"REMEMBER THIS GAME?"
"TROUNCED FRENCHMEN . . ."
"Bayonne, who played Newport in September 1960, were the first team from France to visit Rodney Parade for eight years. They were, however, unable to return home in a jubilant mood, for Newport proved far more resourceful and fast for them, and the Frenchmen crashed to a 20-3 defeat."
"Newport had previously beaten Penarth 29-0 and Bristol 26-9, and their substantial victory over Bayonne brought their points total to 76 in their first three matches of the season. Bayonne were captained by their hooker Larreguy, who had played for France in various representative matches, but he was no match for Welsh international Bryn Meredith, who had Roger Taylor and Neville Johnson alongside him. The service of Meredith and the rest of the Newport pack gave scrum half John Morris plenty of opportunities to get the back division moving swiftly into strong attacks."
"Both right wing Gordon Britton and outside half and captain Brian Jones scored tries, the former after a forty run dash by the latter who sent Britten streaking across the line. The way for the Jones try was engineered by flanker Brian Cresswell."
"Full back Norman Morgan and back row forward Glyn Davidge also decided to emerge as a try scoring partnership. They completely baffled the Frenchmen with skilful passing which they carried on for fifty yards, a run which ended with Davidge touching down."
"A break by John Anderson and Gordon Britton led to a try by Bernard Danahar, and from a five-yard scrum John Morris dived over from the openside to score Newport's fifth try. Finally, Danahar added another try, but the usually reliable Norman Morgan succeeded in kicking only one conversion. Bayonne's score was a dropped goal by their outside half Claude Duclaux."
"Newport fielded three internationals in this match. They were Bryn Meredith, Ian Ford, and Glyn Davidge, but five other members of that team went on to play for Wales. This quartet were Brian Cresswell, Brian Jones, Brian Price, Gordon Britton and Norman Morgan. Wales, in fact, capped Brian Price 32 times, two less than Bryn Meredith."
"John Morris, who came from the Chepstow area, later moved back to Lydney, where he was a grammar school master. His ability was soon recognised by Gloucestershire and the Western Counties selectors. He played for Gloucestershire in the English county championship and helped them to reach the final of the 1970 competition."
"Morris played for the Western Counties against the 1967 Australians, and the 1969-70 South Africans. In the latter match he kicked a penalty goal to enable the Western Counties to hold the Springboks to a draw."