Rumney : 15.M.Maclean 14.J.Offside 13.I.Blackburn (Capt) 12.A.Jones 11.M.O'Neill 10.D.Clark 9.B.Morris 1.R.Hanmer 2.N.Ritchie 3.C.Gale 4. J.Braine 5.M.Kelly 6.W.Price 7.C.Barker 8.C.Jones Replacements : K.O'Connor T.Dickens R.Fenton M.Feneck

Referee : Jerrard Hamer (Pengam)

Scorers for Rumney : I.Blackburn try, W.Price try, M.O'Neill try, M.Maclean 2 tries and penalty and conversion

Scorers for Newport Saracens : D.Gregg try and penalty and conversion, M.Cawley try, P.Booth try, R.Jones penalty

This all action thriller proved to be one of the very best games of the season as both sides took advantage of the perfect conditions to play attacking rugby from start to finish. Rumney captain Ian Blackburn made the first clear break of the match and after ten minutes he also finished off an excellent movement, which featured skilful work from scrum half Ben Morris, outside half Danny Clark and winger Michael O'Neill, with the first try of the game. Michael Kelly was outstanding under the high ball for the home side but by playing a tightly controlled forward game at times, Newport Saracens advanced into the Rumney half and full back Darren Gregg slotted a penalty. The Saracens were soon back in the opposition twenty two but were penalised for holding on the floor and this gave Morris the opportunity to tap and go before sending a long ball out to fullback Matthew Maclean who split the defence and whose blistering pace took him the length of the pitch to score a magnificent solo try in the corner. Flanker Carl Barker and prop Charlie Gale were now finding space and Blackburn was a constant problem in midfield, while Morris and Clark drove the visitors back with snappy clearance work. When Rumney stole a lineout on their own twenty two, Clark and No8 Chris Jones set off upfield, where prop Rhodri Hanmer and winger Joey Offside continued a stunning movement and flanker Will Price completed the try with a neat pickup and dive over the line. Maclean's conversion gave the home side a 17 - 3 lead after twenty three minutes, but the Saracens were putting a tighter grip on the forward exchanges and after keeping the ball and controlling play for a lengthy period, switched play out to the right where winger Martin Cawley crossed for a well taken try.

The substantial lead that Rumney had created soon shrank further when within five minutes Gregg went in under the posts, following a period of sustained pressure by the Saracens pack. The conversion took the score to 17 - 15 and from the restart the visitors again exerted forward domination. Home hooker Neal Ritchie and flanker Ryan Fenton worked hard to try and relieve the pressure but the Saracens careful buildup and good ball retention finally paid dividends and second row Phil Booth took a short pass at speed and crashed over for a try, Gregg's conversion bringing his side a half time advantage of 17 - 22.

The second half started with the Saracens pack again commanding positions in the Rumney half but there were soon indications that Chris Jones, Barker and Fenton were finding more room with pickups from scrums and in the loose Hanmer, Kevin O'Connor and Price continued to get away from tacklers. Clark made telling breaks, Blackburn and Anthony Jones constantly threatened in the centre and O'Neill and Offside increased their threats on the wings, while the highly mobile pack once more took control with Kelly and Jamie Braine at the heart of the forward advances. Fifteen minutes into the half Barker took clean ball at a lineout and scrum half Tom Dickens released the backs on a series of movements which spread play back and forth across the field, the speed of interplay between forwards and backs creating just enough space for O'Neill to set off on a difficult burst from the twenty two, beating two defenders and bouncing over for a superb try. Anthony Jones again drew in tacklers and hooker Michael Feneck attacked the midfield, but there were clear indications that the Rumney forwards were now dominating play with the tiring Saracens pack being driven backwards in the scrums. Saracens full back Richard Jones kicked a penalty and Maclean replied with a penalty which tied the scores at 25- 25 with fifteen minutes remaining. From the restart Feneck gathered well and counterattacked, Dickens sent out a lightning pass to Clark on his twenty two and the outside half sold a fine dummy, burst forty metres and sent Maclean away on an unstoppable sprint for the tryline. This stunning try proved to be the decisive score and in a tense final ten minutes the Saracens set up non stop attacks, only being kept out by determined Rumney defence, Jerrard Hamer's whistle bringing an outstanding game to a close with the score reading 30 - 25 in Rumney's favour.

Danny Wilson, Coach Rumney 1st XV : "A really good first twenty minutes in which Newport Saracens had most of the possession but we scored three tries. We then went to sleep for twenty minutes and ended up 17 - 22 down at half time, but we tried to move them around and make use of our superior fitness, becoming far more aggressive up front and scoring a couple of good late tries. There were very good performances from Rhodri Hanmer, Kevin O'Connor, Chris Jones, Tom Dickens and Paddy O'Neill, with Carl Barker becoming Man of the Match for his work in the line and loose play. A good win which puts us back on track."

Jim O'Brien, Rumney RFC : "A great game of rugby, especially for the neutrals, with Rumney's running ability in the end overcoming Newport Saracens' doggedness. I felt that Rumney deserved to win for sticking to their guns and their enterprise, with Rhodri Hanmer, Chris Jones and Carl Barker having outstanding games."

Carl Barker, flanker Rumney 1st XV : "I'd like to say that we started like a house on fire, racking up the points, then when we got a few scores ahead we sat back and the Saracens kept the ball for nearly forty minutes. When we needed to pull it out we did, Michael Feneck came on and settled it down especially when we called our 'knickers' move - that's where we send two runners up and then work a dummy scissors for Matthew Maclean and Paddy O'Neill to run it in. Chris Jones and Danny Clark played very well and there was great support from the crowd. Everything is in place for next season, and in a year's time we'll be going up !"