"NEWPORT v. HUDDERSFIELD."
"Played at Newport in dull weather, before about 5,000 people. The ground was in excellent condition, and the utmost interest was manifested in the game. A few alterationsv were made in the visiting team as follows:- T. E. Dickinson in the place of Else, and J. Thornton in the place of Dyson. Newport had no alterations. Referee: Mr. W. M. Douglas, Cardiff. The following were the teams:- Newport: Back, T. England; three-quarter backs, F. H. Dauncey, W. G. James, A. J. Gould (captain), and W. Ll. Thomas; half backs, M. Hannan, and C. J. Thomas; forwards, A. W. Boucher, T. C. Graham, J. Hannan, W. H. Watts, H. Packer, J. Bowley, W. Groves, and W. Parsons. Huddersfield: Back, W. H. Eagland (Yorks County); three-quarter backs, J. Thornton (International and Yorks County), W. H. Smith, C. Mitchell, and A. Boothroyd; half backs, J. Lorriman and W. A. Oldfield; forwards, J. Brook, W. Bray, H. Lodge (Yorks County), J. W. Mellor, T. Dickenson (Yorks County), M. Sutcliffe, and J. W. Thewlis."
"The game was ten minutes late in starting, when the visitors kicked off, and with a strong forward rush at once into the home territory. A very sharp punt by Ll. Thomas, and another by Arthur Gould, altered the position to the Huddersfield 25, but it was apparent from the start that the game was to be fought out amongst the forwards. The visitors were very sharp at the line out and in the loose, and the tackling was keen and swift, Charlie Thomas, in his position at half, once or twice in the opening bouts played too much for his own hand, rather than passing out. First blood fell to Newport. From a strong dribble by Mat Hannan, Packer rushed up and kicked over the line, the leather afterwards being kicked dead. Huddersfield, soon after the drop-out, were penalised for illegally putting the ball in the scrum, and from a good drop by Ll. Thomas, the visitors' 25 was reached. By fast open work amongst the forwards the Tykes got out to mid-field. After a nice burst by Mitchell the ball went back to Gould, who planted in touch beyond the visitors' 25 flag, and Graham and Watts took it from the line out to within a few yards of the Yorkshire position. Here Mat Hannan got round the scrum cleverly, but in throwing to W. Ll. Thomas he threw forward, and a good chance was lost. Fast forward play was still kept up in the Huddersfield 25. Mat Hannan got hold again, and shot out to Gould, who got within a few yards of the line and then passed to Thomas, who failed to take, but nailed the man who rushed up for the pass. It really looked as if Gould himself could have got in with a struggle. The Huddersfield forwards rushed to mid-field. Here T. Dickenson, one of the visiting forwards, was hurt in a hot scrum, and went off apparently with an injury to his ribs. Long kicking on both sides left matters in the Tyke's half. Thomas and Gould between them struggled to within a few yards of the line, but the final pass, intended for Graham, went astray. Still the game was all against the visitors, although their defence was brilliant. Gould took his passes and got in both sprints and kicks, with pure precision. Dickenson resumed play after ten minutes' respite. Following this was a bit of mulling between James and Dauncey, and Huddersfield had a good opening for running out. One of the players made his mark at the home 25, but Gould fielded well, and in reply found touch at mid-field. Centre play ruled for a time, until, from a long kick by the Huddersfield custodian, which England failed to hold, the home 25 became the venue, and here the forwards went at it hot and strong again. Mitchell, who had gone full back instead of Alland, for the Yorkshire men, took a shot at goal, and the long drop was dangerously nearly successful. From the visitors' 25 Groves got away with a strong rush from the scrum, and the ball being picked up by Charlie Thomas, he and Mat Hannan between them got right up to the visitors' line by means of inter-passing, but the ball rolled over, and only a minor ensued. Newport now got fairly into their stride, the forwards making great pressure. Jim Hannan got possession from a scrum, and passed out to Groves, who raced over with a try, but failed to negotiate the place-kick. Centre play ensued after the drop out, Huddersfield playing a very keen forward game, with little or no combination behind. Half time was then called, with the score standing:-"
"Newport - 1 try and 2 minors"
"Huddersfield - nil"
