The Black and Ambers topped the eastern conference of the WRU Premiership Cup after winning eight of their 10 fixtures.
And they have carried that form into the league proper.
They hosted a Bridgend side who arrived at Newport Stadium full of confidence after a last-minute try against Swansea secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Premiership Cup.
Bridgend grabbed the first points of the afternoon when Matthew Jones slotted over a penalty.
Newport responded in perfect fashion when hooker Will Griffiths touched down and Will Reed added the extras to make it 7-3.
Jones kicked his second and third penalties just before half time to give Bridgend a narrow two-point lead at the break.
But Newport started the second half the strongest and were rewarded when lock Josh Skinner touched down following a driving maul.
Reed added the conversion to make it 14-9.
Two more penalties from the Newport fly-half extended the home side’s lead to 20-9 and Bridgend couldn’t muster a response.
Black and Ambers captain Matt O’Brien rounded off the afternoon’s scoring when he continued his scintillating form with a try on 65 minutes.
Newport had too much for the Ravens. (Pic: Simon Latham)
They topped the WRU Premiership Cup West division and now Llandovery have thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the teams in Wales by kick-starting their Indigo Group Premiership league campaign with a dominant display and a 32-3 victory over RGC 1404.
The Drovers continued their rich vein of form with a five-try display that put the visitors firmly in their place.
RGC are no mugs or push-overs and they will have learned a few harsh realities ahead of another potential meeting between the two teams in the quarter-finals of the Premiership Cup at Church Bank in the new year.
Llandovery are guaranteed a home clash for topping the West table while the Gogs will have to beat Pontypridd at home on January 8 to make the top four in the East division.
“In our last couple of away games we conceded less than 10 penalties, yet it was 20 plus at Llandovery. That tells its own story,” said RGC head coach Ceri Jones.
“We will go away and learn from this, just as we have done before. In the first half they played the conditions far better and that set them in a good position for the second half.
“We did create some opportunities in that opening 40 minutes, but picked the wrong option at key times and didn’t take advantage of them. Not keeping hold of the ball also cost us.
“We defended manfully at times, but you can’t defend for such large amounts of the game and not end up conceding.”
We will go away and learn from this, just as we have done before. In the first half they played the conditions far better and that set them in a good position for the second half.
Making light of the damp conditions, the Drovers took an early lead when a patient build up ended with flanker Iestyn Rees – one of six Scarlets in the side – driving over wide out.
With the rain at their backs, RGC responded well enough but went further behind when a close-range line out paved the way for centre Kristian Jones to cross for a try converted by outside-half Angus O’Brien.
A penalty by Danny Cross reduced the deficit but the centre then missed from long distance. A very good O’Brien penalty made it 15-3 at the break and it soon became 20-3 following a try by wing Ashley Evans who won the foot race after a hack kick through by centre Rhodri Jones.
With the home pack in full control, O’Brien slipped through for the bonus-point try which he converted.
RGC wing Zach Clow was yellow carded near the end allowing replacement centre Rhodri Wall to wrap things up for the home side with try No 5.
Diggy Bird put the boot into Carmarthen by kicking a mammoth 23 points in his first game back with
Pontypridd as they got the better of Quins 31-24 in a high-scoring encounter at a wet Sardis Road.
“I’m pretty chuffed. It was always going to be a tough game. Quins always come down with a big pack and a fairly well-drilled back-line,” Bird said.
“Conditions played in our favour and we managed the middle third of the field fairly well. We took our points when they were on offer and it’s a massive win.
“It (kicking) is probably the only thing I can do! If there are penalties there for the taking then I’ll always give it a nudge and back myself.
“It was enough to keep the scoreboard ticking over.”
🏆 GOLDEN BOB MOTM
It’s 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 man @DiggyBird, and we caught up with him after his excellent display this afternoon 👊#WeArePonty ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E81IoRj2mf
— Pontypridd RFC (@PontypriddRFC) December 11, 2021
Visitors Quins got off to a flying start. Josh Davies made a clean break and Rhodri Davies was in support to score. Jac Wilson converted.
Bird responded for Pontypridd with three quickfire penalties as the hosts took the lead for the first time.
Bird’s trio of kicks preceded a hectic five minutes. Steff Thomas put Carmarthen back ahead with a try before Premiership hot shot Dale Stuckey responded.
Stuckey is having a season to remember.
His try made it 16-14 but then Bird kicked another penalty to make it 19-14 at the break.
Wilson kicked the first points of the second half, but Bird soon responded as the two went tit for tat from the tee.
Bird’s kicking was relentless and his sixth and seventh penalties of the afternoon made it 28-17 and left Quins chasing the game and with serious work to do.
And Carmarthen weren’t helped by losing wing Dale Ford to a yellow card.
Bird played some poor conditions masterfully, but even when Stuckey was forced to take on the kicking duties, the result was the same.
Stuckey’s kick made it 31-17 and although Tyla Murvai grabbed a try which Wilson improved, it was just a Quins consolation.
Jason Strange’s first game back in charge of Ebbw Vale ended in disappointing fashion as the Steelmen were beaten 31-13 at Merthyr.
Ebbw were awarded the first penalty of the afternoon with Evan Lloyd converting, but the Ironmen then got themselves on the scoresheet after Sam Jones made it to the corner.
Gareth Thompson kicked the conversion.
Lloyd’s second penalty of the afternoon narrowed the Ebbw gap, but Merthyr added a second try from skipper Craig Locke and Thompson converted to make it 14-6.
Soon after, Thompson was successful with his third kick of the afternoon, this time a penalty seeing him add three points. Ebbw were still in the contest at the break despite being nine points down.
And it got even better for them five minutes into the second half when they registered their first try.
Former Wales, Ospreys and Dragons wing Dafydd Howells touched down and the score was converted by Lloyd who closed the gap to two points.
At that stage the game was in the balance, but Merthyr pulled clear late on.
With just over 10 minutes to go, Tom Daley broke through and made it to the try-line. Thompson dispatched his third conversion and on the stroke of full time, Merthyr received a penalty try following a no-arms tackle. It left Ebbw and Strange disappointed, but not totally downbeat.
Aberavon were 28-13 winners over Swansea on Thursday night while Llanelli against Cardiff was postponed due to both team’s senior regional sides still being in quarantine.
