Newport RFC v Bridgend RFC – 28th March 2026 by John Evans
Newport’s first defence of the Challenge Shield came in the form of Bridgend Ravens. Bridgend have much improved through this season; their last two games saw them put 50 points on Pontypool, followed by running Llandovery close at the Brewery Field, only going down 18-26.
Bright, spring-like conditions were coupled with a stiff northerly breeze sweeping across the pitch, unusual here as the wind mainly comes in off the estuary.
Newport were attacking the SDR end in the first half as Bridgend outside half Ben Burnell got the game underway. Josh Reid caught the ball and carried it back to the edge of the 22 before Dafydd Buckland kicked for touch. The wind caught the lineout ball, Josh Skinner mopping up. Newport went quickly, Kyle Tayler boomed a pass out into midfield, but Chay Foster-Smith was tackled into touch.
The Black & Ambers opened the scoring on 3 minutes through Dafydd Buckland. Newport kept the ball well, Carwyn Penny bringing Kyle Tayler onto the ball at a nice angle. The ball went wide, Harrison James ghosting through the defence creating an overload. Dafydd Buckland was motoring up in support on his right, received the pass and sprinted in to score. Harrison James took account of the wind, keeping the kick trajectory low, but the ball still curved viciously as it went over the crossbar. Newport 7 Bridgend 0.
Kyle Tayler won a penalty as Bridgend held on to the ball for too long in a tackle; Harrison James placed Newport into the corner despite Bridgend second row Evan Hill’s best efforts. Josh Reid climbed high at the tail of the lineout as Newport went through the phases. Josh Skinner went awfully close, as did Tom Workman, but with a penalty coming and no advantage, Newport opted to scrum. A big shove by the tight 5, a slight wheel to the right, and Ben Roach crashed across the line for a try. Harrison James added the two-pointer to make it Newport 14 Bridgend 0 with 10 minutes played. Following this passage, the referee, Mr Ben Whitehouse, singled out Ravens number 8 Thomas Jevons as being at fault and brandished the yellow card.
Bridgend responded on 12 minutes as Newport infringed. Ben Burnell pushed the blue and whites to the corner and, following a good catch and drive, the ball crossed the line but was judged to have been held up. However, being consistent, Mr Whitehouse singled out Dafydd Buckland as the culprit in Bridgend not scoring and dispatched the Newport scrumhalf to the bin to join the boy Jevons. The Ravens made sure at the second time of asking, the rolling maul proving ruthlessly efficient, hooker Corey Lewis being the beneficiary. The kick went wide, so the score was Newport 14 Bridgend 5.
Newport’s restart went directly to touch then the following scrum yielded a penalty against Newport as the front row turned in. Ben Burnell opted to use the strong wind by nominating a penalty kick from the centre spot. The kick had the length, but not the direction. Good effort, though. Newport chose to kick their 22 restart long, seeking to gain a foothold back in the visitor’s half. Ben Burnell sought to punish the Black & Ambers by pinning them back in the corner, but the ball went straight to touch. Newport looked to launch an attack, Carwyn Penny fighting hard to keep the
move alive, but Bridgend prop Nathan Evans, formerly of this parish, did well to get across the ball and earn his team a penalty.
Bridgend were swift in attacking, recent recruit Gethin O’Callaghan providing some steel at centre. The ball whipped out to Edd Howley, also formerly of this parish, before scrumhalf Harvey Nash was tackled into touch, and Newport had to start again from scratch. The stiff breeze prevented the clearing kick going too far and, from the lineout, Nash and hooker Corey Lewis played a ‘funny’ the scrumhalf reaching the tryline before being turned in the tackle. Newport infringed in defence, the Ravens opting to scrum. However, the front row blew the advantage when they went into contact too early and Newport were awarded a relieving free kick.
Bridgend set about Newport on 27 minutes, gaining a choice of two penalties on the Newport 22. Mr Whitehouse opted to finally award one along the left-hand tram line for Ben Burnell to kick to touch. Evan Hill claimed the lineout once again, and the rolling maul set about its business. Corey Lewis was initially awarded the try, but Assistant Referee, Mr Gwyn Morris, intervened, spotting a knock-on in the act of touching down. The Newport defensive scrum was upgraded to a full penalty when the Bridgend front row folded.
The Ravens were getting plenty of ball to attack with until their captain, flanker Zac O’Driscoll knocked on. However, Mr Whitehouse spotted more penalties. Ben Burnell went to the corner once more, Evan Hill proving a reliable target in the centre of the lineout for the visitors. The rolling maul rumbled forward, but the Newport pack did well to stifle it. Harvey Nash spread the ball wide before Edd Howley brought wing McCauley Rowley onto the ball. Chay Foster-Smith did exceptionally well to get under the Bridgend wing and keep the ball off the deck. Unfortunately, the goal line restart went direct to touch, so Bridgend were offered an attacking scrum 5-metres out. A mighty heave by the Newport pack made a mess of the Ravens’ plans, however, and Dafydd Buckland seized on the loose ball and Newport were off the hook.
Newport compounded matters on 36 minutes by driving before the ball came into the scrum. Ben Burnell went to the corner, but the resulting lineout wasn’t straight. Newport cleared the ball but, at a following scrum, Bridgend were pinged for an early drive themselves. All this time in the Newport half and Bridgend had barely troubled the scoreboard. The Bridgend coaching team would, understandably, be incredibly frustrated with this situation.
