The rugby season of 1922-23 for most Welsh clubs started on September 9. The Western Mail stated that 35 games had taken place in south Wales with the exception of the Newport club. Newport’s tradition was not to start fixtures until at least the third Saturday of September.
Newport had received 104 applications for their first preseason trial. 62 players were selected by the Club Committee including it was a noted a number of ‘potential migrants’ from the Pill Harriers rugby club. According to a report in Athletic News little new talent was revealed aside from a new half back, Dauncey, son of the former Newport club secretary and player, FH Dauncey. A Probables versus Possibles trial followed on September 16 with a Newport first choice XV taking on Weston away on the following Thursday, winning by 12-8.
Newport opened their season with a decisive home victory over rising Monmouthshire side Abercarn by 16 points to nil. The Athletic News noted “Whitfield, Vaughan, Roche and Harold Davies all scored in turn, Baker converted the first two. Newport lacked finish but with all last season’s players available should have a fine season.” Harold Davies, the centre, was picked out by the Western Mail who described him as a ‘man of class.’ They followed this with a 9–0 victory in the mud and rain of Penarth. The Western Mail commented “Dr Roche had his best game since coming to reside in Wales.” A reference to Irish international, W J Roche.
The first big match of the season against Cardiff at Rodney Parade ended in a scoreless draw in a forward dominated encounter strewn with penalties. The Black and Ambers followed this with a 7-0 victory at Blackheath with all the points (a try and drop goal) coming from Harold Davies.
Newport put Leicester away at Rodney Parade on October 21 by 17 points to 3 in front of ten thousand spectators. Elsewhere, unbeaten Cross Keys were being picked out as the outstanding Welsh team with strong displays including a win at Swansea. On October 28 Newport maintained their own unbeaten run beating Abertillery by 22 points to 8 in a ‘fine spectacle’ according to the Western Mail.
A decisive home victory (9-3) followed over a Harlequins side with Scottish star, A L Gracie, prominent for the visitors.
Newport’s second monumental clash with Cardiff, this time at the Arms Park drew 20,000 spectators but still ended scoreless despite three good chances to score for the Black and Ambers. 6,000 were at Rodney Parade on the following Thursday afternoon to see Newport beat Oxford University in a thrilling encounter played in thick fog. Another 8,000 packed Rodney Parade to watch Newport beat Gloucester by 14 points to 6 with Dr Roche again prominent.
Cross Keys were next. They had lost some of their early season form but were still seeking to defend their ground record. The Western Mail put the crowd at 15,000 with spectators seeking vantage points above the ground. Jack Wetter proved the key man steering Newport to an 8-3 win in a dour struggle.
Newport travelled to Herne Hill in the capital and in front of 3,000 fans beat London Welsh and their ferocious pack by 13-8. The Black and Ambers played at Cambridge University on the Monday after London Welsh winning 11-6 before trouncing Penarth 46-0 at home in front of 5,000 with G.E Andrews scoring six tries.
Newport beat Swansea at St Helen’s by 5-3 in a dour forward struggle before comfortable victories in the holiday period over Pill Harriers, and Watsonians. The Scots attracting 15,000 spectators. On December 27 Newport played most of their game against Aberavon one man short (Manship was injured early on) but won a close tussle 3–0.
In the first game of 1923 Newport won another very competitive at Abertillery 5-3 and news came through that their rivals Cardiff were no longer invincible, having lost at Bristol. Newport were the only British team with an unbeaten record. They embarked on a short tour of Devon beating Plymouth Albion 5-0 and Exeter by 9-6 two days later. The Black and Ambers returned home on January 19 to beat Northampton 19-0 in what the Western Mail stated was a ‘bright sparkling game’ .
Newport saw off Bristol 9-3 at the Memorial Ground in front of 15,000 in another impressive performance. News came through in early February that the club had purchased Rodney Parade from Lord Tredegar for £7,026 with major plans to upgrade the stadium.
In their first game in February Newport beat Neath easily by 18-8 at RP. Newport ventured to Bath where 7,000 spectators awaited the unbeaten Black and Ambers. On a virtually unplayable pitch Bath defended their lines and Newport’s only score came from a Harold Davies drop goal (4 points). A home game against Swansea, Newport emerged victorious 6-3 but a disputed goal by Ebb Wetter was claimed by Swansea and featured in the South Wales Daily Post report on the match but did not merit a mention in the Western Mail! The club touch judges disagreed but the referee gave the goal.
