October 26, 2024 - 338 views
Newport 62 RGC 7
Saturday 26th October 2024
A clinical performance from the Black and Ambers, assisted by RGC errors, led to a difficult afternoon in Newport for RGC.
It was the homeside that struck first in a sun-drenched Spytty Park, when they got over in the corner with their first attack. Minutes later the lead was extended when Frewer intercepted and run the field with a breakaway try. Reed added the extras and RGC found themselves 12 points down with 10 minutes on the clock.
Newport were controlling the game and winning the breakdown battle, as the Gogs looked for a platform the build into the game.
Another error gifted Newport a try, as the ball was knocked on and winger Lloyd Lewis easily collected the ball and ran in for the 3rd try, before Reed hit the extras.
After 2 defeats, Newport where making sure it wouldn’t be a hattrick and were disciplined around the breakdown, strong in the set-piece and clinical when the opportunity arrived.
The Gogs needed to answer back quickly and they did, with Sam Williams bursting down the field before the ball moved to Afon Bagshaw and Sam Earl-Joens stepped inside to create the gap and the try, Billy McBryde nudged the conversion over but on 35 minutes that was the last points on the visitors side of the scoreboard.
As the clock hit 25 minutes the game opened up. Sam Stoddard collected a cross-field kick and was unlucky that his pass ended up in Newport's hands after a break. The homeside then had a go themselves before Lewis was tackled into touch.
RGC were disrupted in the front row when both Jac Petch-Jones and Joe Simpson had to be replaced.
Newport looked to turn the screw, and go for the bonus point try as they opted to kick to the corner with the penalty but they lost the lineout after it wasn’t straight.
Pressure continued to build as Newport where lively around the breakdown, but RGC were able to stifle the attacks.
It was a loose game from RGC as they tried to find a gap in the Newport defence, which didn’t come without risk.
When Newport managed to get hold of the ball in that transition, they took full advantage with the ball going wide, and with numbers Lewis dived over for the bonus point try.
It wasn’t long before they got another when scrum-half Che Hope showed good hands to set up Frewen who stepped and scored his 2nd of the game.
Errors kept on being punished in the 2nd half, and from an RGC lineout on halfway the home side move the ball wide, and offloaded quickly before Che Hope went over. Reed converted.
Newport’s backline clearly felt a try was on at any time, and when RGC exited with the boot they Black and Ambers looked to run it back as much as possible.
It was try number 7 when the referee blew for a penalty try, and matters were made worse with Billy McQueeney shown a yellow card.
Even with 15 Gogs on the field Newport where able to find the gaps in the field, so with that extra man, they were able to stretch the game and did so down the left wing again, this time with Josh Skinner scoring. Reed hit the conversion to make it a 50-point score.
Around the collisions, RGC were losing the ball, and on the back foot chasing the Newport runners.
The possession stats racked up in Newport’s favour, as RGC couldn’t keep the ball for any phases as the handling errors increased far too much.
The tries kept on coming, this time the numbers were on the right for Newport and winger Lloyd Lewis crossed for another.
Dai Richards made it try number 10 to end the match, with Reed’s conversion making the scoreboard tick past 60 points.
Director of Rugby Josh Leach knows his team needs to do better. He said: “We knew they would come out hard, after 2 defeats and if they got there tails up it would be difficult and it was.
“It’s a tough one to swallow, and we didn’t recover after being 19 points down. At the end of the day they were better individually and collectively and we need to be better.”
