By: Paul Hopkins
The All Whites were well defeated by a tough Newport side in bitterly cold conditions at St Helen’s.
With three enforced changes made to original line up prior to kick off on the day of the game, the All Whites were in truth always going to be up against it as they looked to complete a rare league double over the Black and Ambers.
Things looked promising for Swansea in the opening exchanges when a superb chip through by fly half Jacob Symes gained important territorial advantage, but after trying to use their backs, full back Gareth O Rees was penalised for holding on after the tackle.
Lock Lloyd Ashley ripped the ball out of Newport’s hands in the tackle, but a wasted box kick by scrum half Gareth J Rees gifted possession back to the Black and Ambers, although the kicking dual continued with fly half Jac Lloyd finding touch just shy of the Swansea 22.
The home side were awarded a penalty at the scrum with Symes finding touch midway between half way and the Newport 22, but the move came to nothing.
Full back Ioan Davies tried to run back at Swansea after fielding a high kick, but prop Ed Thompson stopped him in his tracks. Instead, Lloyd tried to kick a 50/22, but he mis-cued his effort straight into touch.
Gareth O Rees was shown a yellow card for a professional foul and Lloyd chipped deep into the corner. Seconds later flanker Lloyd Evans was also sent to the sidelines for 10 minutes for the same offence.
At the next play the Newport backs spread the ball out wide for Ioan Davies to score the simplest of tries. Lloyd converted.
The Black and Ambers grabbed a second try in style when lock Josh Skinner and winger Elliot Frewen combined to make 40 yards and send scrum half Dafydd Buckland in for the score. Lloyd converted.
Moments later centre Joe Westwood took a crash ball in midfield but Swansea were able to clear long after gaining an interception.
Ioan Davies then fielded a high Symes kick and Frewen made good yards after taking the ball on a clever angle. The Black and Ambers got the ball out wide through the hands of flanker Rhys Jenkins for winger Lloyd Lewis to touch down. Lloyd missed the conversion.
Prop Tom Sloane took a short pass and spun out of a tackle with Gareth J Rees managing to find space to run into, and although the move broke down, the home side were still awarded a scrum.
Centre Joe Thomas made a superb break down the wing after a high tackle on winger Harri Houston, but he failed to spot the supporting player and was tackled a metre short of the line. However, Jenkins was yellow carded for the earlier high tackle on Houston, and Buckland followed him to the bin for illegally killing a Swansea attack.
Swansea made the Black and Ambers pay on the stroke of half time when Symes dinked the ball into the corner, and following a patient build up by the All Whites’ pack, lock Matt Dodd crashed over to score. Wood converted.
Half-time:- Swansea 7-19 Newport
The home side looked determined to find a way back into the match and Houston beat a couple of tacklers on the 22, but the following pass went forward.
Lewis looked to break a tackle out wide, but he was turned over by replacement hooker Owen Thomas, and a clever crossfield kick was almost picked up by Joe Thomas, although Ioan Davies was bundled into touch.
The home side got themselves right back into the match when centre Osian Knott made a break on the wing and chipped ahead, with the bounce favouring Houston who raced clear to score. Symes converted.
Flanker Rhys Jenkins almost charged down a Gareth J Rees kick, but it luckily bounced back into the scrum half’s hands. Owen Thomas then made a powerful run up to half way and Knott found touch just shy of the Newport 22.
A huge scrum by the visitors earned a penalty, which Lloyd chipped into touch. Replacement flanker Alex Ashton almost caught the lineout, but it mattered little as Newport lost possession forward moments later.
Despite a promising move, Joe Thomas was penalised for holding on after the tackle, so Lloyd was able to gain territory for the Black and Ambers on the Swansea 22 with a penalty touch finder.
The home side were penalised for offside in midfield so Lloyd kicked deep into the corner. From the lineout, an unstoppable maul resulted in a try for hooker Wade Langley, claiming a bonus point in the process. Lloyd converted.
A huge scrum by the visitors earned a penalty and Lloyd found touch on the 22, but the Black and Ambers’ defence were penalised for obstruction at the maul.
A well worked move by the All Whites almost saw replacement fly half Rory Case break through the middle, but Newport managed to claim a loose ball and were able to clear long.
The home side were awarded a penalty after Newport were caught cold at a maul, and Case’s kick found touch midway between the 22 and try line. Ashley rose high to collect possession but this time it as the All Whites who were penalised for obstruction.
In a moment of magic, Lewis turned on the afterburners to beat five would-be Swansea tacklers to score a superb try under the posts. Replacement fly half Carwyn Penny converted.
Next up for Swansea is a home match against fellow strugglers RGC 1404, while Newport host mid-table Aberavon.
Full-time:- Swansea 14-33 Newport
Swansea:
Tries:- Matt Dodd (40+3), Harri Houston (50)
Cons:- Brandon Wood (40+4, 51)
Yellow cards:- Gareth O Rees (14), Lloyd Evans (15)
Newport:
Tries:- Ioan Davies (16), Dafydd Buckland (20), Lloyd Lewis (26, 80+2), Wade Langley (65)
Cons:- Jac Lloyd (17, 21, 66), Carwyn Penny (80+3)
Yellow cards:- Dafydd Buckland (40+2), Rhys Jenkins (40+2)
Match facts:
Venue:- St Helen’s, Swansea
Weather:- Sunny, 3C
Referee:- Gareth Newman
Man of the match:- Josh Skinner
Attendance:- 600
Swansea team:
15 Gareth O Rees
14 Brandon Wood
13 Joe Thomas
12 Osian Knott (rep: Ieuan Bissell 80+4)
11 Harri Houston
10 Jacob Symes (rep: Rory Case 47)
9 Gareth J Rees (rep: Dan Roderick 68)
1 Tom Sloane (rep: Tom Zoogah 66)
2 Llew Phillips-Taylor (rep: Owen Thomas 34 (rep: Ed Thompson 79))
3 Ed Thompson (rep: Scott Jenkins 60)
4 Lloyd Ashley
5 Matt Dodd
6 Sam Pailor (rep: Alex Ashton 48)
7 Lloyd Evans
8 Callum Bowden © (rep: Cai Davies 68)
Replacements:
16 Owen Thomas
17 Tom Zoogah
18 Scott Jenkins
19 Alex Ashton
20 Cai Davies
21 Dan Roderick
22 Rory Case
23 Ieuan Bissell
Newport team:
15 Ioan Davies
14 Lloyd Lewis
13 Chay Foster-Smith (rep: Jon Morris 58)
12 Joe Westwood
11 Elliot Frewen
10 Jac Lloyd (rep: Carwyn Penny 66)
9 Dafydd Buckland (rep: Che Hope 58)
1 Thomas Davies (rep: Harry Fry 62)
2 Wade Langley (rep: Tyler Olding 66)
3 Nathan Evans (rep: Garin Harris 62)
4 Elliott Ferriman (rep: Lewis David 72)
5 Josh Skinner
6 Rhys Jenkins
7 Josh Reid
8 Ben Roach © (rep: Tom Caple 54)
Replacements:
16 Tyler Olding
17 Harry Fry
18 Garin Harris
19 Tom Caple
20 Lewis David
21 Che Hope
22 Carwyn Penny
23 Jon Morris