Howarth bounces right back

SHANE Howarth bounced back from his lacklustre display in defeat at Cardiff to guide Newport to a vital victory over Edinburgh at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

Howarth kicked 19 points, missing with just one audacious penalty attempt, to earn his side their second Celtic/Welsh-Scottish league success.

It was imperative Newport won after the Cardiff Arms Park disappointment, but though they did so, they remain far from a polished product.

In a sub-standard match, despite numerous internationals on the field, Newport triumphed because of Howarth's ability and a more positive second half display.

Errors abounded despite near perfect conditions for rugby, the ball regularly failing to go through more than a few pairs of hands before being spilled.

Wrong options were taken, Newport twice cutting back in the inside in the first half with over-laps outside, and the Black and Ambers again showed an overall lack of pace and poise.

But there was an improvement in the line-out, second half ball retention was better and the defence was strong (Edinburgh failing to score after leading 11-10 at the interval).

Asked if he was happier with the display after Cardiff, new coach Ian McIntosh said "In some ways".

"We started by doing what we should have done against Cardiff and keeping the ball, but then we started to play inside our 22 instead of working our way out of there and started giving the opposition points again.

"We have got to get out of the habit of doing all the work yet keep going back.

"I think in the second half we put some things right and started to play a bit of rugby, but it was still disappointing that when we moved the ball we kept dropping it and making mistakes.

"I think it's just a case of confidence. The win was important and you have to build confidence from there".

Newport prop Rob Snow agreed, saying: "The most important thing was that we won regardless of how we played .We did make a lot of mistakes and if we accept that standard we're not going to win to many games.

"We've still got space going forward and that's what we're looking to do".

McIntosh said he would continue to give youngsters such as No8 Andrew Powell and centre Nathan Brew regular games as he tried to build team strength towards a rotation system.

And in a shot at the crowded fixture list in Wales, he said: "It's quite incredible, the start to your season. Normally when you lose a game you have a week to put it right. We played Wednesday, Thursday was recovery and on Friday you can't do much work".

But promising better things, he added: "There's nobody in any team who can be match fit in three or four games. You must build in to your season and it takes five or six games."

Brew had little chance to shine on Saturday before leaving with a hamstring injury after 49 minutes, but Powell did well in all areas to be named man-of-the-match.

In a dreadful first half Newport trailed despite skipper Simon Raiwalui's ninth minute try, set up by a jinking Howarth run, giving them a 10-3 lead.

Howarth converted to add a first minute penalty, but opposite number Duncan Hodge kicked two for Edinburgh and scored an excellent try following the best handling of the game.

Four-second half Howarth penalties, two after Scottish players had pulled Newport rivals back off the ball, ensured a Newport win.

But a 75th-minute interception try by wing Ben Breeze, after Edinburgh had tried to run from their 22, flattered Newport who, with Munster, Neath and Newcastle away and Toulouse and Swansea at home among their next six games, will have to get their act together quickly if they are to enjoy a successful campaign.

Newport: M.Pini, M.Mostyn, N Brew (M.Watkins 49 min), J.Pritchard, B.Breeze, S Howarth (J Strange 76 min), D.Burn (L Lane 77 min), C.Jones (R.Snow 60 min), J.Richards, C Anthony, S.Raiwalui (G Taylor 40 min), M Voyle, P.Buxton, J.Forster, A Powell (G Gravell 65 min). Scorers-tries: Raiwalui, Breeze; conversions: Howarth (two);penalties Howarth (five).

Edinburgh: C Paterson, C Murray (C Joiner 66 min), Mi Di Rollo, K Utterson, C Sharman, D Hodge, (C Howarth 76 min), I Fairley (M Blair 76 min), A Jacobsen (G Whittingham 70 min), S Scott (P Robertson 76 min), C Smith, M Jolly (A Davidson 76 min), R Metcalfe, D Mackinnon (A Dall 76 min), G Dall, M Leslie. Scorers: try Hodge; penalties: Hodge (two)