Newport continue to set the early pace in Super Rygbi Cymru after seeing off Carmarthen Quins 52-24 to make it four from four.
It was a third six-pointer on the bounce for Ty Morris’ side who ran in another eight tries to take their tally so far to 31. Six of Newport’s eight tries against Quins came in the first half and they were already out of sight at half time having raced into a 40-0 lead.
Hooker Henry Palmer bulldozed his way through for two early tries before wing Fin Baker, back rowers Hunter Ward and Kobi Rees and outside half Will Ford added their names to the scoresheet. Ford converted five of them.
But, to their credit, Carmarthen refused to simply fold. The west Walians hit back with four tries of their own to outscore Newport in the second half to at least take away a bonus point of their own.
Flanker Joe Denman, outside half Carwyn Leggett-Jones, wing Eilir George – on his 50th Quins appearance – and replacement Luca Giannini replied for Carmarthen, with Leggett Jones adding two conversions.
Newport’s second half tries were scored by replacement hooker Wade Langley and full back Sam Morgan, with Ford converting the latter. Meanwhile the, win also marked the Black & Ambers third successful defence for this season of the SRC Challenger Shield, and their fifth in total.
Pontypool bounced back from two heavy defeats by holding on to beat 14-man RGC 31-26. Wing Carrick McDonough scored in each half for Pooler, with Marcus Jones and replacement Rakhat Clarkson also dotting down, while Kieran Meek added 11 points from the tee.
Sam Jones and No 8 Sam Williams replied with tries for RGC, both converted by McBryde, who also landed four penalties.
Meek and McBryde had traded penalties in the opening quarter, before a flashpoint and scuffle off the ball following a high tackle on 25 minutes resulted in Pooler’s Scott Matthews being sin-binned and RGC wing Ieuan Cornelius being shown a red card.
RGC were ultimately left to rue their own indiscipline, with both of McDonough’s tries coming straight after cards – the red for Cornelius and a yellow for wing Sam Jones that saw the visitors reduced to 13 men.
Swansea remain winless after surrendering a 26-12 half time lead at Bridgend before eventually having to settle for a 26-26 draw.
Scrum half Matthew Aubrey scored twice for Swansea who also had hooker Jamie Cox and full-back Lewis Edwards on the scoresheet in the first half. Josh Phillips converted three of them.
But they were unable to add to their tally after the break. Centre Ryan Wilkins and replacement scrum-half Nick Fisk-Jones scored for the Ravens in the second half, adding to hooker Dominiko Manaseitava’s first half double. Fraser Jones kicked three conversions.