Swansea escaped with a 12-9 win in a gripping game, courtesy of their superior place kicking, one atrocious refereeing decision and just about all the luck that was going. The incident which cruelly robbed Newport came two minutes into injury time with extra-time looming. As the ball squirted out on the Swansea side of a scrummage Nigel Callard grabbed it only for referee Ken Parfitt to award a penalty which Mark Wyatt duly goaled. A TV viewing confirmed that the ball was out and Callard was on-side.

The game started with a second minute try for Tony Swift after a suicidal decision by Keith James to run it from his own line. A James drop-goal was answered by a Wyatt penalty in first half injury time.

In the second half the Newport pack started to dominate their opposite eight with Wayne Rendall equalising the scores after constant Newport pressure. Wyatt's decisive last gasp penalty was harsh justice for Newport who were no-hopers according to the games advance billing but clearly the better side on the day despite Swansea's impressive reputation.