History of Newport RFC :: 1874

FoNR TALK Newport History of Newport RFC

	Newport RFC	Clifton
Points *
Tries	0	0
Conversions	0	1
Penalties	0	0
Drop Goals	0	0
Goals From Mark	0	0

Venue	Away
Game Category	Official
Attendance	unknown
Referee	unknown

On 28th October 1884 the Bristol Mercury reported:-

"CLIFTON v. NEWPORT."

"On Saturday, Clifton played Newport on the Westbury ground, and beat the visitors by a goal to one touch. Rose ran in for the victors shortly after the commencement of the game, and gained the only try, which Baker converted into a goal. The game was evenly contested, Smith, Pocock, and Moor behind, and Baker and Adam forward playing very well for Clifton. Unfortunately the game was marred by a long dispute. During a scrimmage in the Clifton 25 a Newport man picked the ball, as Clifton maintained, out of the scrimmage and passed it back. At last the ball reached one of the Newport three-quarters, who dropped the ball over the posts. Before this Leonard appealed for pick out of the scrimmage, and the Clifton umpire had given it in his favour. After the goal had been kicked, however, the Cardiff umpire gave his opinion that the ball was not taken from the scrimmage, and after a long and unseemly wrangle Clifton kicked off from the 25, thus avoiding giving in to a disputed goal, as they also maintained that according to Rugby rules, while the appeal had been given in their favour, the ball was out of play, and therefore what took place was quite immaterial to the fortunes of the game. The teams were – Clifton – E.D. Evans, H. L. Evans, S. Smith, R. J. Pocock, J. W. Rose (three-quarter backs), J. Moor, H. F. Davis (half backs), E. Leonard (captain), H. C. Baker, T. Adams, T. Myer, F. R. Fry, A. M. Fry, H. J. Pocock, H. A. Spencer (forwards). Newport – R. B. Evans (back), A. Gould, T. Clapp, R. M. Moynan (three-quarter backs), T. Harding, C. B. Gratte (half backs), R. Gould, H. Biggs, H. McDonnell, M. Williams, W. Young, Hannan, Barfoot, L. Williams (forwards)."

* There was no points system in place prior to 1890-91. Instead, a game was determined by the number of goals scored (conversions, dropped goals, and later, penalties). If a try was scored, an opportunity to convert the try into a goal was given. If the goal was kicked successfully, the try no longer counted.

For these games, the number of Tries are shown under 'Tries', and Goals are shown under 'Conversions'. Drop Goals and Penalties are shown in the normal way.