Newport RFC v Aberavon RFC by John Evans, 25th September 2026
With the morale-boosting away win at Llandovery safely in the bank, it was time to turn our attention to our next opponents, a visit to Newport Stadium by the Wizards of Aberavon RFC. Last weekend, they provided a stern test for Ebbw Vale before falling away to a loss but had outstripped Bridgend in the opening round of games. Former Newport flanker Chris Davies has taken the reigns at the Talbot Athletic Ground, so it would be interesting to see how his team would approach the game.
The Newport team took on a slightly different gloss on this occasion; club captain Ben Roach was absent; the number 8 berth being filled by Cerrig Smith. Lucas Welsh started at 9 while Will Ford’s run at 10 continued, and with good reason; he has hardly put a foot wrong, so far. Joe Westwood was welcomed back at 12, while Brogan Leary moved to the wing, replacing Sam Morgan. Ollie Woodman was included as an impact player off the bench. Hunter Ward, outstanding at 7 last Saturday, was entrusted with the captaincy.
It was ideal weather to showcase Newport RFC in front of S4C’s cameras, the evening was mild, dry, and still, but with heavy cloud cover. 1928 marked the time of dusk, so kick-off was in full darkness, Aberavon’s Charlie Thomas lofting the ball for Newport to respond. Callum Bradbury set up the ruck, Ollie Drake had a rumble before the ball went skyward again. Morgan Williams, the Wizards’ fullback, formerly of this parish, seemed to misjudge his catch but gained a penalty regardless as the flying loose forwards infringed. The Black & Ambers came up with the subsequent Aberavon lineout and began attacking; heavy phases of driving before a ball spun out was intercepted by Aberavon’s Garyn Smith. However, Carwyn Penny retrieved the ball from him far too easily to reset the attack. Fin Baker carved through the Wizards’ backline before surges from Wade Langley, Ethan Phillips, and Joe Westwood got Newport within touching distance but, with admirable leg strength, Hunter Ward got across the line dragging a couple of red and black jerseys with him. Carwyn Penny added the conversion to make it Newport 7 Aberavon 0 with 3 minutes played.
The visitors conceded a penalty which Will Ford kicked to the corner. Callum Bradbury rose highest and set the maul, backs Joe Westwood and Brogan Leary adding their weight, allowing Wade Langley to claim the try. The conversion went wide, so the score now was Newport 12 Aberavon 0 with 8 minutes played.
The ten-minute mark saw the game’s first scrum, and it didn’t go well for the Newport front five; a penalty for collapsing; Aberavon kicked to the 22, Wizards captain Rhys Thomas gathering the high ball. However, Cerrig Smith spotted an exit. He stepped across the tackled Aberavon player and gathered the ball with very little resistance allowing Newport to boot clear. Aberavon fielded, but the cavalry were there quickly. Lucas Welsh retrieved the ball, popped it away and the Black & Ambers were off and running, Hunter Ward adding himself as an extra centre. A ruck set just short of the Aberavon line, Chay Foster-Smith working as a makeshift scrumhalf popped the ball to Josh Reid who wasn’t going to be stopped from that distance. Once again, the conversion was missed, so the score now read Newport 17 Aberavon 0 with 13 minutes played.
Aberavon responded with a try from a Newport mistake; a loose ball was kicked through by Garyn Smith. Smith kept running, managed to ground the ball for the try. Charlie Thomas added the conversion to make it Newport 17 Aberavon 7 with 15 minutes played.
Our visitors had finally woken up; a stream of possession for the men in red and black was being turned into territory and a killer pass from wing Frankie Jones to Charlie Thomas would have added a second try, had the ball not cannoned off his chest. Newport tried to work clear, Carwyn Penny popping up in the unlikeliest of places, but the ball went loose again. Charlie Thomas, sensing a pattern emerging, kicked long with wing Felix Gilbert in pursuit. The backtracking Newport cover appeared to believe that they had all the time in the world, however Gilbert persisted and was rewarded with the touchdown. The conversion was missed, so the scoreboard now read Newport 17 Aberavon 12 with 22 minutes played.
