News

Lasts years success by a first year youth team and the loyalty of last years U16s has allowed us to have over 40 youth players at the club.  This has now developed into two teams being entered into the Dragons youth leagues and the teams being now known within the club as DA and DC due to the divisions they are in.  Both teams also start this weekend in the first round of the Caerphilly Cup.  DA play Blackwood at the Pant Field and DC play Nelson at the Canal Fields.

Back to last weekend and DA played their 3rd league match against last years "B" division winners and Gwent Cup finalists Talywain.  The opponents as with DA contained many regional age grade players and are renowned for their success coming up through mini and junior rugby.  They had won the Abergavenny Tournament in their age group on at least 5 occasions.

Unfortunately on this occasion Talywain only had 14 players available.  With the rules requiring both teams to start even Newbridge dropped a player off.  TRYler Lewis was first on the score board for DA showing off his blistering pace to score.  Talywains wing Sam Taylor pulled his hamstring in the chase and so Talywain were down to 13.  The referee and the assessor then told Newbridge they had to drop to 13 - by WRU rules this is not actually the case but DA did as instructed and so the game as a spectacle was pretty much over.  Passive scrums guarenteed both sides possession and Talywains excellent scrum half Danny Davies made good use of the ball as well as putting over 2 very good penalties. 

DA scored some very good tries through Elliot Haines, Ollie Howard and Robbie Turley. Talywain got a brace themselves with Davies converting one.  The game finished strangely as Iwan Burgwin kicked through for Ioan Lloyd to sprint through and gather (photo above)  for his first try of the season as he made an extremely welcome return to the team.  As the conversion was being set by Burgwin for his 4th successful kick of the afternoon, a Talywain player was injured and the game finished with 10 minutes left.

33-18 and DA sit atop of their league after 3 games.

DA would like to give a massive thank you to neighbours Abercarn for helping out and lending a play kit to the team for the day.

DC made the short visit to play St.Julians in Newport and as DA had experienced throughout Junior rugby they were up against a solid outfit with some very talented players.  DC numbers were low and some key positions were covered heroically but there is no substitute for experience.  Their older opponents ran out 30-7 winners but they are doing well this season in the league above DC.  DC will play their first league match on October 28th away to Bargoed.