But first to that day in 2001, when former Springbok captain Gary Teichmann called time on his Newport career by helping the Black & Ambers to their first Cup final win for 24 years.
They possessed a talented squad – more of which below – including a young Matthew J. Watkins in the midfield, and Teichmann told the press afterwards that the result “maybe takes a bit of the pressure off after winning some silverware.”
“We have got a lot of talent at the club and people expect results,” added Teichmann, who had joined Newport after being controversially dropped for South Africa before the 1999 World Cup. “But we have been up and down all year until now.”
The first of such trophies came all the way back in 1878, when they captured the South Wales Challenge Cup at Bridgend. They beat Swansea in that final and went on to successfully defend their title the following season. There were further successes in 1882, 1883 and 1885.
The historic first win came at Bridgend on 2 March, 1878. There were 18 teams in the first competition, and the first round draw was as follows:
Carmarthen v Cardiff (at Neath)
Talgarth v Merthyr (at Merthyr)
Brecon v Monmouth Grammar School (at Neath)
Cowbridge Grammar School v Llanelli (at Neath)
Carmarthen Grammar School v Lampeter College (at Carmarthen)
Glamorgan 10th Rifle Volunteers (Cardiff) v Llandovery College (at Swansea)
Pontypool v Newport (at Newport)
Llandeilo v Neath (at Neath)
Swansea v Abergavenny (at Brecon)
Newport beat Pontypool, Llanelli, Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery College on their way to the final, which was played in Bridgend in front of the biggest crowd ever seen at a match in Wales up to that time, of 2,000. The game lasted an hour and a half and the only score was a touch-down for Newport by E Jenkins which was converted into a goal by AJ Moggridge.
Newport were able to take home with them a silver cup worth 50 guineas that was bought by the South Wales Football Club to award to the winners. It was the last game of the season for Newport and ensured that skipper Will Phillips’ side completed an ‘Invincible’ season.
Newport 1878
W Cliff Phillips, Babbington Jones, AJ Moggridge, Charlie Newman, Fred Goss, Tom Spittle, Bill Mitchell, RH Loane , Arthur Goss, Gus Phillips, CB Cross , E Jenkins, Tom Ponsford, Will Phillips (captain), Alexander Julius
They successfully defended their title in 1879, beating Neath in a one-side final by two goals, four tries and eight touch-downs to nil. The game was played at Rodney Parade with a 3,000 crowd.
Newport 1879
Tom Ponsford, CF Thompson, AJ Moggridge, George Rosser, Charlie Newman, Tom Spittle, Will Phillips (captain) , Willie Ponsford, RH Loane, Horace Lyne, E Jenkins, George Harding , Fred Goss, Arthur Goss, Llewellyn Evans
It took a replay in 1882 in front of 5,000 fans at St Helen’s before the Black & Ambers could get past Llanelli, eventually beating the Scarlets by a try and four minors (7 points) to a try and two minors (5 points) in controversial circumstances.
According to The Cambrian newspaper there was a protest raised by the losing side at the end of the game: “It is rumoured that a strong protest has been entered against Newport by the Llanelly team, on the ground that some of the players were really not residents in the district, as required by the South Wales Club rules. It is also stated that one of the party played in a match for the same cup in another place, which is not allowed. It is to be hoped, however, that, after so grand a struggle and so brilliant a match, there will be no frivolous technical objections offered, but that Newport will be allowed to have the cup, and enjoy the laurels which it has so gallantly won. We are glad to hear that Evans, of the Llanelly team, who was so seriously injured during the play, is progressing satisfactorily.”
Newport 1882
Fred Phillips; George Harding, James Bridie; Benjamin Newman, E Tanner; Will Phillips (captain), Duff Lewis, Llew Williams, Harry McDaniel, Bob Gould, Theo Harding, Horace Lyne, Lloyd-Jones, Tom Clapp, Tom Jones
There was an even more convincing victory the following year when Newport met Swansea in their fourth final in six years. This time one of the forwards, F.C Jones helped himself to two tries in a 28-12 triumph. It was the first final for the rising superstar of Welsh and British rugby, Arthur Gould.
Newport 1883
Arthur Gould; George Harding, Lloyd Jones, Charlie Newman (captain); Benjamin Newman, Tom Clapp; Bennett, Fred Dowdell, Theo Harding, Harry McDaniel, F. C. Jones, Tom Jones, Young, Bob Gould, Horace Lyne
The Black & Ambers were back in the final in 1884, but found themselves beaten by Llanelli by a try to nil in Neath, but there was no mistake in 1885 when they beat Neath by the same score at the Arms Park. Harry Jordan got the only try of the game.
