"Cardiff v Newport"
"TIME, as they say, waits for no man and, suddenly, here we are with the last home game of yet another season. It scarcely seems like yesterday that we were preparing with some little aprehension for the match at Aberavon which effectively kicked off the new campaign."
"Since then, we have met both triumph and disaster and hopefully, in the words of Kipling, treated those two impostors just the same. There have been highs and lows, yes, but no matter what happens against Newport this afternoon or at St. Helens, Swansea, a fortnight today, the balance has to be favourable, the overall assessment "satisfactory." "
"Cardiff Rugby Club chairman Mervyn John admits to being pleased with the way the season has gone. "I would have been happy at the start with fourth or fifth position in the league. We have come such a long way since last year but the losses since Christmas have made us aware of our weaknesses and these have to be strengthened."
" "Although we have been in the leagues for three years now, it took the club a time to realise how much we had to change attitudes and for the players to appreciate the need for commitment."
"And not only the players. The committee has also to be adaptable, to be more aware of what is going on in the rugby world whereas we have perhaps in the past been over-concerned with being a historic and traditional club." "
"The club is looking closely to the structure for next season of the Rags and the Under 21 teams. "We must apologise for the changes made in the fixture lists this year for these teams. Some of the Rags matches became meaningless and some of the traditions have disappeared but we have not forgotten them, nor the many followers who watch the second team matches."
"We will make sure that the fixtures next season are more meaningful, possibly 50 per cent Rags matches and 50 per cent Under 21s"."
"The Cardiff club is aware that an Anglo-Welsh league is a real probability at some stage in the future. "We must be ready for such an eventuality," says Mr. John, "to accommodate a fixture list which could include league matches against all the leading Welsh and English clubs but also maintaining the traditional opponents." "
"Coaching organiser Alex Evans, whose comments on his first year with Cardiff are reported further in the Miscellany column, is also aware that there are weaknesses. "While the season has been successful in terms of points and tries scored, there is no prize really for second and third place and we will have to go up a gear next season," he says, "to achieve the success we all want whilst still enjoying the flair and style of rugby that Cardiff wish to play and the supporters want to see." "
"Meanwhile, this afternoon, we welcome our oldest rivals, Newport, and, as always, give the warmest of welcomes to their players, officials and supporters."
"Newport sit in mid-table with a split record: ten matches won, ten lost but, despite our 39-3 win at Rodney Parade earlier in the season, they will come to the Arms Park as they always do with an eye to victory. The championship, however, may be no closer to final resolution this evening as Llanelli, the leaders, have no match, their fixture with Pontypridd being postponed until April 28 as they have several players involved in the World Cup Sevens tournament at Murrayfield. Swansea are at Aberavon."
"Many Cardiff players will clearly be keeping fully fit during the summer. Not only does the club tour Australia in August but several are involved in the Welsh tour to Namibia next month. Congratulations to them."
"And finally a welcome this afternoon and say a big thankyou to Baytrack Limited for their sponsorship today."
"We thank them for their support - as, indeed, we thank again all those who have assisted us during the season - and trust that they and everyone present will enjoy an exciting and enjoyable match."