The Football Argus of Saturday, 25th March 1961 reported:-
"Bill Hazell sparks off Newport attack"
"By Jack Davis"
"Newport, playing with much more dash and confidence than of late, built up a lead of 11 – 3 by the interval of their match with Gloucester at Kingsholm today."
"Two of their tries were the direct result of astute moves by Billy Hazell, playing at centre, and the other resulted from a neat crosskick by Morris."
"The only scorers of the second half were a penalty goal for Gloucester by Holder and a try for Newport by Webb."
"Newport were without five of their international players for this game. Brian Price was playing for Wales, Gordon Britton and Bryn Meredith were in Paris as Welsh reserves, Billy Watkins was acting as best man at his brother's wedding, and Geoff Whitson was unfit."
"Newport opened with a promising attack in which Hazell took a prominent part, but then Gloucester's outside half , Hopson, broke clean away, and began pressing, which looked dangerous till an inward pass went wrong."
"Newport went back to the attack through a neat kick by Geoff Davies, and then suddenly opened out quickly from a line-out. The ball passed through the hands of Morris and Davies to Hazell, who astutely missed out Brian Jones and sent a long pass to PETER REES."
"The wing was thus given plenty of room in which to move, and he went all out successfully for the corner for a try which Webb could not convert."
"Quickly Gloucester got on equal terms. A high kick, bouncing awkwardly, beat Barry Edwards. He recovered and fielded, but he delayed his clearing kick so that FORD was able to charge the ball and chase over the line for a try which Hillier failed to convert from in front of the posts."
"Newport went to the other end, and a neatly placed kick by Morris resulted in Wills only just failing to reach the ball before it went to touch in goal."
"Danger came to Newport when Hazell had a pass intercepted near half-way, but Holder, with a man each side of him, chose to kick, and Ryan fell back to clear."
"Webb made a poor attempt at a penalty goal for Newport."
"Peculiar try"
"Newport took the lead again with a peculiar try. Morris broke away on the blind side, but found no one in attendance, so he ran and then cross-kicked."
"Hillier got to the ball, fumbled, recovered and passed right into the hands of CRESSWELL, who had only to fall over the line for a try which WEBB converted."
"Once more the trick tried by Hazell early on came off. In a swift passing movement, he sent Peter Rees away."
"The wing fought off two tackles, made ground, and then finding that BRIAN JONES had got outside him, presented the Newport captain with the simplest of tries. Webb could not convert."
"John Ryan left the field for attention to a cut eye. Half-time:
Newport ……. 1 2 11
Gloucester … 0 1 3
Ryan returned to the field just after the interval. With kicks being charged, Newport had a tough time in defence for a while."
"Newport's best move in this half came when Hillier was deceived by a kick from Brian Jones and the Newport forward quickly opened out."
"Morris deceived the defence with a tricky run and then Hazell was overwhelmed as he tried to sweep inwards. At the position he had won, Gloucester were penalised but Webb missed an easy kick."
"For a time Newport lapsed into the old kicking tactics which nearly sacrificed possession, but they were still playing more confident rugby than Gloucester."
"Once there was danger for Newport when Gloucester's most dangerous back, Hopson, got clean away, but he lacked support and Wills cleared."
"Near the end, HOLDER kicked a penalty goal for Gloucester, and Hazell was held inches from the Gloucester corner flag, and then WEBB dropped over for a try. Final:
NEWPORT ……. 1 3 14
GLOUCESTER .. 1 1 6
Scorers: Newport, tries by Rees, Cresswell, Brian Jones and Webb; Gloucester, try by Ford; penalty goal by Holder."
"COMMENTS"
"Newport have good reason to be satisfied with their display today. For the most part they played adventurous rugby, made few mistakes, and generally looked a much more competent side than Gloucester."
"John Morris and Geoff Davies had a profitable partnership at half back, and Billy Hazell, playing at centre, put in probably his best performance for Newport so far."
"There was an encouraging improvement in the forward play, too, with Davidge back to something like his old form. All of them searched constantly for the ball, and got it back quickly."
"Altogether a much better omen for the Easter programme."
"The teams
Gloucester: R. Hillier, R. Smith, A. Holder, P. Hole, R. Timms; T. Hopson, G. Mace; A. Townsend, R. Chamberlayne, J. Fowke, R. Long, A. Brinn, P. Ford (captain), H. Simmonds, D. Smith.
Newport: B. Edwards; R. Wills, W. Hazell, B. Jones (captain), P. Rees; G. Davies, J. Morris, D. Greenslade, G. Bevan, I. McJennett, I. Ford, R. Webb, B. Cresswell, G. Davidge, J. Ryan.
Referee: Mr. A. E. Cotterell, of North Midlands."