Premiership: Newport turned screw to beat Ebbw Vale - Morris

The Black and Ambers will travel to Church Bank to take on double-chasing Llandovery (kick-off 2.40pm) after hammering the Steelmen 48-13.

Newport scored three tries in either half with centre Joe Westwood, wing Elliot Frewen and scrum-half Che Hope giving them a commanding 27-6 lead at the break.

The Black and Ambers got the job done with a Westwood double for his hat-trick early in the second half and then, after a consolation score by Owen Conquer, had the final say through wing Lloyd Lewis.

“I was really pleased with the performance,” said Morris, whose side have now won 15 straight games since losing at Llandovery at the end of November.

“There was a big build-up leading into the game and some of the comments about them having beat us at our gaff really fuelled us.

“Ebbw Vale had turned us over three times at Spytty, but that only energised us and we knew if we focused on ourselves and were ruthless and clinical then we would do the job.

“Credit to the players, they did that and that period before half-time put us in control then we worked really hard to the hour and could rest a few players.”

CONTROL: Scrum-half Che Hope judged when to up the tempo for Newport (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Newport’s tally of 122 tries in 24 games (average five per game) was the most in the regular season, seven ahead of the Drovers.

Yet the maturity and the balance of the Black and Ambers’ performance was what thrilled Morris against the Steelmen.

“We have come unstuck previously through overplaying and we didn’t do that against Ebbw Vale – even when 20 points up we were feeding the ball into the corner and making them play from the 22,” he said.

“I said to the group afterwards that the management and control of the game was the best that I have seen from them.

“That’s what fed us, we got in the lead and made them play from deep. We were able to turn the screw on them this time.”

The Black and Ambers now try to make it 16 straight wins to lift the Premiership for the first time since 2004.

Newport were pipped to the title by Cardiff in the Covid-shortened 2021/22 season, which was a straight league format, and lost the Blue and Blacks in the semi-finals last season.

Now they face a Drovers team who won the Premiership Cup in April and are aiming to repeat last year’s final triumph.

It is a clash between two teams who set the standards over the course of 2023/24 with Llandovery, who won 22 games to Newport’s 21, sneaking top spot by a point to ensure the venue is Church Bank rather than Rodney Parade.

“Credit to Llandovery, they finished top of the league and are a quality side,” said Morris. “It will be a really good battle and I think the supporters are in for a treat.”

Thankfully for Newport the Dragons are in action on Friday night, which means fly-half Matt O’Brien will be able to play the day after being on coaching duty at Rodney Parade against the Stormers.

Hope, Westwood and lock Barny Langton-Cryer were on the Dragons’ bench last time out against Connacht but should be fine to feature at Church Bank.

The Dragons have three options at scrum-half in Rhodri Williams, Dane Blacker and Hope’s fellow young gun Morgan Lloyd.

The return to fitness of Jared Rosser and arrival of South African Chris Hollis should free up Westwood, who covered midfield and the back three.

Langton-Cryer, who signed for Newport from Cardiff Met last summer before catching the eye of the Dragons, was a late call-up to the bench against Connacht because of a minor injury to Harri Keddie.