Hunter Ward says bidding to retain the Super Rygbi Cymru Challenger Shield through the entire campaign has given Newport added motivation.
The Black & Ambers’ crushing 73-33 win over Aberavon marked a second successful defence for the season of the shield, and fourth in total, after wrestling it away from Ebbw Vale back in March.
Similar to New Zealand’s Ranfurly Shield, the ‘holder’ puts up the shield for competition in every home game in the regular league season. Newport will defend it again on Saturday when they host Carmarthen Quins.
“Every week we talk about trying to make our home at Spytty Park, and when we play at Rodney Parade, a real fortress and, when teams come here, really putting a performance on and not taking any backward steps,” said Australian back rower Ward.
“It’s a massive goal for us to go through this season and retain that shield. This competition is strong, anyone can beat anyone on their day, so it’s absolutely critical that we turn up and put our best performance forward
“We’ve got a good mix of mature players and young players and it’s just getting that consistency week in, week out.”
Ward was entrusted with the captain’s armband in the absence of regular skipper Ben Roach against Aberavon – and marked the occasion by scoring two tries. Newport ran in 11 tries in total in a thumping win against the Wizards to make it three wins from three and 23 tries scored so far.
It also saw them put more than 70 points on Aberavon for the second season in a row, having beaten the Wizards 76-10 at Newport Stadium last December.
The writing looked to be on the wall after Newport raced into a 17-0 lead after only 14 minutes with Ward, hooker Wade Langley and flanker Josh Reid all scoring, as Aberavon struggled to handle their intensity and speed.
Despite looking in complete control, Newport then gifted Aberavon their first try almost immediately after scoring their third with a dropped ball by Carwyn Penny allowing Garyn Smith in to score after some neat footballing skills from fellow centre James Price.
The Wizards then scored a second try on 21 minutes, again out of nothing, when a kick through looked destined to drop over the deadline line, but wing Felix Gilbert refused to give up the chase and beat Newport’s Fin Baker to the ball to touch down.
Four minutes later, the game had been turned on its head with Aberavon taking the lead. As they drove for the line, scrum-half Scott Whitlock then picked up the ball and sent it left through the hands of Charlie Thomas and Smith for wing Frankie Jones to score his fifth try of the season.
Newport responded and had their first bonus point in the bag on 32 minutes when lock Ethan Phillips took the ball from the lineout to score his third try in as many matches so far this season.
Full-back Penny added his name to the Newport try scorers a minute before the break, with Newport leading 31-19 as the players headed down the tunnel.
Wales U20 wing Brogan Leary scored the first of Newport’s six second half tries two minutes after the re-start and also helped set up tries for replacement scrum-half Dafydd Buckland and centre Joe Westwood. Langley and Ward both went over again with wing Fin Baker also getting in on the act.
Will Ford sent over eight conversions in addition to an earlier one from Penny. Whitlock and replacement Elis Cox replied for the Wizards as they took a bonus point.
Scorers: Newport: Tries: H Ward 2, W Langley 2, J Reid, E Phillips, C Penny, B Leary, F Baker, D Buckland, J Westwood; Cons: W Ford 8, C Penny. Aberavon: Tries: G Smith, F Gilbert, F Jones, S Whitlock, E Cox; Cons: C Thomas 3, S Jones