The game was played ahead of Cardiff’s home clash with Gloucester and a crowd of around 6,000 turned out to watch a fiery contest. It was a game that prompted one fan to write to the Weekly mail and complain at the roughness he witnessed:
“Like many other I was quite disgusted at the very frequent attempts at unfair play (at which the execrations of the spectators were numerous) and the brute force played by the Newport team. This alone won the game for their side, as their antagonists were fairly overweighted. The little science displayed was entirely on the Neath side. Their opponents’ play was exceptionally rough, so very rough indeed on one or two occasions blows were exchanged between players on opposite sides.”
Newport 1885
Frederick; Jones , Fred Dowdall, Arthur Gould, Harry Jordan, Theo Harding, Vickery; Bob Gould, Harry McDaniel, Charles Jordan, Tom Clapp (captain), Briggs, Llew Williams, Lewis, Young
Newport were beaten in the 1886 final as they once again failed to win the title three years in a row. Llanelli ran out victors that to two dropped goals in the penultimate final. A year later, amid growing acrimony among the clubs, the tournament was stopped for two seasons.
When it re-emerged it was at a lower level, yet there was still plenty of interest shown by Newport. Their 2nd XV beat Swansea Harlequins in the 1891 final.
After eight more finals the competition fizzled out once again until it was reintroduced as the South Wales Junior Challenge Cup in 1901 “to promote local junior rugby football”. Cynon Stars, Ystrad Stars and Halfway (Llanelli) took the honours before the competition was once again mothballed.
There was one more attempt to revive it in the 1913-14 season, when Aberavon beat Blaina in the final, but then WWI ended it for good. It would be 55 years before the WRU Challenge Cup was introduced.
Newport won the cup 100 years after they played their first game in the old South Wales Challenge Cup, in 1976, were beaten the following season and also lost out to arch-rivals Cardiff in 1986.
The 1977 triumph was secured against Cardiff in front of a crowd of 50,000 at the National Gorund, Cardiff Arms Park. Newport skipper David Burcher and his co-centre international Gareth Evans stood down after being selected to tour New Zealand with the 1977 British Lions.
That meant future England prop Colin Smart led the side. Tries from wings Ken Davies and Jeff Cranton were key to the success, with full back Leighton Davies chipping in with a penalty. Young student Chris Webber, drafted in as cover at centre, also kicked a penalty and won the game with a touch line conversion. Second row Ian Barnard was given the “Man of the Match” award.
Newport 1977
Leighton Davies; Ken Davies, Neil Brown, Chris Webber, Jeff Cranton; David Rogers, Alun Billinghurst; Colin Smart (captain), David Ford, Rhys Morgan, David Waters, Ian Barnard, Richard Barrell, Keith Poole, Jeff Squire
Reps: Fred Headon, Terry O’Gorman, Steve Phillips, Jeff Watkins, Bryan Lease, Huw Davies
It took another 24 years before Rodney Parade welcomed back the trophy, the first in the professional era. Newport held on to win 13-8 in a close match with Neath.
It was 3-3 at the break with penalties from Shane Williams and Shane Howarth who had been felled with a head high tackle by Neath fullback Gareth Morris in the 35th minute. Howarth kicked the penalty and Morris went to the sin-bin.
Former Springbok prop Adrian Garvey then scored following a line-out drive and the score was 10-3 to Newport before Neath hit back with a Kevin James try to make it 10-8. Howarth’s dropped goal made it 13-8 and it took some desperate defence and tackling – including a last ditch try saving tackle by skipper Gary Teichmann on speedster Shane Williams – to see Newport home.
Newport 2001
Matt Pini; Matt Mostyn, Matthew Watkins, Andy Marinos, Emyr Lewis; Shane Howarth, Dale Burn; Rod Snow, James Richards, Adrian Garvey, Simon Raiwalui, Ian Gough, Peter Buxton, Jason Forster, Gary Teichmann (captain)
Reps: Ceri Jones, Paul Young, Gareth Taylor, Alix Popham, Jonathan Pritchard, Scott Mitchell, Darren Edwards
Neath: Gareth Morris; Kevin James, James Storey, Dave Tiueti, Shane Williams; Pat Horgan, Mark Davies; Duncan Jones, Mefin Davies, Andrew Millward, Steve Martin, Gareth Llewellyn (captain), Richard Francis, Brett Sinkinson, Rowland Phillips
Reps: Dylan Pugh, Tristan Davies, Steve Jones, Kati Tu’ipulotu, Nathan Bonner-Evans, Paul Jones, Andrew Howell
Newport were back in the final in 2003 and in 2018, but with a talented young squad at Rodney Parade, they will hope to be back in the thick of it in the coming seasons.
