Editing Newport RFC (section)

===1945–2003===
*Golden era of [[Ken Jones (rugby union, born 1921)|Jones]], [[Roy Burnett|Burnett]], [[Malcolm Thomas (rugby)|Thomas]], [[Bryn Meredith|Meredith]], [[Brian Price (rugby union)|Price]], [[David Watkins (rugby)|Watkins]], [[Keith Jarrett (rugby)|Jarrett]] etc.
*Beat Australia 1957, NZ 1963, SA 1969, Tonga 1974.
*Welsh Club Champions 1951, 1956, 1962, 1969.
*Won Welsh Merit Table and Anglo-Welsh Merit Table.
*Provided 7 Welsh, 1 Czech Rep, 2 Canadian, 1 Fijian captains.
*Provided 15 British Lions.
*Introduced 7s to Wales and won Snellings 10 times and R/U 9 times.
*One of pioneers of floodlights in Wales.
*Introduced squad systems / players playing on rota in Wales.
*Won Welsh Cup twice, R/U 3 times.
*Welsh Premier League winners and R/U – twice.

In 1963 Newport, captained by Brian Price, claimed perhaps their greatest victory by defeating [[New Zealand national rugby union team|New Zealand]] led by [[Wilson Whineray]] 3–0. This turned out to be the All Blacks' only defeat on their 1963 tour.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3225389.stm Newport beat New Zealand].</ref> The club was granted [[Newport, Wales#Freedom of the City|Freedom of the City of Newport]] on the 50th anniversary of this victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.pressrelease&contentid=CONT717978|title=Newport rugby freedom presentation|publisher=Newport City Council|access-date=2013-10-31}}</ref>

After rugby turned professional in 1995, Newport initially struggled, being relegated after finishing bottom of the eight-team Welsh Premier Division in 1998, only to be reinstated after Cardiff and Swansea [[temporarily left the league|1998–99 Welsh rugby union rebel season]] over a dispute with the WRU.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-great-welsh-divide-1174805.html|title = Rugby Union: Great Welsh divide|website = [[Independent.co.uk]]|date = 28 August 1998}}</ref> After staying up, Newport then moved to full-time professionalism for the 1999–2000 season with the help of benefactor Tony Brown, who financed marquee signings including former South Africa captain [[Gary Teichmann]]. The first game of the season against Cardiff drew a crowd of almost 7,000, the biggest since the visit of the All Blacks in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-sun-rises-on-bright-new-newport-era-newport-18-cardiff-13-1116816.html|title = Rugby Union: Sun rises on bright new Newport era: Newport 18 Cardiff|website = [[Independent.co.uk]]|date = 5 September 1999}}</ref> This was accompanied by a rise in season ticket sales from 700 the previous season to 3,300, with a further increase to 4,000 expected the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/6555590.profit-of-doom-for-pro-rugby/|title= Profit of doom for pro rugby}}</ref>

In 2003, Newport merged with Ebbw Vale to form the Gwent Dragons side (soon renamed Newport Gwent Dragons) as part of the [[Introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales]]. Newport RFC continued to compete as an amateur side, later semi-professional, in the Welsh club league.