The outside-half was on the mark with four penalties and three conversions at Cardiff Arms Park during a convincing triumph in one of rugby’s oldest and most fierce rivalries.
The Blue and Blacks didn’t look back after taking a third minute lead through centre Luke Pollock, converted by James.
Newport hit back with a try from right-wing Oli Andrew, converted by play-maker Matt O’Brien, but back-to-back penalties from James moved Cardiff into a 13-7 lead.
They pulled away in the second quarter with left-wing Dewi Cross catching a crosskick to score and captain Morgan Allen going over for a 25-10 lead.
James put them further ahead with a penalty. Newport replied at the hour mark with full-back Carwyn Penny crossing for a super effort but Cardiff had the final say with a late try from substitute hooker Alun Rees, and a conversion and penalty from James.
Merthyr came out on the right side of a humdinger of a tie during their A470 Taff Valley battle with Pontypridd at Sardis Road.
The so-called House of Pain was a graveyard for some of Europe’s biggest clubs before Welsh rugby brought in a regional tier but it was Pontypridd who suffered this time as the lead changed hands six times during a rousing encounter with Merthyr taking it 30-27.
Denne historien er fra September 24, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra September 24, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Harrow keep their nerve for double joy
HARROW saw off QEGS Wakefield to defend their Continental Tyres National School Cup title in emphatic fashion at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Wales all washed up with nowhere to go...
Every living English Grand Slam captain, from Sir Bill Beaumont to Dylan Hartley via Will Carling and Martin Johnson, shares another common denominator. They all know what it’s like to be blown away in the cyclonic fury of Cardiff on big-match day.
Lynn's hoping for fantastic farewell
GLOUCESTER-Hartpury have the chance to send boss Sean Lynn off with a perfect farewell as they chase an unprecedented hat-trick of consecutive titles.
Red Roses want to make it seven in a row - Mitchell
ENGLAND head coach John Mitchell has had to prepare for his title defence without players in the PWR final.
Lions' support team keeps on growing
The 1974 Lions took off from Heathrow with a management team of two. No specialist coaches, no analysts, no spin doctors, no physios, not even a bucket-and-sponge man.
Chiefs are too good for Blues in thriller
In a repeat of last season’s final, the Chiefs beat the Blues in a thriller to go top and continue the champions’ nightmare title defence.
Battling Italy make it tough for Ireland
ITALY, despite a succession of serious injuries and self-inflicted disciplinary problems, pushed Ireland all the way at the Olympic Stadium in a game that summed up both their respective campaigns.
Nice are planning a quick reversal
You may not have heard of Stade Marcel Volot – the one-stand 3,000-capacity home of ProD2 basement side Nice, which sits next to the Var river up the road from the rather larger and better-known Allianz Riviera home of the city’s Ligue 1 football team.
France in seventh heaven
FRANCE overcame a spirited Scotland display in a breathless finale in Paris to secure a record-equalling seventh Six Nations title – drawing level with England – and their first since 2022.
Time to talk about the 1995 you-know-what
It’s ODD how some Grand Slams get lost in the mists of time, seemingly never to be mentioned again. Take England in 1995. Thirty years ago this weekend Will Carling’s team were closing out their third Slam in five years with a 24-12 victory over Scotland at Twickenham with Rob Andrew kicking seven penalties and a dropped goal for the men in white.
