Newport Gwent Dragons v Edinburgh, 27th March

Thought I might as well set up a match thread, even though Dragons and Edinburgh fans have nothing in common / to talk about at the moment...

Kick off: 14.30.

Live on S4C from 14.15.

Do you reckon there is a returns policy on Tovey?

On a serious note, from your thread, it has upset a few people but sounds like he needed a change of scenery. He is a straight replacement for Tonks (Scots Qual) that has upset a few people except he also needed a change of scenery. Bit of a merry go round.

What team should Edinburgh expect? I was thinking of going to this game as I am in Cardiff (visiting relatives for Easter) but will wait for line ups. I don't really want to pay to be disappointed by Te Rure at 10.

We're hoping to have Tyler Morgan back, he hasn't played since getting injured against South Africa in the World Cup. Faletau's meant to be playing, too.

Nice work on the thread LP. Very much my sort of minimalist style.

So basically Edinburgh have to win this for the league to have any sort of meaning this season. We need to go in full strength all guns blazing:

1.Dickinson 2.Ford 3.Nel 4.Bresler 5.B Toolis 6.Ritchie 7.Hardie 8.Du Preez 9.SH-C 10.Burleigh 11.Hoyland 12.Beard 13.Allan 14.Brown 15.Kinghorn

16.Sutherland 17.McInally 18.Berghan 19.A Toolis 20.Watson 21.Fowles 22.Tovey 23.Fife

Tovey isn't allowed to play, which kind of contradicts reasons for letting him leave.

We best pick Boris to shove Nel's head up his bottom again (like the corresponding fixture last season).

Pity. Do we know if Matt Scott is fit (I always assume not)? If so he could bench instead of Tovey, with Kinghorn effectively covering 10 if needed.

RiscaGame wrote:We best pick Boris to shove Nel's head up his bottom again (like the corresponding fixture last season).

Or let Phil Price see how much he has improved from the Murrayfield mauling, I guess.

It'll be nice if we don't get four players yellow-carded this time...

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:It'll be nice if we don't get four players yellow-carded this time...

Well your tight five will need to show up this time. The Edinburgh scrum is formidable and our biggest weapon, and at Murrayfield you guys really struggled in that department and lost the ref accordingly.

I suspect we're going to see all the Scotland players return, I just hope Solomons doens't keep them on for 80 minutes as always!

Harsh on the likes of Watson to lose their places but that's life - he's a very useful impact sub.

In other news Nasi Manu tweeted that he's another 4 weeks away yet - we'll be lucky to get a couple of games at the end of the season at this rate.

Absolutely must win for Edinburgh - we really could do with a BP too but I can't see that happening.

Poor person who has to release the team tomorrow (on Good Friday) from NGD mind. Would've thought they'd have the day off

Edinburgh travel to Wales today, as league action resumes in the Guinness PRO12, ready to take on Dragons at Rodney Parade on Sunday 27 March (kick-off 2.30pm) in a match crucial to aims of a top six finish.

There are five changes to the starting XV from the capital club’s last league encounter, at home against table-toppers Connacht on 4 March.

Teenage talent Blair Kinghorn retains his place at fullback while Damien Hoyland and Tom Brown continue to occupy the wing berths. Michael Allen returns from injury at outside centre and Sam Beard takes the 12 jersey, with Matt Scott sidelined following injury.

The half-back pairing of Phil Burleigh at stand-off and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne at scrum half is retained, with the latter running out for his 50th cap at Rodney Parade.

An all-new front row sees the return of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel from RBS 6 Nations duty, hooker Ford captaining the side in place of Mike Coman who is recovering from a calf injury.

Locks Anton Bresler and Ben Toolis remain in the second row with Jamie Ritchie again on the blindside, Hamish Watson at openside and Cornell Du Preez in the no 8 shirt.

Stuart McInally and new international cap Rory Sutherland return on the bench, which also includes the club’s latest re-signing Sean Kennedy.

