Newport (Salop) RUFC

Sat 12 Feb 2022

Bridgnorth

0 - 55

Newport (Salop)

Bridgnorth

Newport (Salop)

“A machine” was how one long-time Bridgnorth supporter described the Newport team that ran out fifty-five to nil winners on Saturday and his observation was hard to argue with. In a score that belied the top of the table status of this clash of local rivals Newport played with a precision and intensity that Bridgnorth simply couldn’t live with. That on a day when a cold, strong wind did not make for great rugby.

The first five minutes of the game saw some cautious kick tennis that gave no indication of how the game was to unfold. After five minutes the ball fell to Rayabo who put a precise chip through to beat the onrushing Bridgnorth defence. Gathering his own kick he fed Manning, in turn to Taylor and finally Bailey who went in in under the posts. Newport were now in full stride running patterns that Bridgnorth simply could not unpick, creating a wave of pressure. After nine minutes this onslaught resulted in Newport being camped on Bridgnorth’s line with Cowell ultimately going over for the try. Dave Manning, superb all afternoon made a characteristically strong carry after thirteen minutes setting up Port to exert more pressure in the Bridgnorth twenty-two. The ball went through the hands to Bailey for his second try of the afternoon. After twenty-one minutes Leonard made a characteristic break from full back to put Bridgnorth on the back foot. Adams recycled the ball quickly from the resultant ruck feeding Bailey and on to Rayabo whose footwork did the rest. After thirty-two minutes Leonard was once again on the end of some superb Newport passing setting up a ruck on the Bridgnorth five, Tom Cowell ultimately going over for the score. On thirty-seven minutes Henry Vaka made one of his typical ghosting runs finding a hole and dotting down for the final score of the half, Bridgnorth nil, Newport thirty-eight.

On forty-six minutes a great kick through from Leonard set up a Newport Line out on the Bridgnorth five. An acrobatic gather from Buckley in the difficult conditions set up a driving maul that saw Cowell in to for his hat-trick try. At this point Bridgnorth gathered themselves and started to put together some possession of their own. They did not however threaten the Newport try line until seventy minutes. There then followed nearly seven minutes of intense Bridgnorth pressure. Newport were however clearly determined not to allow Bridgnorth to cross the whitewash, showing the same intensity in defence as they had in attack. The pressure was finally broken with a break from Rayabo who went more than half the length of the pitch. The ball then went through the hands to Toby Evans to dot down. In the last minute another great kick from Leonard gave Bridgnorth a line out on their own five. The ball was knocked on giving Newport scrum put in which they won, the ball then went through the hands to Toby Evans who completed the scoring.

Director of Rugby Bob Adams commented after the game “on days like this it’s great to see all the hard work put in on the training field come to fruition. The eighteen lads were superb today, they brought an intensity to their game and a precision of execution that was top notch. We will not get carried away though. We still have eight games to go and each point will be vital in determining who prevails in what is a very tight league. One game at a time and on to Broadstreet next week.”

Team: Grass, Cowell, Manning, Buckley, Hubbard, Morton, Mahoney, Taylor, Adams, Castledine, Toby Evans, Bailey, Vaka, Rayabo, Leonard, Subs Wells, Goulson, Brown

Scoreline: 5 mins Bailey (TC) 0-7, 9 mins Cowell (TC) 0-14, 13 mins Bailey (TC) 0-21, 21 mins (Rayabo (TNC) 0-26, 32 mins Cowell (TC) 0-33, 37 mins Vaka (TNC) 0 – 38, 46 mins Cowell (TC) 0-45, 78 mins Toby Evans (TNC) 0-50, 80 mins Toby Evans (TNC) 0-55. Leonard 5 successful conversions from 9 attempts

Written by Peter Maher