The Wizards went into the lead on 25 minutes with a well-worked try by Frankie Jones. Charlie Thomas carved through the Newport defence leading to lots of patient phases by the big Aberavon forwards. No ‘white line fever’, just steady building until Charlie Thomas pulled the trigger, waiting until the defence had been sucked in enough before releasing the ball to his left, simple hands and Jones was in at the corner. Charlie Thomas added the conversion to make it Newport 17 Aberavon 19 with 26 minutes played.
Newport appeared to have retreated into their shell a little. The Wizards had worked out what was profitable to them and persisted in doing that. A long, raking kick infield, which was capped by a knock-on, only added to the pressure, but a spilled ball in midfield meant that Aberavon were unable to capitalise and the Black & Ambers could clear.
A penalty to Newport allowed the hosts to build a platform; the ball kicked to the 22 was further embellished following a penalty for deliberately collapsing the maul. Will Ford put Newport just 5-metres out. Callum Bradbury caught the ball from the middle of the lineout, popped it back to big Ethan Phillips who charged at the line before unfurling his arm to get the ball over the line. Will Ford added the conversion to make it Newport 24 Aberavon 19 with 32 minutes played, and the try-scoring bonus point guaranteed.
The Black & Ambers spilled the restart inviting yet more pressure. Aberavon worked hard to get into position, centre James Price going close but, with a penalty coming, the Wizards opted to scrummage, 5-metres out, immediately in front of the posts. The resulting surge by the Newport front row was one for the purist and would have had Forwards Coach Ceri Jones punching the air. Take a bow, Messrs. Thompson, Langley, and Drake; that felt like a try. It was the scrummage as a statement.
Newport extended their lead on 38 minutes through Carwyn Penny. Fin Baker scorched along his touchline, passed infield to Lucas Welsh who sprinted for the line. Admirable corner-flagging from Aberavon hauled the scrumhalf down, but Josh Reid was on hand to gather, hold his pass for half a second, and pop it to Carwyn Penny to crash over. Will Ford added the kick to make it Newport 31 Aberavon 19 as the referee, Mr. Carwyn Sion blew the whistle for half time.
One sensed that Head Coach Ty Morris would have a very clear message to deliver to the Newport team during the halftime talk.
Half Time: Newport RFC 31 Aberavon RFC 19
Will Ford restarted the match, Aberavon instantly knocking on. A Newport scrum, 28-metres out, wouldn’t seem to be the most likely launchpad for an attack, but, doubtless with the coaches’ words still ringing in their ears, they went for it, nonetheless. Lucas Welsh went left; Carwyn Penny’s end-over-end grubber was perfectly weighted. Brogan Leary still had work to do, but he fought for the ball, gathered it and crossed. Will Ford added the two-pointer to make it Newport 38 Aberavon 19 with 42 minutes played.
The Wizards responded with a try as Garyn Smith chased a kick through. Will Ford was on defensive duty, Lucas Welsh clearing to touch. Aberavon completed the lineout, but Newport infringed again, The Wizards opting to kick to 5-metres out. Newport appeared to have the measure of the rolling maul, but ingenuity by number 8 Ashton Evans, managing to release his ball-carrying hand to pop it into the path of scrum half Scott Whitlock, saw the visitors gain their own try-scoring bonus point. Charlie Thomas added the conversion to make it Newport 38 Aberavon 26.
Fin Baker added to Newport’s lead on 46 minutes through, possibly, the try of the evening. Hunter Ward scooped up Aberavon’s spilled restart, Newport probing before Will Ford sensed space on his right. Hunter Ward’s sleight of hand, and devastatingly fast hands from Carwyn Penny put Fin Baker into space, allowing the big winger to sprint in from 40 metres out, almost unchallenged. Will Ford kicked the conversion making it Newport 45 Aberavon 26.
