The highest scoring match saw table-toppers Neath crushing Caerphilly 67-14.
The All Blacks ran in five tries to take a decisive 39-0 lead at the break, and Wales‘ most consistent side this season weren’t about to let the Castletown men back into the match. Neath extended the lead to 67-0 before Caerphilly fullback Sione Tuipolotu scored two late tries.
Llanelli prop Martyn Madden, on loan to Caerphilly, had a quiet game after a long injury layoff but probably did enough to earn a start for Wales against Ireland next Saturday, given Wales‘ dearth of quality ball-carriers.
At Rodney Parade, Newport took advantage of a second-half wind to turn an early 3-17 deficit into a 43-27 victory.
The Swansea players ignored the off-field troubles of their cash-strapped club and rocketed to a 14-point lead in as many minutes, with American prop Dan Dorsey and winger Matthew Robinson scoring tries, and fly-half Arwel Thomas adding seven points with the boot.
A shell-shocked Newport could answer only with a Jason Strange penalty goal, but tries to Springbok fullback Percy Montgomery and Australian-born centre Jason Jones-Hughes at the end of the first half meant the visitors went into the break only 17-15 ahead.
And the lead didn’t last long into the second half. Newport scrum-half Ofisa Tonu’u pounced on a mistake from Thomas, Montgomery grabbed his second and captain Simon Raiwalui capped off a great game with a try as the Black and Ambers hit top gear.
Meanwhile Bridgend overpowered Ebbw Vale 42-22 at the Brewery Field.
