All Blacks and Port look to bounce back after defeats

The All Blacks host Kenilworth on Saturday and will be keen to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing 44-10 defeat at Dudley Kingswinford.

That setback ended a run of four straight wins while the manner of the reverse gave Smallman cause for concern.

“It was a disappointing day and you are going to get one at some stage in a season,” said Smallman.

“Saturday against Kenilworth will be a real indicator to what we are about and whether we have been papering over the cracks. A response is definitely needed.”

Bridgnorth trailed 12-3 at half-time at DK but had no answer to their dominant hosts after the break.

“There was a lot of energy in the dressing room at half-time from the players,” said Smallman. “And we came out and scored a try and it was 15-10. But then a kick through from them took a bobble, evaded our full-back and they scored.

“And that just seemed to take the mental strength out of the team and we were not able to recover.

“Whether they were better than we thought or not, we were below par.

“The most concerning things for me was that we didn’t have the grit that we have been showing in recent weeks. That has helped us come from behind and win a couple of games.

“That was most disappointing for me. You can work on the technical things but if you don’t show that grit then it’s difficult to get a foothold in games.” George Bvuma scored Bridgnorth’s try with Will Bishop adding a penalty and conversion.

Meanwhile, Newport director of rugby Bob Adams is also looking for a positive reaction when his side travel to Stourbridge on Saturday.

Adams was left seething last weekend after Newport went down 24-22 at home to Loughborough Students.

A dismal first-half display that left Newport trailing 17-0 was followed by some stunning rugby after the break that should have resulted in a third victory of the season.

But Newport squandered a number of chances after a hat-trick of tries from Hendry Vaka, one from Max Himbury, plus a Jacob Leonard conversion had put them 22-17 up.

“We have only got ourselves to blame. We had to win that game, no excuses,” said Adams.

“We played into gale force wind and against the slope in the first half and ended up 17-0 down. But they didn’t earn the right to score those tries, we gifted them to them. Individual errors cost us.

“Then for 25 minutes in the second half we played the best rugby we have played since Bridgnorth last season. We obliterated them. We scored four tries in 18 minutes but missed a couple of kicks and wasted a couple of chance out wide.

“You only get so many opportunities at this level and you have to take them. But we didn’t.

“It’s a game that got away and I could feel the red mist just bubbling below the surface on Saturday and I haven’t felt that for a long time. We got hammered at Redruth but this defeat feels worse because we should have won the game.

“I can’t fault the players’ efforts and we have to take the positives from that second-half performance. Some of our play was outstanding and that’s the Newport I want to see.

“Stourbridge will be tough. They have been a top side for a long time and that doesn’t happen by accident, but we are relishing the challenge.”