From the match programme:-
"Allan Lewis' Summer Log"
"Keeping one's feet firmly on the ground has always been the ALLAN LEWIS way. Here the coach reflects on last season's achievements and looks ahead at what is in store for the Black and Ambers."
"It's not always wise to look back on what was or what might have been, but having finished second in the Welsh Scottish League, I think we can justifiably feel delighted with our domestic return last term."
"Our main aim, at the outset, was to finish in the top five. That, as all the clubs knew, would guarantee us a place in the Heineken Cup and that was what this club needed more than anything else."
"So to finish second, behind Cardiff but in front of Llanelli, Swansea and Pontypridd, was satisfying to say the least."
"These are exciting times for Newport for the club, the town and for Gwent rugby. I suppose, without wishing to sound like too many other rugby commentators, we hope this is the beginning of a new era at Rodney Parade. We have a tough group in the Heineken Cup, there is no doubt about that. Munster, as they proved last season by reaching the final, Bath and Castres are all formidable sides. But if you want to measure yourself in terms of progress, you have to play against the best sides. Munster, coached by Declan Kidney and fired up by a wonderful band of supporters, are unbeaten at home in European competition and as last year's finalists, having beaten Toulouse, Stade Francais and Colomiers on the way, they will be hard to beat, especially on their own turf. Bath are former winners and have a very exciting back line while Castres beat us twice in the European Shield last season on the way to the final."
"We are probably the underdogs in the pool, but you can't do anything about that. But one thing's for sure - we will not be cannon fodder. We want to do well, perform to the best of our ability and if we can, qualify for the quarter-final stage at least. That is the immediate aim in terms of European rugby. While we achieved our best league position last season, we did appreciate that we were possibly not in a position to compete on two fronts the Welsh/Scottish League and domestic scene as well as in Europe. That is why we have gone out in the closed season and recruited some top class players in Ian Gough, Adrian Garvey and Irish wing Matt Mostyn."
"Our tour to South Africa for Gary Teichmann's testimonial match was a huge success in playing terms but most of all because of the spirit that was shown in the camp throughout the tour. Being together as a whole squad really cemented the spirit that had been developing throughout last season. It's back to the grindstone now though and Trystan Bevan has been working hard on the players' fitness levels since pre-season training began a month ago. We have just come back from a week's pre-season training at TREC, a fitness and training centre in Brecon where team-building was the key word. We tested ourselves on the army training assault course at Senny Bridge and there was also a lot of off-the-field psychological tuning. So these two challenge matches against Bristol and Leeds will add some top level match practice to our preparation. By the time we play Llanelli on August 26 we will be raring to go."
"Dwi'n falch i weld y garfan yn ol gyda'u gilydd ar ol haf prysur iawn. Mae llawer ohonyn nhw wedi teithio i bedwar ban byd i chwarae dros eu gwledydd gwahanol ers ein taith i'r De Affrig. Gorffenon ni'r tymor diwethaf yn dda a mae'r tim i gyd yn edrych ymlaen nawr i tymor cyffrous, cystadleuol a llwyddiannus."
"Allan Lewis"
"Bristol"
"A view from across the Severn"
"While the once all-powerful west country team reached the semi-finals of the European Shield tournament last season, they finished just out of the reckoning for the Heineken Cup by ending up in sixth place in the Allied Dunbar Premiership One table."
"The task now facing coach Dean Ryan is to get his side into Europe's elite and join neighbouring Bath and Gloucester in the Heineken Cup. New boy Davies apart, the side has a strong Welsh flavour with half backs Gareth Baber and Gareth Bowen behind the scrum and Barry Williams, Leighton Gerrard and Scott Morgan up front. Hooker Jonathan Evans and flanker Christian Evans left in the summer."
"England wing David Rees has Welsh connections, but turned down a chance to play for Wales, while giant South African-born lock Ockert Booyse played for Newport before crossing the Severn Bridge."
"While the club have plenty of talent in their back division, this season they are looking to reap the benefit of having taken on board their coaching team the former Great Britain rugby league captain Ellery Hanley."
"Hanley arrived at the Memorial Ground at the tail end of last season and is charged with doing for Bristol what his former GB coach Phil Larder has done with the England team - make their defence watertight."