Sat 23 Apr 2022
Newport completed their league programme with an entertaining victory over Nuneaton at the Liberty Way stadium last Saturday. Apart from another poor start and a nervy period where Nuns clawed their way back into contention at 21 -26 with eighteen minutes remaining the visitors always looked the likely winners, playing with a freedom that comes with already having secured the title but perhaps without their usual levels of precision. Nevertheless, they were still way too good for a spirited home side who, by their own high standards, have had a largely disappointing season.
Skipper Tom Cowell stood down from action to allow Craig Wilson to make his final appearance as a player, one that wasn’t without incident for a number of reasons. Also missing from the starting line-up were Jordan Grass, Toby Evans and Connor Adams.
Nuns began with the strong wind at their backs and although Newport collected the kick-off they immediately turned over possession that led to a sustained period of home pressure in the Newport half. Harry Mahoney, who carried strongly throughout, broke well from a line out and George Castledine put in a neat chip behind the defensive line to give some temporary respite but with the promptings of experienced fly-half Ricky Aley the Nuns remained in the ascendancy and forced their way over from a line out after eleven minutes to lead 7 – 0.
Sam Evans, outstanding all afternoon, scored in the left-hand corner when the ball was spun wide after skipper for the day Dave Manning had opted for the scrum rather than take the easy three points that were on offer from a penalty in front of the posts twenty metres out. Jake Leonard somehow managed to convert even though all the elements were against him to bring the scores level after fourteen minutes.
Newport then survived another period of Nun’s pressure before Evans again launched up-field on another typically mazy run. Leonard was up in support and carried the move to within five metres before feeding Oli Buckley who looked certain to score before a home defender knocked the ball from his grasp in the tackle.
They didn’t have to wait too long, however, as Orisi Nawaqaliva, Evans and Nemani Rayabo combined well over distance before a sublime inside ball from Rayabo sent Evans in for his second and a lead of 7 -12. Leonard then made another break to set up the position in midfield, the ball being quickly re-cycled and moved left where Ricky Bailey fended off the tackler to cross for the third try, Leonard converting for a score of 7 – 19 all of which had been achieved playing against a strong, swirling wind.
Newport managed to produce one more chance after they had set up a series of lineouts close to the home line but Jack Wells was forced into touch as he tried to bury through a pile of bodies on the Nuneaton line, the home side eventually clearing the danger and taking them into half time having restricted the damage to a deficit of twelve points.
Newport kicked off at the re-start but almost immediately Wilson was yellow carded for a high tackle reducing the duration of his final appearance by at least ten minutes! Joe Nixon was forced on when Nuneaton opted for a scrum from the resultant penalty, Chris Taylor being sacrificed, but not only did they hold the scrum with seven but turned over possession and cleared to half-way. Evans then made an acrobatic airborne catch to prevent Nuns from having an attacking line out on the Newport five metre line before they began to enjoy some territory themselves, Castledine and Leonard combining to put Nawaqaliva over for the bonus point try by the posts, the conversion extending Newport’s lead to 7 – 26 after fifty-four minutes of play.
Wilson returned but then Leonard was despatched to the bin for a similar offence so Newport were again down to fourteen. Nuns were able to apply plenty of pressure but were guilty of making too many mistakes in possession before eventually getting things right and trundling over from a rolling maul and converting to make it 14 – 26.
Newport then had an attacking scrum on half way and moved the ball quickly left, only for Nuns to intercept and race over, the conversion making it 21 – 26 and the game now in the balance with just less than a quarter of the match remaining.
There were no alarm bells in the Newport camp, however, as Castledine produced an excellent 50/22 that set up the position for them to batter away at the Nuns line, well defended before Wilson picked up at the base and strolled nonchalantly through the middle of the ruck for the most popular score of the day after seventy-seven minutes, Leonard again converting for a score of 21 – 33.
Time was more or less up when it was Leonard’s turn to put in the 50/22, Manning driving over from the maul extending the score by a further five. There was still time to restart and after the Newport pack had driven the Nuns eight off their own ball, Taylor who had been denied a perfect score just moments earlier, broke off the base of the scrum and slipped a beautiful ball round the back of the defender to Evans who raced away leaving defenders in his wake to secure an excellent hat-trick.
Wilson was given the pleasure of the conversion attempt to call time on a long and distinguished playing career. Suffice to say it wasn’t his finest moment! Full time signalled and a final score of 21 – 43.
Team:15 Leonard, 14 Rayabo, 13 Bailey, 12 Nawaqaliva, 11 S Evans,10 Castledine, 9 Brown, 8 Taylor, 7 Mahoney, 6 Morton, 5 Hubbart, 4 Buckley, 3 Manning, 2 Wilson, 1 Wells
Bench: 16 Nixon, 17 Goulson, 18 Vaka
Few would deny that Newport are worthy champions having scored over 1,000 points at an average of just under 39 per game. No team has managed to score more tries than them in any game this season. They have five players who have scored more than ten tries and another five who have nine so the points have been well and truly spread amongst this talented group of players.
Newport can now take some rest and prepare for the season’s finale – a North Midlands Cup Final against Bromsgrove which will be played on Sunday 8th May at Worcester RFC, kick-off time to be announced
Written by: Chris Wilde
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