"RODNEY COMMENTARY"
"NEWPORT UNLUCKY IN CUP DRAW"
"Newport did not enjoy the luck of the draw when the Pairings for the sixth round of the Schweppes Cup was made, for they were not handed the advantage of playing at home. Instead, they have to travel to their rivals of long standing - CARDIFF."
"Cardiff got off to a poor start in the league and among the teams who conquered them, though not by a big margin, were Newport, who won 12-6. But that match was played at Rodney Parade, and Newport will undoubtedly find Cardiff a different proposition in their own territory."
"Indeed, Cardiff, with such players as Mike Hall, Mike Griffiths, Mike Rayer, Adrian Davies, David Evans, Stuart Roy and Steve Ford in their squad, should not really find themselves in such a lowly position in the league. Their 3-3 draw with Neath at The Gnoll, however, would seem to suggest that they have halted the slide."
"Newport will certainly have to pull out all the stops to make further progress in the Cup, for the competition offers Cardiff their only hope of success this season, and on Saturday, February 22nd, they will be determined to turn the tables on Newport, and so qualify for the quarter finals. And with such an accurate marksman as Adrian Davies facing them, Glenn George and his team will have to make sure that they do not concede many penalties."
"Newport and Cardiff have, of course, opposed each other in two Schweppes Cup finals. Newport were the victors in the first clash, and Cardiff won the second match. Hopefully, it is perhaps Newport's turn to thwart the men in blue and black!"
"The race for the championship of the first division of the Heineken League is certainly not developing into the two-club tussle which had generally been expected when this season's campaign began. Last season's champions, Neath, have fallen into seventh place, and their runners-up, Llanelli, are lying in joint third place with Newport."
"Pontypool are the present leaders, but they are only two points above Swansea, and both Newport and Llanelli are very much in contention as the second half of their league programme gets under way. Today's visitors to Rodney Parade, Bridgend, as well as Newbridge who are away to Pontypool this afternoon, are also hot on the heels of Newport and Llanelli, who have a solitary point advantage over them."
"Whether the situation will have changed very much after today's matches can only be a subject for speculation - and hope for the various championship challengers. So far as Newport are concerned, however, they can be quite satisfied with their achievements during the first half of their first season in the top division."
"They have won five of their nine league matches and drawn with Pontypool on the Eastern Valley club's ground, which was quite a remarkable feat since all the other clubs have so far left Pontypool Park empty handed. Pontypool's other draw was at Stradey Park and their only defeat was inflicted by Neath at The Gnoll."
"What with Swansea and Neath also booked to fulfil league engagements at Rodney Parade, Newport followers will certainly witness some exacting encounters. And that, of course, also goes for this afternoon's match with Bridgend, who will be looking for a Gwent hat-trick. On their two previous visits to the county they defeated Abertillery and Ebbw Vale in non-league fixtures."
"W.H."
"TODAY'S VISITORS"
"WELCOME BACK BRIDGEND"
2Bridgend take the field at Rodney Parade this afternoon with a record of five victories from the eight Heineken League matches they have played so far this season. Their victims include Llanelli, Cardiff, and, of course, Newport in their first league match of the campaign. Their success against Newport at the Brewery Field was limited to a five points margin in a closely contested game, but they will be eager to prove that their narrow 12-7 victory in no way flattered them!"
"Their confidence will be boosted by the knowledge that Rodney Parade has been one of their happy hunting grounds, at least during the past ten seasons, for during that period they won five of the ten matches, though last season they were sent hurtling to a 28-6 defeat at Newport."
"Bridgend may not have any players in the current Welsh international team, but in the past they have supplied Wales with a string of brilliant players, among them J.P.R. Williams, the most capped Welshman of all time with 55 appearances to his credit. All the occupants of Bridgend's hall of fame are too numerous to mention in this brief summary of the activities of one of the most respected clubs in the Principality and beyond, but many of them readily spring to mind."
"These Bridgend giants of the past include Steve Fenwick, capped thirty times, John Lloyd (24 caps), Mark Titiey, Bill Delahay, Gary Prothero, Keith Bradshaw, and Vivian Jenkins, who also distinguished himself on the cricket field for Glamorgan and Oxford University."
"And today Bridgend's line-up again includes players who have worn the red jersey of Wales at senior and other levels. Prominent among them are exciting wing Glen Webbe, astute flanker David Bryant, Graham Davies, Mike Budd, and Aled Williams, the enterprising outside half, who kicked eight points against Newport in November. The day may not be far distant when they will be joined by others who are maintaining, if not advancing, the prestige of their club."
"That prestige, of course, already occupies a high peak, for they have accomplished some outstanding successes in various competitions. Twice they have carried off the Schweppes Cup, and on three other occasions they have been runners-up. In addition they have been Welsh club champions five times, as well as Welsh Merit Table winners, and they have been Snelling Sevens winners six times and runners-up on four other occasions. John Apsee, who is again leading Bridgend this season, has under him a squad of players who are keen to add to these honours!"
"W.H."