"RODNEY COMMENTARY"
"TRIUMPHANT WEEK FOR NEWPORT!"
"What a triumphant week it has been for Newport rugby team! Once again they have succeeded in reaching the quarter-finals of the Schweppes Cup, and in doing so they turned the tables on their old rivals, Cardiff, who have frustrated them so often throughout the years."
"Newport have now reached this stage of the glamorous competition four times during the past six seasons, and hopes are understandably running high that they will figure in the final for the third time in their history and perhaps repeat their 1977 success during which, ironically, their cup final opponents were Cardiff."
"That objective, however, will be difficult to achieve, though they are in the happy position of having ground advantage against Bridgend. It is only three weeks since Bridgend visited Rodney Parade for a league match in which they were defeated 14-7. The memory of that result should increase Newport's confidence and inspire them to move only one step from the final!"
"On their last appearance in the quarter-finals during the 1989-90 season, Newport were eliminated at St. Helen's by this season's cup favourites, Swansea, but they put up rousing resistance and were leading until late in the game. On that occasion Nigel Callard and David Waters scored tries, Gary Abraham kicked a penalty goal and Paul Turner dropped a goal."
"The entire Newport squad, of course, have cause to be jubilant over last week's victory at Cardiff Arms Park, yet one member has every reason to feel particularly elated. He is twenty-year-old Jonathan Westwood, who is in his first season at Rodney Parade."
"He stunned the experienced Cardiff players by scoring Newport's two vital tries, and so accomplished a two-try feat for the second time in the club's last three matches. Westwood scored his first brace of tries in the league match with Bridgend, who joined Newport in the quarter-finals by defeating Westwood's previous club, Newbridge."
"Incidentally, the only other Newport player to twice score two tries in a match this season is Roger Bidgood, who collected them against Glamorgan Wanderers and his old club, Pontypool."
"Newport's quarter-final match will be played on Saturday, April 4th, which means that their provisionally arranged match with The Wasps will have to be shelved. The two clubs had agreed to meet each other if they were not involved in cup-ties."
"The Wasps had been eliminated from the Pilkington Cup, and were looking forward to visiting Rodney Parade, but a new date is unlikely to be arranged this season."
"W.H."
"TODAY'S VISITORS"
"WELCOME BACK MAESTEG"
"Maesteg, today's visitors, have pleasant memories of their trip to Rodney Parade last season, for they left for home with an 11 -3 victory under their belts. That success went a long way to ensuring that they would accompany Newport into the top division of the Heineken League this season, though they finally clinched promotion a fortnight later by trouncing Ebbw Vale 56-13 and scoring eleven tries."
"Inside half Huw Woodland captained Maesteg against Newport a year ago, but he has since handed the leadership to prop forward Alan Henson.Most of the players who turned out against Newport in 1990-1 will do so again this afternoon. Maesteg, however, have a number of newcomers in their squad, among them flanker Christian Evans, centre Lee Jones and scrum half Lloyd Paget.
"Maesteg were formed in 1882, and among their highlights was winning the Welsh club championship in 1949-50. They have, of course, provided Wales with a number of players, one of whom wrote his name in the international records with his accurate kicking. He was full back Gwyn Evans, who played for Wales ten times and in the 1981-2 match against France at Cardiff kicked six penalty goals to join record holders Ollie Campbell (Ireland), Don Clarke (New Zealand) and Gerald Bosch (South Africa)."
"The six penalty goals record, however, has since been eclipsed by England full back Simon Hodgkinson, who kicked seven penalty goals against Wales at Cardiff last season. He ended the season with an astonishing total of sixty points, a record for the five-nations championship."
"Among other scoring achievements by Maesteg players were Jeff Bird's 350 points in the 1987-8 season, a club record, Colin Donovan's 169 tries and Jonathan Dodd's 23 tries last season. Earlier this season Newport made amends for their 1990-1 setback by winning 21-6 at Maesteg, who are finding life very hard in the top strata of Welsh rugby. Nevertheless, they put up a splendid performance against Newbridge in the recent fifth round tie and were only eliminated from the Welsh Cup by a narrow margin. They did even better soon afterwards by holding Neath to a draw at The Gnoll."
"W.H."