Cerrig Smith’s evening was over as Tiger Chatham took his place on 48 minutes, just as Newport were on the cusp of another try. Lucas Welsh was working hard, Chay Foster-Smith was influential in midfield, while Joe Westwood put Fin Baker into space on halfway. A neat cross-field move to Brogan Leary invited Aberavon to concede a penalty which Will Ford put to the corner. Josh Reid took responsibility as the line out target as Wade Langley notched his second try of the evening from a rolling maul. Will Ford added the extras to make it Newport 52 Aberavon 26 with 52 minutes played.
There was a glut of changes as the entire front row was replaced, the Thompson/Langley/Drake triumvirate making way for Tom Workman, Henry Palmer, and Nathan Davies, while Nick Thomas replaced Callum Bradbury, and Ollie Woodman came on for Chay Foster-Smith.
Outstanding handling by Carwyn Penny released Fin Baker again, the big man blazing ahead. The forwards worked well, but with a penalty coming, Lucas Welsh wasted no time. His quickly taken penalty saw him held up short of the line. Nathan Davies had a charge forward, but Hunter Ward was on hand to cross near the posts. Will Ford added the two to make it Newport 59 Aberavon 26 with 58 minutes played.
Carwyn Penny and Lucas Welsh had earned a sit down; Sam Morgan replaced Carwyn at fullback, while Dafydd Buckland took over at 9.
And with that, Dafydd Buckland got himself on the scoresheet. Solid work by Newport in attack, Tom Workman popping up to link play, Will Ford was making things work while Brogan Leary was irrepressible, bustling his way forward, shrugging off defenders before passing infield to Dafydd Buckland to scamper in and claim the try. Will Ford converted making it Newport 66 Aberavon 28 with 71 minutes played.
Joe Westwood weighed in with Newport’s eleventh try of the evening on 73 minutes as the Black & Ambers were rampant. A perfectly executed cross-kick from Will Ford to Brogan Leary caused mayhem in the Aberavon defence. Dafydd Buckland was on hand to take the pass but was hauled down short. Joe Westwood, however, was perfectly placed to take the ball and cross. Will Ford kicked the conversion to make it Newport 73 Aberavon 26 with 74 minutes played.
Aberavon had the final say in the scoring as Garyn Smith crabbed back infield following a Wizards’ lineout. Scott Whitlock made a dart at the line but was thrust backwards by Hunter Ward. However, Elis Cox was available to dive in from close range, with Stef Jac Jones converting, making the score Newport 73 Aberavon 33 on 78 minutes.
There was time to restart but, with neither side making headway, it was all over and Newport had claimed a six-point win to take them, overnight at least, top of the Super Rygbi Cymru standings.
Full Time: Newport RFC 73 Aberavon RFC 33
The Seren y Gem discussions were long and wide-ranging. Lucas Welsh was given the accolade by the S4C team, but it could equally easily have been Brogan Leary, Will Ford, Hunter Ward, Chay Foster-Smith to name but a few. Ethan Phillips secured the club’s nomination for his all-round game and his constant willingness to stay in the battle; the fact that he was out on the wing in the 79th minute, completing a tackle on a winger exemplifies this.
The Black & Ambers are next in action Saturday, October 3rd, when Carmarthen Quins visit us. Kick-off is at 2.30pm at Newport Stadium. Following that, we make the journey north to play RGC at their Colwyn Bay ground, Parc Eirias, on Saturday October 10th, also a 2.30pm start.
Season Tickets for Newport RFC are still on sale! Please visit https://blackandambers.co.uk/2026-27-ticket-prices for more information.
There are also plenty of sponsorship opportunities available for the coming season. If you’d like to know more, please email Kevin Jarvis at commercial@newportrfc.co.uk.
Onwards and upwards Newport.
Your City. Your Colours. Your Club
#cotp
Final Score – Newport RFC 73 Aberavon RFC 33
Vittorio’s Seren y Gem – Ethan Phillips