The outside-half was on the mark with four penalties and three conversions during a convincing display from the cup holders in one of rugby’s oldest and most fierce rivalries.
“We can have no complaints. They seemed to carry harder into the collisions and wanted it a bit more than we did,” said a disappointed Newport team manager, Mark Workman.
“It was a poor day for us, and we missed three golden chances to score. It was a bit of a reality check for us after two bonus-point wins in the Indigo Premiership.
“We lost a bit of momentum after our opening day win over Pontypool because we then had a bye in the league. There was certainly some soul searching among the coaches after this defeat.”
Twice last season the Black & Ambers traveled to Cardiff and were beaten in the cup final at Principality Stadium and then in the play-off semi-finals. When it matters most, the Blue & Blacks know how to win.
If it had been tense and tight in last season’s cup final, this game was almost put to bed by the break when Cardiff’s inspirational skipper Morgan Allen powered over at the end of the first half to bag a try that stretched the lead to 15 points.
That grew to 18 points when Harrison James landed a penalty five minutes into the second half and Newport were simply playing catch-up. After their two big wins in the Indigo Premiership over Pontypool at home and RGC in Colwyn Bay, this was not how it was supposed to be.
As for Cardiff, there would have been some harsh words spoken in the wake of their 36-20 home defeat to Ebbw Vale. There were three push over tries in that game, and a fourth that came after another mighty drive, but their pack stood strong and firm this time.
The home side got off to a flying start with a try after only five minutes from new centre Luke Pollock. The Ulsterman was captain of Cardiff University last season and has fitted in very nicely in the midfield and James added the extras.
A minute later Newport responded with a good try of their own for Wales U20 wing Oli Andrew, which Matt O’Brien converted to level things up. James kicked a penalty three mites later and then the visitors lost scrum half Dafydd Buckland to a yellow card.
A second James penalty made it 13-7 and then an inevitable Dewi Cross try, improved by James, hoisted the lead to 13 points before Buckland’s return. O’Brien then kicked a penalty before Cross spent 10 minutes in the cooler for a dangerous clear out.
Despite being reduced to 14 men, Cardiff came up with a killer blow when Allen crashed over for his try on the stroke of half-time. From there it was merely about managing the game well and not surrendering a winning lead.
They did both things well and even though Carwyn Penny rounded off a flowing move from a line-out on half-way with a wonderful try for Newport on the hour mark, the cup holders were never under any great threat.
A fourth James penalty made things safe and then replacement hooker Alun Rees went over for another try at the death that James again improved.
Scorers: Cardiff: Tries: L Pollock, D Cross, M Allen, A Rees; Cons: H James 3; Pens: H James 4. Newport: tries: O Andrew, C Penny; Con: M O’Brien; Pen: M O’Brien