"The second half was started by Boucher. Eagland, who was playing three-quarter for Huddersfield, made his mark, but after a good reply by Dauncey, play settled down at mid-field, and was still kept up most vigorously. England, the home custodian, was once found wanting by holding on to the ball too long, but Gould repaired the mistake by sharply tackling Smith, one of the Huddersfield centres, as soon as he got his pass. For fully ten minutes a fast open game was waged without getting the ball in either 25. At length Gould was given possession, and started off at a great pace, but found no one to pass to except Jim Hannan, who however, was soon grassed. The ball was rushed to the centre and a good, combined dribble was started by the visiting forwards. Sutcliff, who raced up, fell on the ball and scored a try, which Smith converted. Boucher restarted, but the reply only found touch at the Huddersfield 25. The home forwards showed some good passing, but Ll. Thomas was too often rushed close to the touch-line before getting possession. A minor for Newport was registered from a kick over by Thomas. At length from a loose scrum in the centre, Wallace Watts got possession and shot out to Boucher, who made a grand opening and passed to Dauncey at the right moment. The wing man raced in with a corner try, which England failed to goal. The Newport forwards were now going great guns, but Huddersfield's defence was too vigorous to allow of much scoring. By combined footwork the visiting forwards got to the centre again. As the result of a series of kicks from hand to hand, touch was found in the home 25. Gould went to the rescue with a fine flying kick to midfield. The ball went up and down the field with great rapidity, but with the exception of one minor, nothing further was scored, and the game concluded, the score standing-"
"Newport - 2 tries, 4 minors"
"Huddersfield - 1 goal"
"It was a hard, tearing sort of game all the way through. True to their county tradition, the Huddersfield men made it for the most part a forward fight, and a really fine piece of combined forward foot-work resulted in them scoring their only try. Their rear contingent, however, though lacking in scoring combination, were very keen in watching the sprinting of the home quartette, whose passing was mostly done in the initial half. The forwards on both sides played a ripping game. Both packs were "dapsters" at wheeling and heeling out, and, though the pace was hot and the tackling keen, the game was never characterised by the roughness which some Yorkshire teams have displayed in South Wales. The full-backs on both sides had a good deal to do, and for the most part did it well. It was a pity that in the passing and sprinting, Llewellyn Thomas the fast wing man for Newport, was so closely pressed to the touch-line before he was given possession. Thornton, on the right wing, was the most dangerous of the Huddersfield quartette. When once he got under weigh he took heaps of stopping."
In the general comment column entitled "NOTES BY 'WELSH ATHLETE'" the Newport display was described as an "exhibition match". The performance was summed up as follows:-
"Everybody at the close of the Newport - Huddersfield match agreed it was a grand, hard-fought game. A bit too near to be pleasant for Newport was the score, but, as it turned out on the right side, one may well adopt the old maxim that all's well that end's well. On the day's exhibition Gould stood out conspicuously for really clever, good play. His passing, tackling, sprinting and kicking were uniformly good. The home halves – Charlie Thomas and Mat Hannan – did extremely well together, especially after Thomas had got out of his tendency in the opening stages to hug on to the ball through thick and thin. The forwards on the Newport side played a wonderfully smart, honest game. It would be unfair to single out any of them for special praise where they all did so well against a team which makes forward play its piece de resistance. On England, the full back, there is a good deal of praise to bestow, but there is one or two things which he might usefully, as it appears, leave off. It is an old rule in the Rugby game that a full back ought not to pass. If the transfer should happen not to be taken, should be charged down, or otherwise go astray, who is behind to cover the defence? England, no doubt, at times brings off useful things by rushing up with a slanting sprint and then giving a pass, but the safer course of finding touch ought really to be adopted."