"IT'S ODDS ON NEATH - BUT SEMI-FINALS HAVE UPSET FAVOURITES BEFORE"
"DUNCAN GARDINER, of the Sunday Observer, sets the scene for this afternoon's SWALEC Cup semi-final. By Kick-off time, both sides will know who they will meet on May 4th if they are to lay hands on the coveted Cup, Newport for the first time since 1977, Neath since 1990."
"NEATH take the field this afternoon as 9-4 favourites to win the SWALEC Cup for the fourth time and no-one would surely deny that recent results suggest that Newport have been reduced to a role whereby they are merely here in Cardiff to make up the numbers."
"And yet, and yet. They can take more than a little solace in the thought that in the Heineken League, also led by the dominating Neath, they have already won on this ground this season whereas Cardiff have beaten the All Blacks both here and at Neath."
"And there's more: Newport also played party-poopers last season when they came once more to make up the numbers while Cardiff celebrated - and beat them yet again."
"And if you still needed more evidence that they feel thoroughly at home at the Arms Park, they have on their way to their three previous cup-final appearances won their semi-finals on this same ground."
"Nevertheless it will be hard for them to forget that Neath have run in a formidable 160 points in their two previous league appearances and, with 94 league tries already behind them, Neath are 20 ahead of their closest Division One rivals, Cardiff."
"Today's other semi-finalists, Llanelli and Pontypridd, incidentally have 67 and 66 respectively."
"The Neath statistics of course include that rather staggering 65-23 defeat of Newport at the Gnoll a fortnight ago after Newport had at one stage in first-half injury time led by 20-3."
"The Newport Skipper, Richard Goodey, almost blushes at the thought of it. "That game is gone. We have put it well behind us and the semi-final will be something else altogether. We will be tighter behind the scrum and I have to admit we rather lost our way." "
"Lost their way? Four interception tries in ten minutes is downright carelessness particularly, as captain Goodey admits also, "we did it again in the next match against Treorchy." "
"Chairman David Watkins also believes his side has the capacity and character to bounce back. He and his supporters certainly need a return to fitness of lock Kevin Moseley."
" "Kevin has assured us he will be fit and that has to be good news. Gareth Llewellyn is a tremendous line-out player and we are aware of how crucial he is to Neath and how important the line-out will be. But we have the players with the talent to win it." "
"In turn, Neath are well aware of the importance of Canadian outside-half Gareth Rees to Newport. With 235 Heineken League points already under his belt this season, he is 30 ahead of Neil Jenkins and Jason Williams of Pontypool."
"Neath have all round fire power, with Chris Higgs leading the way with 12 league tries, Richard Jones on nine and Leigh Davies eight."
"Yet anyone who believes that this is the result of a change in game plan and strategy by the All Blacks should not mention it to their Rugby Director, Brian Thomas."
" "Dour?" he thundered at me when I casually dropped the word into conversation, "we have never been dour. All we are doing now is continuing a policy which began in 1983 and which we have been pursuing logically ever since."
" "We were accused of playing just in the style of the old Pontypool, which I certainly admired. But whereas they contributed to their own ultimate downfall by not moving onwards, they stuck to it."
" "You look at the Guinness book of Sporting Records," he says and even names the page, "and you will find that in 1989 we scored the record number of points and tries in a season. But it does take three or even five years to build a really fine squad and you adapt your tactics to some degree to the skills of that squad." "
"He admits that there was a slight dip last year "when we finished fourth in the league. Fourth, and that was failure, our lowest position. Of all the top clubs we have been the most consistent."
" "And now this squad is capable of winning most things, and improving. Certainly I am looking forward to Neath playing in Europe because we have nothing really to fear. Just ask any national touring team that has come to the Gnoll, let alone clubs, and they will tell you before they go whingeing and wimpering home." "
"If they lose Newport will neither whinge nor whimper as they contemplate what might have been and what has happened in the other semi at the Brewery Field. David Watkins is well aware that reaching the semi-final has been yet one further step in his famous club's return to the top of rugby."
The match itself:-
Newport went desperately close to upsetting the form book and this heart-stopping semi-final was decided by a dramatic last minute penalty goal. Just as dramatically the game was started by Neath outside-half Paul Williams who kicked away from his forwards and the ball was gathered on the far touch line by wing Richard Rees who powered down the touch-line, shrugged off opposite wing Geraint Evans and raced 60 yds for a try after just 12 secs.
After this shock try, Neath couldn't get into their stride and became increasingly edgy and far more conservative in their approach failing to escape Newport's clutches. However they still dominated possession but Newport's defence was magnificent and determined to cut Neath down, to stop their driving forward surges and prevent them getting the quick ball they wanted. Newport led for 64 of the 80 minutes but Neath had far more possession and territorial advantage and broke through with tries from Darran Morris and Leigh Davies, but there was no capitulation. Gareth Rees? fourth penalty goal put Newport back in front at 22-21 with just 3 minutes left and then in the the 80th minute they gave away a penalty 45 metres out and Patrick Horgan, who had missed sitters earlier on in the game, put the ball over and Newport were out although the performance of referee Gareth Simmonds, as often is the case, left a lot to be desired.