A free-flowing game brought 12 tries, eight of them to Vale of Glamorgan, and the eventual champions started off with a score in the opening minutes from birthday boy Edward Lowry. That set the tone for a breathless first half that ended 20-20 as Newport refused to go away.
Newport tried to release their flying winger Elijah Robinson, whose former Welsh international dad Matthew was acting as a water boy, whenever they could and he showed up particularly well in both attack and defence.
Playing a year up, he made it 15-15 with a spectacular try in the right corner after Oliver Hanley-Hill and Cian Howells had scoffed for the Black & Ambers and Dylan Matthews had added a brace for Vale.
But it was Robinson’s effort that got the crowd on its feet when he swerved outside his man, turned on the gas and finished with a flourish with a great dive over the line in the right corner. That certainly inspired his side and when Howells grabbed his second try they went ahead for the first time in the game.
A try from James Johnson levelled things up at the break and the second half belonged to the Vale. It wasn’t too long ago that current Welsh internationals Mason Grady, Cai Evans and Evan Lloyd were playing in the Vale side in the tournament their successors turned on the style in the final 20 minutes.
They took the lead for the fourth time in the match when Bradley Rhoden powered over. The Roberts burst into the line to find a hole before sprinting over for his side’s sixth try. Skipper Freddy Hill, and outstanding organiser and leader throughout, showed off his full range of skills as he made it a magnificent seven before Williams Quy finished things off.
DC Thomas U11 Plate Final
Newport: Jenson Davies; Elijah Robinson, Blake Goddard, Jude Thorne, Cian Howells; Evan Southway, Zach Reynolds; Oliver Hanley-Hill (captain), Max Cann, Celyn Griffiths, Oliver Newnes, Harvey Hogan
Reps: Will Morris, Elijah Bolade, Josh Siggins, Archie Davies
Travelling Reserves: Archie Smith, Eben Jones
Scorers: T: Howells 2, Hanley-Hill, Robinson,Vale of Glamorgan: Reggie Roberts; William Quy, Charlie Watts, Freddy Hall (captain), Lucas Gill; Rhys Griffiths, Zac Payne; Dylan Matthews, Edward Lowry, Stanley Birchenough, Noah Parsons, Henry King
Reps: Zac Speirs, Bradley Rhoden, James Johnson, Max Gallagher
Scorers: Matthews 2, Lowry, Johnson, Rhoden, Roberts, Hall, QuyGo.Compare Player of the Match: Reggie Roberts (Vale of Glamorgan)
