Newport did what no other team has been able to do this season and beat Ebbw Vale when it mattered most at Eugene Cross Park to clinch the inaugural Super Rygbi Cymru title with a 27-18 triumph. It was a victory that set the seal on Newport’s 150th anniversary celebrations and was the perfect tribute […]
Newport did what no other team has been able to do this season and beat Ebbw Vale when it mattered most at Eugene Cross Park to clinch the inaugural Super Rygbi Cymru title with a 27-18 triumph.
It was a victory that set the seal on Newport’s 150th anniversary celebrations and was the perfect tribute to their former president Brian Jones, who died last month at the age of 89.
No team had been able to find the formula to beat the Steelmen on their home patch in 13 games prior to the Grand Final, but Newport half backs Dafydd Buckland and Jac Lloyd dictated terms to guide their side to a victory that erased the bitter memories of losing last season’s Indigo Premiership final to Llandovery.
Ebbw Vale, who had been beaten by Llandovery in the SRC Cup final earlier in the season, came into the Grand Final with high hopes having remained unbeaten all season at home and overcoming Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery in the knock-out stages.
They had beaten the Black & Ambers twice at Eugene Cross Park already this season in league and cup, but were overpowered at Rodney Parade last month. The home started started well and took the lead with an Evan Lloyd penalty after nine minutes.
But as soon as Newport got to terms with the pace of the game at a sun-kissed Eugene Cross Park they won enough ball for former Wales U20 caps Buckland and Lloyd to begin to run the show. Jac Lloyd levelled matters with a 22nd minute penalty and then converted a try by Buckland from a metre out.
Evan Lloyd knocked over a second penalty before his opposite number and namesake ending the first half with a flourish with a try that he also converted to give Newport a 17-6 interval lead.
Ebbw had been forced to come from behind against both the Quins and the Drovers in reaching the final and when Gruff Tough cross kicked for wing Ewan Bowden to score in the left corner six minutes into the second half thoughts of another great revival quickly came to mind.
That score cut the gap to six points, but no sooner had Newport re-started than they bagged their third try. This time it was full back Carwyn Penny who brought the magic as he chipped over half way, re-gathered one-handed after a cruel bounce for the home defence and raced to the right corner for a try that man of the match Jac Lloyd converted superbly off the touchline.
Next it was Ebbw’s turn to make the most of a slice of luck as they pressurised Newport into making a hash of cleaning up possession near their line. As pass after pass went to ground, up popped Curtis Gregory to gather a metre out and drive over for a try that Evan Lloyd converted to cut the gap to six points again.
But Newport weren’t going to be denied and another Jac Lloyd penalty made it a two score game just before the hour mark. They were denied another try after Iestyn Galton raced to the posts after some more sleight of hand by Jac Lloyd, but the TMO ruled it out for a forward pass.
Ebbw piled on the pressure and had three line outs in the kill zone in the final few minutes. Josh Skinner saw yellow as Newport threw everything into their defensive effort, but then they managed to hold up Ieuan Morris on their line.
To make that moment even better, referee Ben Brakespear penalised the Ebbw forwards for back chat. That was the game and Newport took the title back to Rodney Parade.
Scorers: Ebbw Vale: Tries: E Bowden, C Gregory; Con: E Lloyd; Pens: E Lloyd 2. Newport: Tries: D Buckland, J Lloyd, C Penny; Cons: J Lloyd 3; Pens: J Lloyd 2