converted from out wide.
The visitors looked to hit back and used their backs to good effect, taking play up to the Swansea 22, but a big hit by Giannini stopped the impetus of the attack, although play was brought back for a penalty.
Penny found touch at the corner and a well worked lineout between Langley and lock Rynard Landman almost resulted in a try, but Owen Thomas managed to steal the ball and clear to touch on the stroke of half time.
Half-time:- Swansea 20-7 Newport
Dodd dropped a pass from Houston to give Newport unexpected possession immediately after half time. Jac Lloyd burst through the middle and fed Landman but he was tackled, although play was brought back for a penalty.
Penny chipped to the corner and Roach took the lineout, but the Whites gave away another penalty, which Penny also kicked to the corner. A superb rolling maul resulted in a try for lock Joe Peard as the visitors looked to gain a foothold in the game. Penny converted.
The visitors went on the rampage from the restart with flanker Josh Skinner powering up to the Swansea 22, but Jac Lloyd was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
A huge scrum by the Black and Ambers’ pack earned them a penalty, and Penny found touch on the 22. Prop Tom Workman then made a break, but was turned over and Penny cleared.
An early tackle on Houston gave Swansea a penalty and Phillips chipped into the corner. Powell took the lineout but Newport guided the rolling maul into touch. From the second lineout though, Owen Thomas burst towards the line to score a third Whites try. Phillips converted.
Replacement scrum half Luke Crane made a break through the middle and Pailor was yellow carded for a professional foul, with Newport opting for the scrum. A powerful set piece by the visitors got them on the front foot with Penny walking in a simple try, which he also converted.
A loose kick by Houston was taken by the visitors, who swept back into the Swansea 22, with a penalty awarded to Newport when the home defence crept offside. The Black and Ambers opted for another scrum and a superb chip ahead by Penny resulted in a try for the chasing Jac Lloyd. Penny converted.
The Black and Ambers attacked again with Jac Lloyd chipping to touch to gain important territory, but the home side defended well and Phillips cleared up to half way.
Replacement winger Jon Morris superbly intercepted a pass out of the hands of Houston, but he held on after the tackle. An outstanding touch finder by Phillips gave Swansea an attacking lineout inside the Newport 22, as the clock ticked over into injury time.
A powerful home rolling maul saw the home side inch towards the line but Pailor was turned over and Newport were able to clear.
It was the Black and Ambers who had the final say when Langley burst through a tackle, dummied a pass, and raced clear to score a fifth Newport try. Penny converted to condemn the All Whites to a point-less afternoon
Full-time:- Swansea 27-35 Newport
Swansea:
Tries:- Josh Phillips (27), Callum Dodd (38), Owen Thomas (59)
Cons:- Josh Phillips (28, 39, 60)
Pens:- Josh Phillips (23, 31)
Yellow cards:- Sam Pailor (62)
Newport:
Tries:- Josh Reid (4), Joe Peard (44), Carwyn Penny (65), Jac Lloyd (71), Wade Langley (80+5)
Cons:- Carwyn Penny (5, 45, 66, 72, 80+6)
Match facts:
Venue:- St Helen’s, Swansea
Weather:- Light rain showers, 19C
Referee:- Aaron Parry
Man of the match:- Carwyn Penny
Attendance:- 800
Swansea team:
15 Harri Houston
14 Callum Dodd
13 Callum Carson
12 Joe Thomas ©
11 Tom Edwards (rep: Brandon Wood 73)
10 Josh Phillips
9 Iwan Temblett (rep: Aron Hammings 68)
1 Cameron Jones (rep: Freddie Chapman 72)
2 Owen Thomas (rep: Ieuan Davies 60)
3 Ellis Fackrell (rep: Kian Hire 72)
4 Sam Pailor
5 Chris Thompson (rep: Dan Gemine 55)
6 Geraint Powell
7 Morgan Morse
8 Luca Giannini (rep: Cai Davies 45)
Replacements:
16 Ieuan Davies
17 Freddie Chapman
18 Kian Hire
19 Dan Gemine
20 Cai Davies
21 Aron Hemmings
22 Harri Williams
23 Brandon Wood
Newport team:
15 Ioan Davies
14 Lloyd Lewis
13 Barney Nightingale (rep: Jon Morris 60)
12 Jac Lloyd
11 Elliot Frewen (rep: Liam Lloyd 66)
10 Carwyn Penny
9 Dafydd Buckland (rep: Luke Crane 60)
1 Tom Workman (rep: Archie Callaghan 78)
2 Wade Langley
3 Nathan Evans (rep: Ollie Drake 53)
4 Joe Peard (rep: Nick Thomas 53)
5 Rynard Landman
6 Josh Skinner
7 Josh Reid (rep: Kyle Tayler 53)
8 Ben Roach
Replacements:
16 Tyler Olding
17 Archie Callaghan
18 Ollie Drake
19 Nick Thomas
20 Kyle Tayler
21 Luke Crane
22 Jon Morris
23 Liam Lloyd