FELINFOEL 15 NEWPORT 74

HE’S SMALL in stature but wing Owen Broad is growing in importance at Newport.

The speedster crossed three times for the Black and Ambers on Saturday as they eased past Felinfoel in the Swalec Cup.

As the 22-year-old was quick to admit after the game, it was far from a one-man show as Newport ran 12 tries past their plucky hosts to secure a home tie with Blackwood.

Prop Gethin Robinson carried hard into a howling wind in the first half while hooker Andrew Brown and flanker Craig Hill showed their mobility.

But in Broad the Black and Ambers have an expert finisher to make the most of the hard graft of others, and crucially, a different sort of winger to throw into the mix. Mike Poole scored on his long-awaited comeback from a serious knee injury in Felinfoel while Matthew Pewtner crossed twice as he continues to impress.

The coaches have some selection headaches but Broad is leading the way in the try-scoring charts with 10 and is making himself a hard man to drop.

“We are playing some good rugby at the minute and the boys are getting it wide and making me look good – I just have to finish them off,” said Broad.

“I am just loving it at the moment. I spent most of last season injured (while with UWIC) so I am just happy to be getting games at a great club with a great set of boys.

“But it’s probably my season over now that Pooley’s back! I’ve enjoyed what I have had and now my aim is to stay in the side and try to keep improving.”

Newport were not to be blown off course in blustery conditions and were in total command with a quarter of the game gone despite playing into the gale.

The hosts are struggling at the bottom of Division One West and their sole victory this season was the one against Treorchy that put them into round two.

And predictably they were unable to cope with the pace and power of the Black and Ambers.

The signs were ominous when full-back Alan Awcock raced over after just 45 seconds and the tries kept coming.

First Newport showed they also had the upper hand in the pack to scrum their way to a penalty try before tries for Hill, Broad and Pewtner.

Rugby can be a tough game to play when a side is so clearly in command and Newport then took their eye off the ball.

Felinfoel, who possessed a pair of rapid wings themselves, made the most of some poor tackling to score a pair of tries.

Wing Jordan Simmonite and flanker Daniel Griffiths went over with scrum-half Luke Marsh adding a conversion to an earlier penalty.

Broad, however, scored a minute before and a minute after the break and the scores kept coming despite the visitors emptying their bench.

Pewtner, Matt Evans, Poole, Chris Wannell and Scott Williams went over the line with referee Hugh Watkins taking pity on Felinfoel to blow for full-time before the full 80 minutes had elapsed.

Felinfoel: A Burder (captain), E Dawe, S Stonman, K Simmonite, J Simmonite, J Griffith, L Marsh, D Jacobs, L Lewis, C Morgan, L Holcombe, A Lloyd, D Griffiths, C Edwards, O Poolman. Replacements: S Delaney, G Havard, R Nicholas, S Taylor, S Roberts, N Davies, S Wall, G Smith.

Scorers: Tries – J Simmonite, D Griffiths; conversion – L Marsh; penalty – L Marsh.

Newport: A Awcock (N Brew HT), O Broad, M Evans (C Simpson 48), M Pewtner (M Poole 43), G Bowen (C Wannell 47), J Leadbeater, D Pattison (I Evans 32), Andrew Brown (A Ellis HT), G Robinson, D Rosser, Adam Brown (M Leaman 44), A Jones (captain), C Hill, S Waldron.

Scorers: Tries – A Awcock, penalty, C Hill, O Broad (3), M Pewtner (2), M Evans, M Poole, C Wannell, S Williams; conversions – G Bowen (4), C Wannell (3).

Referee: Hugh Watkins.