Speaking about his 50th appearance for the club, Hidalgo-Clyne said: “It’s a great milestone for me but the biggest thing this weekend is not about me, it’s about the team and the position we’re in.

“We’re obviously look at a top six finish and will be going all out to get the result in Newport.”

Looking back over his preceding 49 caps, Hidalgo-Clyne highlighted the visit of Dragons to BT Murrayfield a year ago, in Edinburgh’s European Cup semi-final win, as an outstanding moment.

“It’ll be good play against Dragons again this week and hopefully repeat that performance.”

The scrum half, who recently committed his future to the club for another two years, added: “We’re growing as a club, we’ve got a good base, increasing depth and will be looking to attract even more supporters.

“We’ll be back at BT Murrayfield next Friday, looking to really put in a performance against Zebre and it would be great to get as much support as possible behind us.”

Edinburgh, who currently lie in seventh place in the PRO12 table, are two places and four points above their Welsh combatants. The club’s only defeat in the last seven fixtures with Dragons in all tournaments came in round 21 at Rodney Parade last season, just weeks after they had beaten the Welsh outfit at BT Murrayfield in the semi-final of the European Challenge Cup.

Players not considered due to injury: Mike Coman (calf), Jack Cuthbert (knee), Grant Gilchrist (arm), John Hardie (neck/groin), Nasi Manu (neck), Fraser McKenzie (neck), Matt Scott (arm), Andries Strauss (knee/ankle), Jade Te Rure (knee).



Edinburgh Rugby v Dragons, Sunday 27 March, Rodney Parade, k/o 2.30pm



15 KINGHORN Blair

14 HOYLAND Damien

13 ALLEN Michael

12 BEARD Sam

11 BROWN Tom

10 BURLEIGH Phil

9 HIDALGO-CLYNE Sam



1 DICKINSON Alasdair

2 FORD Ross (Captain)

3 NEL WP

4 BRESLER Anton

5 TOOLIS Ben

6 RITCHIE Jamie

7 WATSON Hamish

8 DU PREEZ Cornell


Substitutes

16 MCINALLY Stuart

17 SUTHERLAND Rory

18 ANDRESS John

19 TOOLIS Alex

20 BRADBURY Magnus

21 KENNEDY Sean

22 DEAN Chris

23 FIFE Dougie

Looking forward to having a closer look at Beard.

Dragons.

Carl Meyer
Ashton Hewitt
Tyler Morgan
Adam Warren
Hallam Amos
Dorian Jones
Sarel Pretorious
Phil Price
TRT
Brok Harris
Cory Hill
Rynard Landman
Lewis Evans
Nic Cudd
Taulupe Faletau

Hugh Gustafson
Boris Stankovich
Lloyd Fairbrother
Matthew Screech
Ed Jackson
Charlie Davies
AOB
Adam Hughes

Elliott Dee not mentioned as injured in the squad update, but not picked. Strange.

Worrying comments from Solomons - says he expects our international front row to be fatigued but doesn't have any choice'.

Um, Sutherland was worthy of his Scotland cap and some think McInally should start over Ford anyway!

He really needs to trust his back ups - we definitely won't get top 6 if he flogs the front row for 80 minutes every game.

I really don't get Solomons.  His stuff about not having a choice regarding the front row is madness. He's also bizarrely totally ignored berghan in favour of andress, who has been poor in comparison, on the bench.

In the game where Bradbury got a run out a week or so ago he was interviewed after the game and let slip his true feelings about lack of opportunities then lamely reeled them back again by saying that there are opportunities.

Solomons doesn't really seem to trust his squad as a whole, or maybe more accurately he has favourites and sticks with them regardless if they are the right choice or not.

EWT Spoons wrote:I really don't get Solomons.  His stuff about not having a choice regarding the front row is madness. He's also bizarrely totally ignored berghan in favour of andress, who has been poor in comparison, on the bench.

In the game where Bradbury got a run out a week or so ago he was interviewed after the game and let slip his true feelings about lack of opportunities then lamely reeled them back again by saying that there are opportunities.