March saw huge interest in the match between Newport and Cardiff. Nearly 20,000 crowded into Rodney Parade. Cardiff, who were on an upward swing following a disappointing January, were eager to take Newport’s record. But in the event the game was marred by the loss to injury (there were no re-placements then) to two Cardiff players and Newport ran out easy winners by 16-3.
Newport travelled to France for a brief tour. Their match against Bayonne was cancelled but they did play Olympique Paris, winning convincingly, scoring five tries, by 21 to 6. Jack Wetter was in fine form.
Returning home Newport faced Gloucester at Kingsholm in front of 12,000 (gate receipts- £600), their forwards were magnificent bringing home a 14-10 victory. They followed this with an 11-0 victory in a midweek encounter with Bridgend and an unconvincing 6-4 win at home to Plymouth.
Newport beat Blackheath 12-0 with Andrews scoring a ‘magnificent try’ (Sunday Pictorial) in the second half. This was followed by a scoreless encounter with Cross Keys and a convincing win over Tredegar, both at Rodney Parade.
With five matches still to play the focus on Newport’s unbeaten run was covered by most national newspapers as a matter of great sporting significance. As a result 30,000 (a post war record) crammed into the Arms Park to see rugby’s greatest rivals face off in another scoreless draw. The Western Mail stated “both sides must be complimented for keeping their heads and making it a thrilling and exciting struggle without resorting to shady tactics and brutality.”
Newport headed to the Gnoll to face Neath in their next encounter. Several local sides has rearranged games such was the sense of expectation. The Welsh All Blacks had carried out extra training in preparation but were not given much hope by the South Wales Daily Post. On the day Neath were the better side in front of the biggest crowd in the club’s history but Newport found a way to win through immense defence. The first half saw Newport score a try by full back Whitfield converted by Baker. Neath responded in thrilling fashion and scored an unconverted try by Jenkins. They attacked strongly in the second half but Newport held out.
Newport added an extra game at home to Pill Harriers on the following Monday, running in 21 points to nil against the docksiders. Newport included some of their younger reserve players in the match including centre Goldsworthy and back row Freeguard.
Bristol were their penultimate opponents, at Rodney Parade. 15,000 expectant spectators saw Newport struggle for supremacy, with loss of Harold Davies due to injury Tom Jones played as an extra back. They managed to score through Jack Whitfield after 25 minutes and held on for dear life through to the end despite Bristol pressure. Davies sustained a broken ankle.
The final game of the season was at Leicester with massive excitement in the town and a special train chartered to the match. The game took place on the same as a chaotic first FA Cup final at Wembley. Leicester added two non-regular players to their fifteen to strengthen their side. Athletic News noted the players selected “ had no right to rob Leicester reserve players of the right to represent the senior side!” A crowd of 16,000 at Welford Road saw Newport race in to an early 7-0 lead through a penalty and drop goal from Baker. Leicester came back strongly with two penalty goals from Day either side of half time. After this Newport appeared to have quelled the Tigers resistance with Tom Jones figuring as an extra back. But there was a last chance for Leicester. The Western Mail takes up the story
The Leicester Mail added “had Haslemere in the last few minutes of the game accepted the easiest of tries from Lawrie then Leicester would surely have run out the victors.”
10,000 people were at Newport station to greet the Black and Ambers on their return including the Mayoress of Newport. The GWR band greeted them with the Welsh National Anthem. Captain Jack Wetter and others were carried shoulder high through the streets. The team greeted the crowd from the balcony of the Savoy buildings.
The South Wales Daily Post concluded “there has been no outstanding player in the team. Team spirit has carried them through. There were ten internationals in the side, nine of whom played at Leicester.” Athletic News paid tribute to Newport’s pack
The Western Mail congratulated Newport, contrasting the brilliance with the poor form of the Welsh international team. They listed Newport’s record, see below
Dromio , legendary rugby correspondent of the South Wales Argus said “they were not wonder-workers, as some of their predecessors had been, and, quite frankly, had never shaped like an invincible team. Yet, there they were, making their last throw for fortune.”
