This bonus-point triumph wasn’t enough to stop Cardiff returning to the top of the table after their big home revenge win over Carmarthen Quins, but the Black & Ambers still have a game in hand after seeing their away game against Aberavon postponed at half-time in the previous round
The Wizards took an early grip on the match through tries by Ashton Evans and Carwyn Lewis before ex-Dragons’ prop Nathan Evans rumbled over to get the home side back into the game.
Newport skipper Ben Roach saw yellow and then scored a try in the first half to retake the lead. Home hooker Henry Palmer and Aberavon wing Frankie Jones then exchanged tries as a tight contest remained a one score game.
But Newport sealed the match and the bonus point when replacement back rower Kyle Taylor scored. An indication of the hard-fought forward battle was that Newport’s loosehead prop Tom Workman was the man-of-the-match.
While Roach’s men bagged five points from their victory, Cardiff went one better to claim six from their 50-0 home win against the Carmarthen Quins to move to the top of the table, one point ahead of Newport. Ebbw Vale and Bridgend are third and fourth respectively.
The Arms Park performance emphatically reversed Cardiff’s defeat in Carmarthen earlier this season and came even after going down to 14 men shortly before half-time when flanker Nathan Hudd was red carded following a squabble with Quins hooker Sion Jones.
Steff Emanuel, the 18-year-old summer recruit who was playing schoolboy rugby at Millfield this time last year, was the man-of-the-match playing at outside half, orchestrating the free-flowing game plan which proved so effective.
The forwards were able to make ground in the wide channels, as well as finishing off from close range when the opportunities arose – even when the pack was reduced to seven players.
Hooker Gavin Parry scored two tries, while props Marc Thomas and Joe Cowell also got on the scoresheet to make it a red-letter day for the Front Row Union. Emanuel scored a try as well as landing five conversions, while centre Luke Pollock, flanker Benji Williams and wing Dewi Cross claimed the other tries.
It was an impressive performance that Cardiff will look to build on when they travel to bottom-placed Swansea this weekend, the All Whites having lost to Bridgend last Thursday when the Brewery Field side briefly topped the table themselves.
Pontypool enjoyed a dominant first half performance against RGC, leading the North Wales side 29-13 at half time thanks to tries from Ieuan Jones, Dan Hills, Connor Chapman and Joel Mahoney.
RGC had taken the lead with an Ethan Fackrell try and also had a 65 metre penalty from Sam Earl-Jones.
The North Wales side fought their way back through centre Danny Cross, but Pooler kept their noses in front with a Kieran Meek penalty, which proved to be the last score of the match as it ended 32-20 to the home side at Pontypool Park.
