"The game against Newport played at Abertillery Park on the 7th February, 1953, carried the following programme notes:"
"Today we give a hearty welcome to Newport. Newport, as everyone knows, is considered one of the finest Clubs in the Rugby world. Their record is one of the best throughout the country and they have produced some of the greatest players of the grand game of rugby."
"The "Usksiders" to-day will be without one of their greatest stars, Ken Jones, who is on International duty at Edinburgh, this being his 28th appearance for Wales. "Good luck Ken" and we hope you will maintain your form and place in the Welsh Team. Although without Ken, Newport will include such stars as Malcolm Thomas, Billy Williams and Roy Burnett who appeared for Wales against England at Cardiff. Roy was chosen as reserve to travel to Edinburgh to-day, but preferred to stay home and assist his own Club."
"In our side we have four former playing members of Newport. They are Hedley Rowlands, Gwili Jenkins, Harry Tovey and L. E. T. Jones. L.E.T. as we know, is our Captain, and what a grand job he is doing! We feel that to-day these players will prove that they are still a force to be reckoned with, and with the assistance of the other members of our team, will, we are sure, give our visitors a good game."
"Last year we had a grand game and only lost to Newport by 3pts. We all remember with regret that this was the game in which that grand Newport, Wales and Touring Team wing-forward, R. T. Evans, met with the injury that meant the end of Bob's football career; what a loss of a grand footballer and sportsman! We have not lost R. T. altogether, as he is a Police Sergeant now stationed at Abertillery."
"We would like to close hoping that both teams will have a good game and that Wales will win in Scotland."
"So "Good Luck" to both teams and Wales."
"The teams were as follows:"
"NEWPORT 1 D. PRICE 2 R. D. OWEN 3 R. SHEPPARD 4 M. C. THOMAS 5 M. LEWIS 6 B. BURNETT (Capt.) 7 W. A. WILLIAMS 8 J. BODENHAM 9 L. DAVIES 10 R. ROWLANDS 11 I. FORD 12 L.H.JENKINS 13 H. A. DAVIES 14 P. DAVIES 15 S. KIMPTON"
"ABERTILLERY 1 Gwili JENKINS 2 J. HOLLYFIELD 3 M. DAVIES 4 H. ROWLANDS 5 A. MORGAN 6 G. TOVEY 7 E. BLACKMAN 8 E. EVANS 9 R. WILLIAMS 10 B.JONES 11 J.CAREY 12 P.WILLIS 13 K. MORLEY 14 L. E. T. JONES (Capt) 15 H. TOVEY"