Newport eager to seal the title deal

Table-topping Newport face their already relegated visitors knowing that the championship and an instant return to National Three Midlands are within touching distance.

The Forton Road men are three points clear of second-placed Bournville following last weekend’s 37-22 success at Hereford.

Bournville are already assured of at least a play-off spot, but wins over Kenilworth and Moseley Oak in their last two games will guarantee Newport the title – and director of rugby Chris Wilde wants his side to finish the season in style.

“It’s been in our own hands for a while now,” said Wilde.

“With Bournville again picking up five points in their victory over Whitchurch nothing much has changed, it’s just that the finishing line has got closer.

“We could conceivably still pick up the title if we lost at Moseley Oak, but still picked up a losing and four-try bonus point.

“But that is not something we are even contemplating as it would then come down to points difference where we have a slender advantage of 31 as it stands at the moment – but that could all change in the last two games.

“We will be aiming to keep it simple – two wins and it’s ours.

“Whatever happens from here on in it’s been a brilliant season, but we will be extremely disappointed if we don’t finish the job by claiming the prize that so many people have worked so hard to achieve”

Shrewsbury will have one eye on the future when they host Old Saltleians tomorrow.

The Sundorne Castle men saw their stay in Midlands Two West (North) ended last weekend by a 40-9 defeat at Newcastle.

The result, an 18th defeat from 20 league games this season, leaves the club 17 points adrift at the foot of the table.

Simon Evitts, Shrewsbury’s player-assistant coach, said the county towners must now look to the future as their three-year stay in the division draws to an end.

“It’s really disappointing but we have to take it,” said Evitts. “I’ve been relegated before and we’ll have to rebuild for next year and come back up again.

“We’re looking to put some longevity into it with structure to our plan.”

Evitts added: “We’re going back down into Midlands Three West (North). It’s not the end of the world. We’re still a rugby club, we’ve still got three pitches and all the boys want to play, but it’s disappointing, obviously.

“We’ve got to look to rebuild it now for the future ones that are coming through, young lads like Sandy Stewart and Jack Bevan, who both played well last weekend, to get the club playing at as high a level as possible for those boys.

“It’s sad to see that it’s happened, but we’ve got to get on and deal with it now. It’s a bitter pill to swallow.”