photo by Ian Lovell

The Newport Titans ended the Bridgend Blue Bulls reign as Welsh Champions and took away their unbeaten record at their Porthcawl home with a convincing 50-18 victory.

The Pil Harriers based team took full advantage of the under strength Bulls scoring ten tries including a first half hat-trick from Tyrone Mahoney.

Bridgend looked the stronger team in the opening quarter and scored early on after David James set up Michael John but then came the Titans onslaught and a burst up field from Damien Hudd set up Tyrone Mahoney for his first before stand-off Owen Jones took advantage of a big gap in the Bridgend defence to give his team the lead. Bridgend then found it difficult to cope with a much larger Titans outfit especially their main ball carriers Damien Hudd and Mark Wheeler, and before the break Newport ran in three more tries with Mahoney claiming two more and the third going to Hudd.

The Bulls had twice come back from similar deficits against Newport over the

past two seasons but there were no heroics this time. Hudd claimed his second early on before David James got one back for Bridgend after good work from Scott Baldwin and Tevita Manaseitava but three Newport tries in five minutes from Mark Wheeler, Martin Cawley and Jared Hinem gave them a commanding and deserved 46-12 lead.

Manaseitava got a consolation score back for Bridgend but the final word went to Newports Dalton Grant and Newport celebrated a famous 50-18 win.

After the game Newport coach Earl Palmer “I think the score line flattered us a bit but we are delighted to get our first win over Bridgend and be in the semi-finals, we worked really hard for this and we hope we can go one step further than last year”.

Bulls Team Manager Simon Green said “we are very disappointed to lose our Welsh title after five years but have no complaints as Newport were far better than us on the day. Despite going out in the quarter finals everyone involved within the team can be proud of what we have achieved this year, we lost over 90% of our squad from last summer and have had our youngest ever team and all have given 100%. If we can keep this squad together for next season I firmly believe we can do well in 2009.

Newport will now travel to Nelson in the semi final to take on the Valley Cougars.

article by Simon Green
26 July 2008