Newport (Salop) RUFC

Sat 11 Dec 2021

Newport (Salop)

21 - 15

(HT 0-5)

Syston

Newport (Salop)

Syston

Newport 21pts v Syston 15pts

Having notoriously been a typical “Yo-Yo” side in recent seasons flitting between Midlands Premier and the level below almost annually Syston have become everyone’s surprise package this time around and arrived sitting in fifth place just two places below Newport. They certainly didn’t fail to impress with an organised and aggressive defensive display transitioning to swift and assured attacking play when the opportunity arose. They led 0 – 12 after fifty-three minutes and could have gone home with more than a losing bonus point had Newport not galvanised themselves into action in a thrilling last quarter.

In the pack Jack Wells returned to the front row after being rested last week with Jack Price also getting the nod after several weeks out with a hamstring injury. In the backs Ricky Bailey returned to partner Orisi Nawaqaliva, making his home debut, in the centre positions. Jake Leonard dropped back to full back allowing Sam Evans to return from a broken nose on one wing and Henry Vaka on the other. Craig Wilson, Rhys Morgan and Alex Gow made up the bench.

The game kicked off in atrocious conditions with heavy rain falling but thankfully the surface remained reasonably firm. It was obvious from the outset that this was going to be very competitive, almost attritional, but played in an excellent spirit throughout. Both teams were struggling at the lineout, losing their own throws on a regular basis which made it difficult for either side to build any momentum. Going up the slope in driving rain Newport tried to play their usual high-tempo game, moving the ball quickly, unwisely some might say, but a style that has brought them so much success so far this season. George Castledine was doing his best to mix things up and produced a couple of excellent 50/22 kicks to give Newport prime positions but passes were dropped, balls were lost in contact, many chances spurned with over elaborate plays but much credit was due to Syston’s outstanding defence highlighted previously.

Much as Newport pressed Syston held out and then sprang on a Newport error on half way and with lightning speed they were over in the corner to take a 0 – 5 lead after thirteen minutes. Back Newport came, Vaka looked to have set a score up for Nawaqaliva but the ball went to ground, Evans almost fell over himself when cutting in from the left on a great line but couldn’t get his pass away in the process whilst Matt Hubbart, Oli Buckley and the excellent Tom Cowell continued to punch holes that were quickly repaired by the scrambling visiting defence. They still couldn’t take any advantage when Syston were reduced to fourteen following a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on just before the break. Despite their failure to make the most of all this territory and pressure what they did do is deny Syston any further chances to add to their score as they were kept at a distance, so much so that the half finished with just the solitary score so it was 0 – 5 at the interval.

Fortunately, the new half brought new weather with the rain now having relented. Newport started well and continued to press but still, they couldn’t penetrate. Then a bit of “lip” given on half way gave Syston the chance to move into the Newport twenty-two and there they stayed until they achieved what Newport had failed to do previously, keep the ball tight and go through the phases, eventually forcing their way over by the posts for a converted try to extend their lead to 0 -12 after fifty-three minutes and looking very much as though they would be the more likely victors.

Then the game turned. Rhys Morgan, all 23 stone of him, replaced Chris Taylor who had given his usual all action busy performance but Morgan brings something different. Almost immediately he was barrelling his way over and through the Syston tacklers putting Newport very much on the front foot. One such run got Newport to within ten metres of the visitor’s line but it was Syston’s put in at the resultant scrum following another knock on. Syston won it but the ever-alert Price charged down the attempted clearance and dotted down for the simplest of tries, Leonard’s conversion making it 7 – 12.

Within minutes Morgan found himself in space, receiving the ball maybe six or seven metres out and with everyone expecting him to bulldoze through the last couple of defenders he threw an outrageous dummy that everyone took so he was able to stroll through the gap he had created and belly-flop over for the try much to the delight of his teammates, Leonard holding his nerve to slot an important conversion and give Newport the lead for the first time at 14 – 12.

Newport sensed their chance and on seventy-four minutes they sealed victory. Syston won their own scrum on halfway but Connor Adams wrestled the ball free from the carrier and broke into the Syston twenty-two. The cover swallowed him up but the position had been set up and when it was spun right Nawaqaliva threw a beautiful long pass to his Fijian compatriot Vaka who was able to extend his club record try scoring record to 152 by diving over close to the corner, Leonard nailing a superb conversion to extend the lead to 21 -12 and crucially leaving Syston needing two scores with only a few minutes remaining.

They did get themselves into the Newport half but could only muster two quick penalty attempts that they were awarded, missing one and kicking one to earn a much deserved losing bonus point from a fiercely contested and entertaining game that finished 21 – 15 in Newport’s favour.

Results elsewhere went very much in Newport’s favour with Bromsgrove and Sheffield both losing leaving Newport now lying 2nd, level on points with Bromsgrove but with a game in hand. With Grove and Sheffield crossing swords next week a bonus point win over Oundle could well see Newport top of the tree in time for Christmas - Kick Off is at 2.15

Team: 15 Leonard, 14 Vaka, 13 Bailey, 12 Nawaqavila, 11 Evans, 10 Castledine,     9 Adams, 8 Taylor, 7 Mahoney, 6 Price, 5 Hubbart, 4 Buckley, 3 Manning, 2 Cowell, 1 Wells

Bench: 16 Wilson, 17 Morgan, 18 Gow

Written by: Chris Wilde