Solomons doesn't really seem to trust his squad as a whole, or maybe more accurately he has favourites and sticks with them regardless if they are the right choice or not.

Sounds exactly like our coach, Lyn the Lip!

EWT Spoons wrote:I really don't get Solomons.  His stuff about not having a choice regarding the front row is madness. He's also bizarrely totally ignored berghan in favour of andress, who has been poor in comparison, on the bench.

In the game where Bradbury got a run out a week or so ago he was interviewed after the game and let slip his true feelings about lack of opportunities then lamely reeled them back again by saying that there are opportunities.

Solomons doesn't really seem to trust his squad as a whole, or maybe more accurately he has favourites and sticks with them regardless if they are the right choice or not.

Imagine what it does to the confidence of the backup players?

I very much hope Sutherland and McInally are given at least 20 minutes - they make a real impact off the bench.

Lyn the Lip wrote:
"Any great side has players who just have a knack of scoring tries; Sarel Pretorius can do it, Dorian Jones can do it, Tyler Morgan can do it, Hallam Amos and Ashton Hewitt can certainly do it, Taulupe Faletau can do it.

"Straight away without breathing I've mentioned six players who tend to score tries and we want to go out and score points against Edinburgh.

"Our defence record is pretty good but it's about scoring for us. We appreciate how difficult a side Edinburgh can be but that's the challenge we are faced with and we are confident we can take them."

Look out Edinburgh

I didn't realise Dorian was so prolific either.

Actually, it's quite apt that on Easter Sunday, Newport Gwent Dragons are about to be resurrected. I'm now very confident today. The Lord is on our side.

That pitch has seen better days

Don't tell me Alba's English commentary is free of the scourge that is John Beattie?! Now that's an Easter miracle

That pitch is an absolute disgrace!

Why are we kicking stupid grubbers whenever we get in their 22??

This is a bloody awful game.

It's certainly not a classic I'll give you that!

RDW_Scotland wrote:That pitch is an absolute disgrace!

It is almost as bad as Scotstoun!

Burleigh has just been running down the wing, in space, with players in support and kicked the ball away again. WTF?

Edinburgh are all over them but seem incapable of scoring. I hope that is not going to come back and bite them.

Dragons are really dreadful, basically like a 3rd Italian team.

Their scrum is holding up surprisingly well though.

Edinburgh really lacking a spark

VinceWLB wrote:Dragons are really dreadful, basically like a 3rd Italian team.

Their scrum is holding up surprisingly well though.

You couldn't really argue that we look like a top 6 side just now either!

Yup, we're bloody awful today!

This just shows how much Edinburgh really need a FH. Burleigh is just not a natural and keeps taking the wrong options. They should have scored 2 or 3 times by now.

And now they are under the cosh!

Don't think ford will be keeping that 2 shirt for much longer

RDW_Scotland wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:Dragons are really dreadful, basically like a 3rd Italian team.

Their scrum is holding up surprisingly well though.

You couldn't really argue that we look like a top 6 side just now either!

Look at that pitch, give them the benefit of the doubt!

But yeah Edinburgh without scrum dominance look pretty useless.

The passing today is the worst I've ever seen.

Compare this to Ulster - Glasgow on Friday. Miserable game!

Can't argue with the scoreline, but Edinburgh should be out of sight!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Compare this to Ulster - Glasgow on Friday. Miserable game!

Even Connacht-Leinster yesterday, there is a world of difference. This looks more like semi-pro level.

I think a win of any kind will do here - we can then forget about it and move on (won't be difficult!)

Dragons need a decent scrum half he is poor.

Go on Amos my son .

Looks like the Dragons have had a rocket up their backsides.

glamorganalun wrote:Dragons need a decent scrum half he is poor.

Perhaps one of the dumbest comments I've read, certainly up there with the stuff that Lord Dowlais types.

glamorganalun wrote:Looks like the Dragons have had a rocket up their backsides.

Given Edinburgh's top 6 survival relies on winning this game you'd think we would have had one too!

Strong laddie is hamish

Well a better start to the second half from both teams!