Sat 5 Feb 2022
Newport racked up both the highest score and biggest winning margin of the Midlands Premier season with this scintillating display of open attacking rugby against a game but ultimately outmuscled and outclassed Doncaster Phoenix. Such is the depth of talent in the Newport squad they were able to shuffle their cards, resting Ricky Bailey who was replaced by Nemani Rayobo and giving a start to James Morton for the first time, the local youngster picking up four tries and the man of the match reward in a wonderful performance that bodes well for the future. Sam Brown started at nine and Jordan Grass at loose head in a number of changes from last week’s victory over Sheffield.
In a reverse of tactics from last Saturday, skipper Tom Cowell gave the visitors the advantage of both wind and slope for the first period but it was Newport who came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders and it wasn’t long before Henry Vaka, restored to his favoured centre position, was ghosting through after just two minutes for the opening try, converted by Jake Leonard whose impeccable place kicking saw him convert twelve of Newport’s thirteen tries in very tricky cold and windy conditions.
Newport continued to put the ball through the hands and were soon adding further tries from Harry Mahoney on six minutes, Morton (eleven) followed by Vaka’s second (twenty) securing the bonus point with less than a quarter of the match gone, all the tries coming as a result of glorious fifteen man running rugby.
Five minutes later it was Toby Evans getting his first try since returning from RAF duty, followed by some dancing feet from his fellow winger Rayabo, then Morton for his second and another for Evans resulting in a rather unbelievable half time score of 56 – 0 having played against the elements. Much was due to the half-backs Brown and George Castledine who although not appearing on the score-sheet themselves had orchestrated things beautifully throughout the half. Not that Doncaster were without opportunities but they were in constant trouble at scrum-time and when they did enjoy some periods of possession they came up against an immovable object in the form of the home defence where yet again Grass headed up the tackle count.
There was a lengthy delay just before the break when Oli Buckley looked to have suffered a serious neck injury with the medical staff seemingly very concerned but he was eventually up on his feet with the injury diagnosed as muscular so hopefully a swift recovery. Jake Goulson replaced Buckley and Jack Wells came on to give Cowell a rest in readiness for next week’s Shropshire derby.
Newport continued where they had left off with Rayabo in for his second after just four minutes of the second period. Doncaster’s cause was not helped on fifty-three minutes when loose head prop Tony Gelsthorpe issued some advice to referee Mr Hurdley, who had an excellent day with the whistle, and was promptly despatched to the bin, Gelsthorpe continuing to utter more expletives as he made his way off which only produced the inevitable, the card being upgraded to a red. Further pressure would then be placed on his already overstretched team-mates and minutes later that proved to be the case as Morton went for yet another try with the scoreboard now reading 70 – 0. Vaka was then withdrawn to be replaced by Connor Adams.
Funnily enough, down to fourteen, Doncaster enjoyed their best period of the match, maintaining possession in and around the Newport twenty-two going through multiple phases which eventually sucked in enough defenders for winger Tom O’Brien to sneak in at the corner.
Normal service was soon resumed, Newport won a scrum on the visitor’s twenty-two going through several phases before Dave Manning “stepped” a defender and handed on for Chris Taylor to dot down to make it 77 – 5. From the restart Newport won possession and a lovely cross kick from Adams landed in Evans’s hands, the winger racing clear before putting the supporting Mahoney in again. Newport then destroyed another Donny scrum and Adams was able to pop a short ball for Morton to crown a wonderful day with his fourth try of the afternoon, the match ending with the emphatic score-line of 89 - 5
Team: 15 Leonard, 14 Rayabo, 13 Vaka, 12 Nawaqaliva, 11 T. Evans, 10 Castledine, 9 Brown, 8 Taylor, 7 Mahoney, 6 Morton, 5 Hubbard, 4 Buckley, 3 Manning, 2 Cowell, 1 Grass
Bench: 16 Wells, 17 Goulson, 18 Adams
All attention and efforts now turn to next Saturday’s visit to Bridgnorth where a noisy, hostile environment awaits. Newport will travel with confidence having won eleven on the bounce but will be wary or their neighbour’s desire to upset the applecart and will need their “A” game if they are to stretch that run to twelve! It promises to be an absolute cracker.
Written by: Chris Wilde
Please enter your page detail here. This can be HTML or text. To edit click the first menu icon on the small HTML menu that appears when you click on this text. Please use the elements on the right if you wish to construct a richer page content with headers, images and layout grids.
.JPG?v=638050476508783149){kind=link}
.JPG?v=638050476516421137){kind=link}
.JPG?v=638050476527323943){kind=link}