Newport Schools Reign Supreme in Morgan Griffiths Cup.
Newport Schools U15s ended their season in style, ending in an unbeaten run since late October with Victory in the Morgan Griffiths Welsh Cup at a sun kissed St. Helens with an impressive 26-12 victory over a tenacious Pontypridd Schools.
The result concluded an unbeaten run which included impressive victories over Pontypool, Pembrokeshire, Bridgend, The Vale of Glamorgan and last years’ victors Swansea, conceding only two tries in the process. Newport applied pressure from the kick off and looked dominant amongst the forwards and were quickly rewarded with try for impressive lock Harrison Keddie, Ben Snell converting from the touchline.
As the game progressed, Newport continued to press, but a number of missed opportunities and poor turnovers kept the Pontypridd Schools side in the game until half time. It was in fact Pontypridd who started the second half the brightest, and after an injury to centre Curtis Ayling, Pontypridd took full advantage as the concerned Newport defence seemed to freeze, with a controversial try levelling the scores at seven apiece.
This proved to be the spark that re-ignited the Newport side, and after some good territorial work by Ryan Wilson and Matthew Aulsebrook, continuous phases of pressure resulted in a deserved try for winger Lee Connor Blamire. A third Newport try, a second for winger Blamire soon followed after another impressive run by lock forward Keddie and support play by Joseph Davies and Keagan Bale. With Snell converting, and the score at 19-7, Newport played the final fifteen minutes with an air of confidence beyond their years. A fourth try soon resulted, this time for opposite winger Ryan Wilson with Snell converting.
All credit to Pontypridd who never threw in the towel, and were rewarded with a consolation try from the final play of the game. Gwent Player Development Officer Gareth Evans stated that “the outcome was fully deserved after the effort and work put in by the players through the course of the season. After a heavy defeat in the opening game of the year, they have applied themselves fantastically and learnt some valuable lessons which will hold them in good stead as they make the transition into Regional Age Grade next season. The fact that 17 individuals from the squad have been provisionally identified shows the strength from within the squad and the strides they have made individually and collectively.”
Although training has begun with the ‘ready for regional’ transition programme, the squad will meet for one last time over Easter as they will be the Welsh representation in the Louis Tfota Trophy at Laguenne where they face local opposition as well as Murrayfield and Lansdowne.
Newport 26-12 Pontypridd Tries: Harrison Keddie, Lee Connor Blamire (2), Ryan Wilson Conversions: Ben Snell (3)
Squad M. Aulsbrook ( G. Harris), R. Wilson (B. Davies), T. Morgan, C. Ayling (J. Hussey), L Connor-Blamire, B. Snell, E. Smith (R. Connick); H. Fry (K. Hunt), K Greenway – capt (Z. Pitt), K. Bale, H. Keddie (F. Hussain), J. Davies, P. Knight (K. Raubenheimer), S. Casey (G. Goom), B. Constant (N. Davies)
