Cronk: No danger of in-form Newport taking Swansea lightly (From South Wales Argus)

Cronk: No danger of in-form Newport taking Swansea lightly

12:00pm Friday 2nd November 2012 in Sport By Iwan Davies

NEWPORT v SWANSEA

NEWPORT are keeping their feet firmly on the ground after taking Pontypridd’s unbeaten record this season with an excellent 20-19 victory at Rodney Parade last weekend.

Tomorrow the Black and Ambers, on a roll after three successive big victories over Connacht Eagles, Cross Keys and Ponty, host a troubled Swansea side (kick-off 2.30pm).

The All Whites are bottom of the league with one win and seven defeats to show from a disastrous Premiership campaign so far.

But Newport head coach Sven Cronk has warned his side not to get complacent despite his delight at beating one of his old clubs as a player, second in the table Pontypridd.

“I was really pleased with the win,” he said.

“We’ve been building for a few weeks now and the forwards have been producing good ball for the backs.

“Many people are pretty aware of the pace we have behind.”

Cronk added: “But I’ve told the players to keep their feet firmly on the ground. It was a good performance against Pontypridd, but we’re certainly not going to get over confident for Swansea.”

The famous All Whites were on the wrong end of two consecutive 41-17 hammerings (what odds that?), away and then at home respectively in the British & Irish Cup and Premiership to new kids on the block Carmarthen Quins.

But Cronk warns his players to take lightly Swansea and their new coach, Wales’ 2005 Grand Slam-winning hooker Mefin Davies, at their peril.

“Mefin was a fierce competitior as a player and I’m sure he will bring that to his players,” he said.

“We are expecting a very hard game from Swansea who will get that breakthrough soon.”