Newport eyeing a season double with cup victory

The Midlands Premier champions head to Worcester to take on divisional rivals Bromsgrove in the final of the North Midlands Cup.

And after being handed a week off following the end of their successful league campaign, director of rugby and head coach Bob Adams is hoping his men come back fired up and ready to secure a double.

“We have been back in training this week after giving the lads a week off.

“The main objective of the season has been achieved,” said Adams. “Promotion was our number one target.

“But it would be nice to win on Sunday because finals don’t come around very often and it’s also the last North Midlands Cup final.

“It will be interesting to see how the players come back after a week off and how they get themselves up for the final.

“I think the job of myself and the coaches this week is to get them energised again.

“This is a one off game and there is a cup to be won at the end of it.

“The big thing will be enthusiasm and how much we want it.”

Newport did the league double over Bromsgrove but Adams won’t be reading too much into past results.

“I have had a look at the videos of the games we played against Bromsgrove earlier in the season,” added Adams.

“We will have a plan on how we want to attack the game.

“But they are a good side and it will be a very, very tough game and we will have to play well.”

Adams will be forced into a couple of changes with two of this season’s standout performers absent.

“Sam Brown and Ollie Buckley are unavailable but apart from them and Chris Perry and Jack Price, who are injured, we have everyone else available,” said Adams.

“We will miss Sam and Ollie because they have been regulars this season and performed very well.

“But we have a big squad that is pretty well drilled. We have been missing players at various stages throughout the season but the ones who have come in have performed well.”