Newport (Salop) RUFC

Sat 8 Jan 2022

Paviors

17 - 28

(HT 0-0)

Newport (Salop)

Paviors

Newport (Salop)

After an extended four week break Newport arrived at the quaintly named Burntstump in the depths of Sherwood Forest only to be confronted by somewhat of a quagmire after the heavy rainfall of the last twenty four hours. Thankfully the rain relented just prior to kick off and we were also treated to unexpected sunshine. That said the rain had already done it’s damage so muddy conditions and a heavy ball suggested players on both sides would be in for a difficult afternoon and so it proved in a game littered with knock-ons and penalties.

Ultimately it was the dominance of the Newport pack at scrum-time that would decide this contest, leading as it did to two of the four tries they scored.

Chris Perry remains sidelined due to injury and both Alex Gow and Orisi Nawaqaliva were forced to isolate due to Covid connections whilst Rhys Morgan, Craig Wilson and Benny Elliot didn’t make the squad so the team more or less picked itself and it still looked a strong one despite the absences.

Newport kicked off having been given the benefit of the slight slope for the first period. The omens for the home side didn’t look good when their first scrum was destroyed by the visiting front row of Dave Manning, Tom Cowell, Jack Wells and later from the bench Jordan Grass who were all outstanding throughout. This front foot ball would also allow the back row of Jack Price, Harry Mahoney and Chris Taylor to showcase their skills and all three had good games. An outstanding performance from the whole pack that laid the foundations for this important bonus point victory.

The visitors tried to play some decent rugby but the ball was constantly spilled and just couldn’t be moved at anything like the pace at which they love to play. In truth they put themselves under more pressure than was necessary as several times Pavs looked dangerous hacking the ball on after Newport errors but Harry Mahoney, Sam Evans, George Castledine and Henry Vaka all got back at various points during the half to drop on the loose ball and tidy up the danger.

Dominance at the scrum was drawing the inevitable penalties from referee Mr Yates and Newport were able to take advantage of a “free ball” on fourteen minutes when Ricky Bailey wrong footed the defence with a bit of juggling and scythed through by the posts for the first score, Jake Leonard’s conversion making it 0 – 7. Newport looked on for a second try when advancing towards the home line only to be penalised for a bit of “truck and trail”. Nevertheless, they didn’t have to wait much longer when after Sam Brown had made a good break, Newport had the shunt on at another scrum and was awarded a penalty try to make it 0 – 14 after 24 minutes. Furthermore, Pavs were reduced to fourteen for a side entry illegally trying to halt the inevitable score.

Perhaps this numerical advantage would see Newport add to their tally but it was Pavs who dominated possession whilst a man down and spent the majority of this time in Newport’s twenty-two but could not penetrate a resilient Newport defence. Just before the break Pavs knocked on fifty metres out, Manning, who as always was a terrier in the loose, picking up and advancing before handing on to fellow prop Wells who looked as though he might make the line but as he was swallowed up he timed a perfect pass to the supporting Leonard to score by the posts, Connor Adams tacking on the conversion whilst Leonard received attention from the physio. A good half’s work and a 0 -21 lead at the interval.

Paviors came out firing on all guns for the second half clearly determined not to suffer another pasting as they had done in the reverse fixture back at Forton Road in September. Much of what was good about Pavs was from the promptings of fly half George Billam who was constantly mixing things up with cross-kicks and little chips in behind the Newport defence. With line outs more or less going with the throw they were still struggling in the scrum although Mr Yates now seemed to be awarding the penalties Pavior’s way which seemed a little odd given Newport’s total dominance at the set piece.

Eventually Mr Yates’s patience ran out and Mahoney was despatched to the bin whereupon Pavs scored immediately through Billam on sixty-four minutes after many phases of play in the Newport twenty-two. In truth a Newport fourth try bonus point was looking less and less likely having found it impossible to get out of their own half but then a stroke of luck. From the re-start Leonard’s kick struck a Pav’s player and rebounded into Newport hands. Oli Buckley, Matt Hubbart, Cowell, Manning and Leonard all came close but were repelled before Pavs transgressed. Newport opted for the scrum from the ensuing penalty and inserted Vaka into the scrum to replace the still missing Mahoney. Yet again they got the shunt on and inevitably it would be Vaka who grounded to register his 153rd try for the club, Leonard converting to make it 5 – 28.

Paviors again hit back to make the score-line a bit more respectable with two tries in the last three minutes, one from a neat chip through for Tom Davies and the second by Billam when Newport fell off tackles in midfield, the second of these was converted to bring matters to a close at 17 -28.

Well done to both teams in terrible conditions. It’s games like these in which teams can slip up so Newport will be well pleased that they managed to complete a bonus point win and move up to 2nd in the table, level on points with Bridgnorth but crucially with two games in hand on the leaders.

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

Bench: 16 Grass, 17 Goulson, 18 Swan

Newport face a daunting run of fixtures and much will depend on the outcome of Newport’s next three games, Sandbach at home, Scunthorpe away followed by Sheffield at home. Watch this space!

Written by: Chris Wilde