"Welcome to Cardiff Arms Park"
"Aberavon and Newport"
"With the hullabaloo of 1985-86 international championship now well and truly laid to rest and the announcement of the Lions squad for the forthcoming celebration games, the remainder of the season for most is rather academic. This is certainly not so for today's visitors plus Bridgend and ourselves who do battle at Swansea in the Schweppes Cup semi finals. The competition has gone from strength to strength since its introduction in 1971-72 and it is now regarded as an achievement of excellence to get your hands on that coveted trophy."
"Unlike our English counterparts in their cup competition we play our semi on neutral ground. Cardiff Arms Park was very much sought after by earlier semi finalists because 30% of the gate receipts after match expenses produced far more revenue than any other club ground in Wales. This situation has now been revised however with the receipts of both semi's being pooled with a resultant 15% share out for the four participating clubs."
"Neither Newport; who are by far and away our most played opponents, nor Aberavon are strangers to the Cardiff ground. Indeed we should be playing Newport here this very afternoon but for the cup. Furthermore it's not a unique situation because they contested the same game in the 1977-78 competition also at The Arms Park. That game is well remembered as the 'monsoon match' as just before kick off the rain came down in overdrive and reduced the game to something resembling a hippo mud wallowing session. Incidentally in speaking of that game only Aberavon hooker Billy James remains today as the sole survivor of both teams."
"Obviously all four clubs involved have left no stone unturned in their preparations to get to that prestigious final on 26th April. If ambition counts for anything Aberavon must be slightly out in front because of all four participants today, they are the only one who can add a new name to the base of that coveted trophy. Ambition, tradition, form or anything else all go by the board today however and it's the side that takes their chances who will come up trumps."
"On behalf of the Cardiff Rugby Club then we offer to both Aberavon and Newport a very warm welcome to The Arms Park. We also congratulate them on reaching this penultimate stage of the competition. We hope neither side suffers ill luck and may the better team on the day come out on top. Whether that be Aberavon or Newport, our fervent wish is that we will be providing the opposition on April 26th."
"In Search of a 'Hat-Trick'!!"
"by Brian J. Jones, Chairman, Newport R.F.C."
Aberavon Chairman, Ken Jones, sat 'relaxed' in front of the television cameras at the BBC Studios, Llandaff on Sunday the 23rd February, having seen the Red and Blacks defeat Llanelli, holders of the Schweppes W.R.U. Challenge Cup, at Stradey Park the previous day, while six other Chairmen, myself included, were pre-occupied with thoughts of our postponed quarter-final game rather than concentrating on the draw for the semi-finals."
"Having defeated Swansea in the pulsating quarter-final at Rodney Parade only two weeks ago, Newport are delighted that 'MJW' and his team have reached the 'semi's' once again, and that today's game takes place at Cardiff Arms Park, venue for our three previous semi-final appearances. There is no doubt that like everyone else connected with both clubs, Ken and myself will be far from 'relaxed' this afternoon as we look forward to a game everyone will remember for the quality of rugby produced, and the spirit in which it was played."
"All Black and Amber supporters who have travelled down the Cardiff Road this afternoon will need no reminding that the last occasion today's teams met in the semi-final was 1978, when two outstanding tries by centre Gareth Evans, one converted by Chris Webber, to two penalty goals by current Aberavon coach Keri Coslett, took Newport into the final."
"There is no doubt that whatever the result one dressing room is going to be full of popping champagne corks, while the other will be like the local mortuary, for there is no worse place to be than in the losing Cup semi-finalists' dressing room."
"Let's hope 'Lady Luck' will smile on the Black and Ambers as they counter the 'Wizardry' of the Red and Blacks and they will complete a 'hat-trick' of Cup final appearances at the National Stadium on the 26th April."
"Best wishes go to 'MJW' and his team as they strive to add another chapter to Newport's illustrious history, to Aberavon and referee, Clive Norling, for a game to remember."
The game itself:-
Newport produced a supreme tactical performance to overcome Aberavon 15 v 6 to reach their first final in eight years. The forwards had to dominate and the halfbacks control, and this is exactly what happened as, playing against the wind and rain, Newport battered Aberavon into submission in the first period. Explaining the decision to play into the high wind and driving rain in the first half captain Mike Watkins said "When you are fresh and the ground is heavy if you can hold them at half-time then you have got to be in with a good chance. We put a lot of pressure on in the scrums and Ray Giles couldn't operate off a stable platform. He had to give it out and we isolated their backs". Aberavon were out-fought and out-thought. Coach Richie Davies said afterwards "They played to a pattern successfully and they played to the conditions - full marks to Newport. We knew Newport's strengths and their tactics, but they were just too strong for us, they did a proper job on Ray Giles and Mike Lewis".
The Newport backrow were again superb. Aberavon opened the scoring with a 60yard penalty goal by fullback Jonathon Griffiths but Newport replied in kind. Rhys Morgan drove fiercely into the heart of the Aberavon defence and the whole Newport pack piled in behind him to set up a fearsome rolling maul. When the ball came back Turner kicked through, Griffiths fumbled and Jason White drove it on for Turner to dive on the loose ball for the try which he converted against the wind. A first half injury time penalty goal by Mike Lewis put the scores level. In an all out effort Aberavon tried everything to break through early in the second half. They failed and Newport tightened the screw and the crucial score came when Waters broke from a scrum, Callard dashed blind and flipped the ball inside to Richie Collins who was over for the second try which Turner converted and he then added a penalty to emphasise Newport's superiority.