Sat 26 Mar 2022
Newport finally claimed their place in National 2 after several years of coming close, a feat achieved with three games of the season still remaining. It is a moment that everyone connected with the club, and indeed the wider community, should cherish and perhaps more specifically acknowledge the work done by Director of Rugby, Bob Adams who has been striving for this moment for several years now. He will be the first to admit that he could not have done it without the full support of the club and the unstinting work put in by his coaching team and a very talented group of players.
Remarkably, with over 2000 clubs competing in the league pyramid just 40 of those who ply their trade in the Premiership, Championship and Nat1 will be ranked above Newport next season. What an unbelievable achievement for a small market town in sleepy Shropshire!
Few would have predicted such an outcome to this entertaining game when, after half an hour, the hosts led 12 – 0 showing just how dangerous they could be with ball in hand and with Newport looking a long way off the “real deal” but as they have done several times this season a purple patch at the start of the second period just blew their opponents away.
There were some selection headaches with Toby Evans and Dave Manning both representing the RAF against The Army at Kingsholm, Oli Buckley unavailable due to sickness and Jack Price remained side-lined with injury. Nemani Rayabo, Ricky Bailey and Jake Goulson all started whilst Craig Wilson made a rare appearance on the bench where the ever-popular Benny Elliot joined him.
Although Newport started reasonably strongly they were met with some stoic, physical defence from the young Phoenix who clearly were in no mood for a repeat of their mauling at Forton Road back in early February. The home side deservedly took the lead on eight minutes when after a couple of penalties had taken them close to the visitors line they were able to string several phases together and work some space down the left flank to cross in the corner, Sam Evans charging out and knocking the ball off the tee as the Doncaster kicker dawdled over his run up to the conversion attempt.
Newport continued to huff and puff but increasingly they were losing ball in contact as they tried to play their usual brand of expansive rugby and on twenty-one minutes another error let Phoenix in for an interception try from half-way, no problem with the conversion this time 12 – 0.
Newport were becoming increasingly dominant in the scrum and after a repeat set of penalties attempted to batter their way over through Tom Cowell, Jack Wells, Matt Hubbart and Jordan Grass but alas all to no avail, eventually opting to spin it wide whereupon their frailties continued when they knocked on and the danger was cleared.
It was thirty-one minutes before Newport got themselves on the scoresheet, Henry Vaka scything through and putting in the supporting Rayobi to score, Jake Leonard converting to make it 12 - 7. George Castledine then produced what was probably the best 50/22 kick all season, the ball travelling from within his own twenty-two right to the Doncaster five metre line but the effort was wasted when the visitors took too long over their line-out and were penalised.
As the Newport pack began to make their superiority count a rolling maul took them fifteen metres up-field to half way giving Castledine the front foot ball to cut through the defensive line and feed Evans who finished off the move in typically flamboyant fashion, Leonard again converting to give Newport what had seemed highly unlikely ten minutes ago, a half time lead of 12 -14.
There was a frantic start to the second period with Newport soon in control and applying pressure instantly in such a manner that enabled Rayabo to scamper through for his second, Leonard adding on the extras to extend the lead to 12 – 21. This was the period which saw Newport cut their opponents to shreds with some scintillating open rugby. Vaka ghosted in on forty-eight minutes and again on fifty-one taking advantage of a steal at the Phoenix lineout, which by now had well and truly disintegrated, and a forty-metre burst from James Morton. Evans then finished off an attack from deep for another fine try and then Morton got in on the act with the seventh so within just fourteen minutes Newport had powered their way into a totally unassailable position at 12 – 45 with the five match points required for promotion well and truly secured.
Doncaster then managed to fashion a try from a well worked catch and drive but this was very much a case of too little too late. Wilson, Nawaqualiva and Elliot were all introduced from the bench and it was Elliot who finished off the scoring, streaking through and away from the cover to dot down for the final try which brought up the fifty for the sixth time in a memorable season and so it finished 19 – 50 and time for Newport to celebrate.
Team: 15 Leonard, 14 Rayabo, 13 Vaka, 12 Bailey, 11 S Evans, 10 Castledine, 9 Brown, 8 Taylor, 7 Mahoney, 6 Morton, 5 Hubbart, 4 Goulson, 3 Wells, 2 Cowell, 1 Grass
Bench: 16 Wilson, 17 Nawaqualiva, 18 Elliot
With the season’s objective achieved focus will now turn to making sure they go up as champions. Nine points are required from three games to make sure that happens starting with the visit of Dudley Kingswinford this coming Saturday when a “Sold Out” Ladies Lunch and a big crowd will be in attendance to try and help the team maintain their position, seven points clear of chasers Sheffield
Written by: Chris Wilde
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