Sat 5 Mar 2022
A pulsating game of top-class rugby was produced by both sides at a sunny and dry yet blustery Finstall Park where the hosts have lost only once this season. In truth Newport were never behind on the scoreboard and looked the likely winners throughout once they had weathered the early onslaught from the home side and especially when they went into a 7 – 31 lead just five minutes into the second period only for Bromsgrove to come right back into it causing a few nerves in the Newport ranks over the last half hour or so.
Newport were forced into some late changes when RAF winger Toby Evans was posted overseas in midweek and Henry Vaka was forced to withdraw due to work commitments whilst Ricky Bailey remained side-lined through injury. Sam Evans returned to replace his namesake on the wing after several weeks out and gave a typical all-action display whilst Orisi Nawaqualiva slotted in at centre. Chris Taylor, Matt Hubbard and Jordan Grass all returned to the starting line-up whilst Jack Wells, Jake Goulson and Alex Gow made up the bench.
A large crowd had assembled expecting a crunching encounter and they weren’t to be disappointed as Bromsgrove drove straight into the heart of the Newport defence from the off where the visiting defence had to be robust, disciplined and resolute to keep them out. Newport were definitely under some pressure in these early stages and Jake Leonard was perhaps fortunate to stay on the field after taking out a Bromsgrove catcher in the air but in any event they were reduced to fourteen just moments later when George Castledine, who gave another imperious performance from full back, was deemed guilty of a high tackle and was despatched to the sin-bin.
Nawaqualiva, who continues to improve with every game made a nice break out of defence getting to half way and setting up the position for a chip to the right-hand corner but it just ran into touch before Nemani Rayabo could get there for what would have been the first score of the afternoon. Connor Adams then put in a lovely 50/22 kick but the attacking line out was stolen and the chance lost.
On seventeen minutes Evans set off on the chase and caught the Bromsgrove defender over his own line to force an attacking five metre scrum. It was held but as Newport sucked in defenders Adams then floated a lovely long pass into the arms of Rayabo to score to the right, Leonard adding the conversion and Newport led by seven. Not only do Newport play at a high pace but in Adams, Leonard, and Castledine they have players who sense where the space is, unusual at this level in one player let alone three.
The second try was a beauty straight off the training pitch. Shortly after Leonard had pushed a long-range penalty attempt wide Newport forced a knock on in the home twenty-two. Solid scrum, Adams to Nawaqualiva, Adams on the run around with the dummy play and the Fijian popping up a lovely ball to Leonard on a great angle who cut through untouched to stroll in under the posts, converted and Newport led 0 – 14 after twenty-seven minutes.
It looked as though Newport might start to cut loose at this stage but Bromsgrove got themselves back into it when a slightly hopeful up and under bounced kindly for the kicker who had followed up well to re-gather and who was then able to shoot away to score under the posts and it was back to “game-on” at 7 -14 with thirty-one minutes gone.
Bromsgrove were then able to exert more pressure on the visitor’s line but again the front-line defence was superb as the eight forwards to a man put their bodies on the line. After this prolonged period of pressure it appeared that Bromsgrove had eventually produced an overlap on the right but Evans made a crucial interception and sped off to half way before being hauled down but the home defence was slow to regroup and quick ruck ball was fed through the hands for Castledine to stretch over in the right-hand corner, Leonard couldn’t convert but Newport went into the shed 7 -19 up at the interval.
Newport kicked deep to start the second half and a sliced clearance gave them a good attacking position and they didn’t take too long to exploit it, a quickly taken tap penalty from Dave Manning making ground to the Bromsgrove line before skipper Tom Cowell grounded from close range, Leonard’s conversion making it 7 – 26.
Castledine fielded the re-start and made yet another incisive break down the right before Leonard, this time, floated a long pass to Evans who dotted down in the corner, so within five minutes of the resumption Newport had not only secured the bonus point try but extended their lead to an impressive 7 – 31.
Bromsgrove looked somewhat dispirited at this stage but looks can be deceiving and it only took them several minutes to produce a try in the left-hand corner to reduce the arrears to 12 – 31. There was then an inspired spell of Newport defending as Bromsgrove hammered away at the Newport line for fully eleven minutes before eventually sucking in defenders to cross again in the left-hand corner to improve matters to 17 – 31. Oli Buckley, Matt Hubbard, Harry Mahoney and Chris Taylor led the way in what was a fantastic rear-guard effort.
On seventy-eight minutes Leonard took the points on offer by knocking over a penalty to put Bromsgrove three scores behind but as Newport attacked looking to put the final nail in their coffin they gave away an interception try on half way and it was 24 – 34 with around five minutes remaining.
An attacking scrum in the home twenty-two produced good ball for Castledine to get over in the left-hand corner to give a final score of 24 -39 and a job well done as Newport extend their winning run-in search of the Midlands Premier title. The maths have now become much simpler as they now need fifteen points from their last five games to achieve this objective. Well and truly crunch-time as we approach the business end of the season.
Team: 15 Castledine, 14 Rayabo, 13 Leonard, 12 Nawaqualiva, 11 S Evans, 10 Adams, 9 Brown, 8 Taylor, 7 Mahoney, 6 Price, 5 Hubbard, 4 Buckley, 3 Manning, 2 Cowell, 1 Grass
Bench: 16 Wells, 17 Goulson, 18 Gow
A rapidly improving Burton side visit Forton Road next week as Newport aim to reduce that points target still further by gaining victory over their Staffordshire rivals.
Written by: Chris Wilde
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