From the match programme:-
"AND SO WE come, in Heineken League terms at least, to the turn of the season, the half-way point - and yet only the groundwork has so far been done."
"Just the one league match lost so far means that everything is still there to be fought for; Tuesday's splendid draw in the new Heineken European Cup at Bordeaux, while slightly tempered by the fact that Cardiff could have won, means that there is still much to be gained in that area. And the draw for the Fourth Round of the SWALEC Cup gives a third reason for possible glories ahead."
"Add to this the imminence of the home internationals and it is plain to see why there will be no easy spells for any of the Cardiff squad or those closely involved with the club."
"Next Tuesday's European Cup match with Ulster is an exciting prospect indeed. Whilst suggesting earlier that Cardiff may have felt Tuesday's match could have been won, there is little doubt that by far the majority of the members and followers would, before kick-off, cheerfully have settled for the point. Now, it's all wide open and your support on Tuesday will be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, it's the warmest of Arms Park welcomes to our oldest and friendliest of rivals, Newport. We welcome their officials, players and followers, as we do everyone this afternoon. Our special thanks go to the match sponsors, Specsavers. We hope they have a memorable afternoon. D.G."
"GUEST APPEARANCE"
"BRIAN PRICE, former Wales and British Lion, a legendary and formidable opponent now a controversial broadcaster and columnist, recalls a day when ...."
"NEWPORT MISSED A 'GRAND SLAM"
"BANISHED TO the pages of history is the fact that Cardiff and Newport played each other four times a season."
"In today's atmosphere of a catastrophic rate of change, in every aspect of the game, it must seem almost incestuous for two clubs to have been so regularly opposed."
"Generations of players before me and players of my generation, of both clubs, did not see it that way. To be involved in what was without doubt the top match in British club rugby was an honour and was the envy of all other clubs."
"Certainly the children of the school I taught in, knew when such a match was imminent.They were either on their best behaviour the week of the match, or they avoided any contact with 'sir'. It was the same at home, where my wife, Dorothy, did as little as possible to upset me! My mother also felt the same tensions as myself, and I know even today she will be anxious until she hears the result."
"The best thing about this annual ritual of confrontation was that it helped to build up friendships and a bond which has lasted and survived the recent upheavals of our game."
"On a personal note another reason why I always felt tense before these encounters, was the fact that there always seemed to be someone in the Cardiff side who was after my place in the international team. Danny Harris was the earliest opponent, then he was quickly followed by Jim Mills, Keith Rowlands, Graham Davies and Ian Robinson."
"I can still recall the press building up a contest between a young Jim Mills and myself. Jim was a huge man and naturally he was going to be a handful in the line-out. I must admit I was a little worried before the game having never seen Jim."
"When we lined up at the first line-out where he towered above me, I looked down and saw that his boots were covered in dry, crusted mud and the laces were knotted and for some reason this observation took the tension away and we had what could have been described as an interesting eighty minutes. I was certainly relieved to see him depart to Northern pastures."
"The most disappointing aspect of my career was the fact that we never managed to beat Cardiff four times in a season. The last time Newport came close to it was in 1969, during my captaincy of the club, and as it turned out, in my last season of rugby in Wales."
"Newport had won the first three games that season, with the final encounter being played at the Arms Park {the international ground). There were reported to be 20,000 in the ground, filling the South stand and East and West terracing. There was no North stand due to the modernisation of the ground."
"With just minutes to go Newport won a ruck under the Cardiff posts. Scrum half that day for the black and ambers was Gwilym Treharne. He decided to go right where all the Cardiff backs were lined up in defence; if he had looked the other way practically any one of the Newport backs could have walked the ball over the line."
"That game ended in a draw, Gwilym moved his allegiance to the Blue and Blacks the following season and there is still that black mark on the record book of Newport which will never be rectified."
"Today's game is about two points, but it will not stop old friends reminiscing about past encounters both on and off the field."
"Brian Price"