It was the fifth league win for the Blue & Blacks this season and skipper Gareth Thompson kicked 12 points to go with his side’s four tries and a fourth conversion from replacement Ben Thomas. Newport conjured up two late tries to give the scoreline a look of respectability.
Dan Fish was the first to score for the home side as he danced over in the 12th minute. Thompson added the extras and landed three first-half penalties to give his side a 16-3 interval lead. Haydn Simons kicked the only points for the visitors.
There was an explosion of tries in the opening eight minutes of the second half as Cardiff well clear. Den White and Dafydd Smith crossed for the home side, while Henry Palmer ploughed over for one in between for Newport.
With Thompson converting both scores in meant that Cardiff led 30-10 with 32 minutes left to play and needing one try for the bonus point. It took them until three minutes before the end of the game to clinch the extra point, when Ian Jenkins crossed.
Cardiff then lost Ceri Young to the sin-bin and Newport picked up consolation scores from Harri Lang and Ryan James. Arwel Robson converted the latter.
Today’s games see the top two go into battle at the Bridge Field, where table-topping Bedwas will be hoping to complete a notable double over Pontypridd. Having beaten them 39-27 in the opening round at Sardis Road, they will go into the game as favourites.
But Ponty are slowly, but surely rediscovering some of their old mojo under new head coach Justin Burnell and have won their last four matches. Becoming the first team to win at Bedwas this season
Cross Keys were beaten at the death the last time they met reigning champions Merthyr at The Wern. Home advantage could give them an edge and they will have Scott Andrews back in action for the first time this season after rec oaring from a shoulder injury.
Andrews replaces Josh Skinner in the second row, with Skinner moving into the back row. Behind the scrum Lewis Barnett returns at centre after six weeks out and Nathan Trowbridge also starts on the wing.
Barnett and Trowbridge replace Barney Nightingale and Lloyd Lewis, who are both on duty with the Wales sevens squad in Spain. The Ironmen have Hungarian forward Szaboics Pocaski ready to make his debut off the bench.
Ebbw Vale snuck a 24-20 win at Bargoed on the opening day of the season, but have won only once since then. A much needed win could lift them off the bottom of the table.
PRINCIPALITY PREMIERSHIP EAST DIVISION – ROUND 8
27 October – Result
Cardiff 37, Newport 22
Cardiff: Dan Fish; James Beal, Dafydd Smith, Will Rees-Hole, Ceri Young; Gareth Thompson (captain), Lewis Jones; Rhys Carre, Kirby Myhill, Anton Peikrishvili, Miles Normandale, James Murphy, Reuben Tucker, Ben White, Dan Crimmins
Reps: James Greenfield, Ian Jenkins, Peter Lloyd, Tom Daley, Luke Crocker, Rhodri Cole, Ben Thomas, Lewis Reece
Newport: Geraint O’Driscoll; Matt Prosser, Tom Pascoe, Chay Smith, Harri Lang; Haydn Simons, Owen Davies; Haydn Palmer, Henry Palmer, Garin Harris, Morgan Burgess, Joe Bartlett, Alex Everett, Kyle Tayler, Rhys Jenkins (captain)
Reps: Will Evans, Phil Price, Tom Piper, Rhys Creswell, Joe Cullimore, Ryan James, Arwel Robson, Adam Sabri
28 October – Fixtures
Bedwas v Pontypridd
Cross Keys v Merthyr
Ebbw Vale v Bargoed
Teams
Bedwas v Pontypridd
Bedwas: Aaron Bramwell; George Gasson, Ross Wardle, Adam Williams, Mathew John; Steffan Jones, Tom Rowlands; Dan Preece, Alun Rees, Rhys Hutcherson, Geraint Edmunds, Craig Hudd, James Richards, George Lee (captain), David McGuigan
Reps: Brynley Toms, Ellis Shipp, Chris Budgen, Andrew Waite, Dale Rogers, Luke Crane, Mike Callow, Lewis Evans
Pontypridd: Lloyd Rowlands; Alex Webber, Aled Summerhill, Dafydd Lockyer (captain), Dale Stuckey; Diggy Bird, Wayne Evans; Chris Phillips, Joe Page, Will Davies-King, Sean Moore, Chris Dicomidis, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Rhys Shellard, Morgan Sieniawski
Reps: Joel Raikes, Ceri Sweeney, Geraint Walsh, Huw Dowden, Sion Edwards, Shay Smallman, Huw Owen, Jon Elley
Cross Keys v Merthyr
Cross Keys: Leon Andrews; Mathew Powell, Lewis Barnett, Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge; Josh Prosser, James Leadbeater; Corey Hewlett, Will Griffiths, Richard Cornock, Tom Lampard, Scott Andrews, Josh Skinner, Scott Matthews (captain), Adam Powell
Reps: Rob Jones, Lewis Smout, Gary Carpenter, Dan Mock, Taine Basham, David Richards, Ross Pritchard, Corey Nicholls
Merthyr: Matthew Jarvis; Steff Andrews, Tom Riley, Arran Pinches, Kristian Phillips; Richard Powell, Justin James; Nathan Trevett, Matt Dwyer, Louis Jones, Ben Murphy, Craig Locke (captain), Nick White, Ed Siggery, Phil Rees
Reps: Rhys James, Richard Wilkes, Szaboics Pocaski, Ben Sier, Osian Davies, Rhys Downes, Gareth Davies, Kyle Evans
Ebbw Vale v Bargoed
Ebbw Vale: Dan Haymond; Steff Thomas, Dom Franchi, Dai Langdon, Toby Fricker; Lewis Dennett, Dai Jones; Ross Jones, Rhys Francis, Rob Sevenoaks, Lance Randall, Rhys Clarke, Cameron Regan, Ronny Kynes (captain), Josh Jacas
Reps: Joe Franchi, Joel Harries, Josh James, Kristian Parker, Owen Jones, Carl Lewis, Dorian Jones, Will Talbot-Davies
Bargoed: Matthew Lewis; Ashley Norton, Jordan Howells, Darren Humphries, Duane Dyer; Iain Smerdon, James Pizey; Rhys Morgan (captain), Lewys Lippiatt, Alex Gardner-Key, Matthew Thomas, James Locke, Adam Coupe, Grant Rogers, Ieuan Jones
Reps: James Hallett, Callum Jones, Dai Jones, Lewis Johnson, Lewis Weyman, Geraint Clarke, Scott Evans, Kieron Brown
