The former Wales outside-half, who is coach of mid-table English Championship club Ampthill, plans on being a passenger on one of the eight buses carrying Newbridge supporters to Cardiff.
Newbridge was his home club and where he made his name while he also had successful stints with Newport during a mercurial career which also saw him shine for London Welsh and Sale.
Turner was the face and orchestrator of Newbridge sides that challenged for titles in the 1980s and early 1990s. They came close to silverware but never touched it and the Newbridge trophy cabinet has been sparsely populated with their only major success being the Welsh Clubs’ Unofficial Championship in 1964-65 with an 81.08 winning percentage. Bridgend were runners-up with Neath third and Newport fourth.
Brothers Arthur and Dennis Hughes combined with Ken Braddock to score 55 tries from the back row. Dennis Hughes and Braddock were both capped by Wales.
The class of 2022-23 will be adding at least one trophy this season with Newbridge having wrapped up the Division One East League title with a maximum haul of points from their 17 fixtures.
They are chasing the double against similarly unbeaten Division One North Nant Conwy in the WRU National Division One Cup final.
Statistically, it’s the best season Newbridge have had but they are playing a few levels below that which Turner, Hemi Taylor, Terry Shaw, Ken Waters and company occupied at the top table of Welsh rugby.
“What they have done is a great achievement and Newbridge is always the first result I look for. It’s my hometown and when I drive past the ground I see nothing has changed,” said Turner, who lives in Stratford Upon Avon.
“The pitch still looks good, it’s got a grandstand and a lovely clubhouse. There’s a leisure centre next door. A lot of clubs playing at a high level in England would love to have those facilities.
“I’m looking forward to being on the bus to Cardiff, having a reunion with old teammates and cheering the lads on. It should be a special day.”
Turner pulled the strings from No.10 when Newbridge came close to reaching the final of the Welsh Cup, against tournament kings Llanelli, at the old National Stadium in an all-action semi-final in 1989.
What made his effort more the remarkable was he damaged a groin muscle early on and literally limped through the game, using his razor-sharp rugby brain to create opportunities for others as they pushed Llanelli all the way with second row Shaw rounding off a spectacular team try from deep in the Newbridge 22.
“We made a lot of mistakes. I had played for Wales in the win over England the previous month but the semi-final wasn’t a good day for me. I could hardly run after picking up an injury early on. Nowadays, you’d come off but you didn’t have the number of replacements back then,” said Turner.
“Llanelli were heavier than us, bigger up front and had a good scrum-half in Jonathan Griffiths. We tried to chase the game probably a bit too much and they scored a try from our quick drop-out 22.
“It was our centenary season and it would have been great if we could have got to the final as the cup was such a big thing back then with huge crowds and interest.”
Turner had played in a final, three years earlier when Newport were beaten 28-21 by Cardiff. Sunday’s Welsh Premiership Cup final meeting between the neighbours is their first since that bitter match in 1986.
The scoreline only tells part of the story with Wales wing Adrian Hadley grabbing a hat-trick of tries for Cardiff, Turner masterminding a comeback and instances of foul play that would, if taking place now, have seen Mark Ring sent off for a tip tackle on Nigel Callard and Mike ‘Spike’ Watkins in hot water for kicking out at Alan Phillips.
“It was a grudge match but I think that was par for the course back then,” said Turner. “It was another frustrating day with Cardiff leading 22-6 after getting momentum early on.
“We came back but couldn’t quite get over the line. Newport versus Cardiff was a huge fixture and still will be to those playing in Sunday’s final. But, in my day, you were competing with your opposite number for a place in the Welsh squad and wanted to get the better of them. Almost anything went!
“I had fabulous times with Newbridge and Newport and hope they both are successful and lift their respective cups on Sunday.”
