BAKER'S TREBLE SEES OFF QUINS

A SECOND-HALF hat-trick from wing Fin Baker in- spired a 40-12 comeback victory for Newport at Carmarthen Quins in their Super Rygbi Cymru Cup Pool A opener.

- 

Morgan Allen scored a try for Pontypool as they returned to winning ways

The Quins led 12-0 at halftime courtesy of two early tries scored by prop Sam O'Connor, converted by Ifan Davies, and wing Thomas Williams.

Newport finally registered their first score five minutes after the break through Baker and on 49 minutes they were ahead when lock Morgan Burgess found a gap in the defence to score.

Jac Lloyd converted both.

Baker grabbed his second and third tries on 52 and 65 minutes, again improved by Lloyd, who also added the extras to Tiehi Chatham's try on 74 minutes following a fine team move to make it 35-12.

Lloyd then scored a sixth Newport try himself, but narrowly missed with the conversion, as the Black and Ambers opened their cup campaign with maximum points.

Head coach Ty Morris credited his players for their second-half display.

He said: “It was very much a game of two halves. As coaches, we were extremely disappointed with how we started, it looked like we were still on the bus.

“We lacked intensity and physicality and were probably fortunate that Carmarthen suffered some injury setbacks, which eventually led to passive scrums and them being reduced to 14 men before we really clicked into gear.

“We also failed to capitalise on a huge wind advantage in the first half.