As if to reiterate how important it is to take your chances, Newport ended the first half on the attack. Ravens Prop Alex George folded in at the scrum, Harrison James going for touch. Joe Westwood led the way into the collisions, Carwyn Penny chipped the ball into the visitor’s 22, Josh Skinner provided a platform for Carwyn Penny who deftly flicked the ball out to Kyle Tayler to cross near the posts. Harrison James added the conversion to make it Newport 21 Bridgend 5 as the half came to an end.
Half Time: Newport RFC 21 Bridgend RFC 5
Carwyn Penny restarted the game, with Newport hoping to utilise the wind that had favoured the visitors in the first half. Newport tried to attack, but a stray pass was
picked off by wing Cameron Ellis. He sprinted upfield but was caught inside the Newport 22, Ben Roach effortlessly stripping him of the ball and feeding it to Carwyn Penny who placed a long kick away from danger. Bridgend weren’t giving up though, and soon got themselves into a scoring position, pressuring Newport into mistakes. Lloyd Wilkins, having taken over at 10 from Ben Burnell, put his team into the corner. The Ravens drove at Newport, building the pressure. Eventually, a Black & Amber jersey rolled across the ball at the base of a ruck yielding another penalty. Wilkins went to the corner once more. Evan Hill was proving ultra reliable in the middle of the lineout and the well-rehearsed rolling maul found hooker Corey Lewis claim his second try of the afternoon. Wilkins’ kick was wide, so the score was Newport 21 Bridgend 10 with 46 minutes played.
Ty Morris rang the changes, making five substitutions at once. Lucas Welch replaced Dafydd Buckland, Josh Reid made way for Hunter Ward, while the front row was replaced en masse, Messrs. Workman, Benjamin, and Harris making way for Messrs. Fry, Palmer, and Drake.
A 48th minute kick ahead by Lucas Welch paid dividends when Edd Howley fluffed his lines, calling for a ‘mark’ then spilling the ball as he tried to clear. The Newport scrum powered into their opposite numbers, Ben Roach playing the ball from 8. Lucas Welch tried to speed up play, Joe Westwood and Oli Andrew both proving physical in contact. Carwyn Penny juggled the ball, but the pass out was spilled. No trouble, there was a penalty advantage coming anyway. Harrison James punted for the corner, the Newport pack battled hard from the lineout but, almost inevitably, it was Henry Palmer who drove across the line for Newport’s bonus point try. Harrison James added the conversion to make it Newport 28 Bridgend 10 with 52 minutes played.
Ollie Woodman replaced Morgan Williams just as Newport extended their lead. Harrison James played some nice heads-up rugby, adapting to the changing picture in front of him as he found a dog-leg in defence. He picked out Oli Andrew who drove onwards but still managed to spirit the ball away, somehow. Joe Westwood made a super little pass left for Kyle Tayler who went close. Ollie Drake and Harry Fry added their momentum to the attack, but the killer pass was made to Chay Foster-Smith who took the acute angle, almost landing on his back as he touched down to score. Harrison James’ kick made it Newport 35 Bridgend 10 on 55 minutes.
Ioan Rhys Davies replaced Kyle Tayler just as Newport infringed; the two things aren’t linked, obviously. Lloyd Wilkins went to the corner, but, during the phases of driving, Newport coughed up yet another penalty. With Bridgend getting little change at the scrum, the set up a move. However, replacement scrumhalf Chris Williams failed to tap the ball with his foot and Newport gained a scrum. Just how many scoring positions were Bridgend going to blow?
Joe Westwood was shown a yellow card on 67 minutes for a clumsy ‘seatbelt’ tackle on a Bridgend attacker. Wilkins took his team to the corner, Evan Hill provided a conveyor belt of possession, and the Ravens scored their third try of the afternoon from a rolling maul, replacement hooker McKenzie Scales making the touchdown. The conversion was missed, so the score was now Newport 35 Bridgend 15 on 70 minutes.
Joe Salter replaced Carwyn Penny, but Bridgend were still on the attack. Another penalty/Wilkins/Hill/rolling maul was set up, but the Newport counter-ruck was outstanding, and Newport turned the ball over.
A mighty scrum by the Newport pack earned a penalty. Harrison James went to the corner before a solid drive into the Bridgend pack saw Henry Palmer burst right. He was tackled but Josh Skinner picked up the mantle, scrambled across the line, only to be judged as ‘held up’. There followed a full and frank exchange of views, at which point Mr Whitehouse ordered a penalty against Newport and Bridgend were free to kick clear.
The game was petering out as neither side could really construct much. As stoppage time crept on, the Ravens went looking for the bonus point try that was probably the minimum they deserved for their efforts. And they found it when wing McCauley Rowley wriggled through some weary tackling to cross out wide. Lloyd Wilkins completed a reverse sweep for Bridgend, ensuring that his team missed each and every kick at goal. The score was Newport 35 Bridgend 20 as Mr Whitehouse gestured that enough was enough.
Newport gained a handy 6 points from the game which, following Llandovery’s loss at home to Cardiff, sees Newport sitting third in the Super Rygbi Cymru standings.
Full Time: Newport RFC 35 Bridgend RFC 20
Newport RFC are back in action on Thursday April 2nd when we visit our near neighbours down the A48, Cardiff RFC. This game will be broadcast live on S4C’s Clic YouTube channel, if you can’t be there in person. Following that, we are home, at Rodney Parade, on Thursday April 11th, when Pontypool come calling. This is the final Super Rygbi Cymru league game for the season before the play-off stage is upon us. Newport RFC are offering hospitality packages for this game, ideal for parties of 8 or more. If you’d like more information, please email Kevin Jarvis at commercial@newportrfc.co.uk.
Onwards and upwards Newport.
Your City. Your Colours. Your Club
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Final Score – Newport RFC 35 Bridgend Ravens 20
MoM: Harrison James