ACC Pool 4, Round 2 - Dragons v USAP, Chiefs v Prato

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"The two unbeaten sides in Pool 4 go head-to-head at Rodney Parade on Thursday with Newport Gwent Dragons hosting Perpignan.
The likely talking point ahead of the game will focus around the return of James Hook to Wales. The fly-half scored all of Perpignan's points last weekend as they came back to beat Exeter Chiefs at home. Hook, who is in his first season in French rugby will line-up against a host of Welsh colleagues at Newport.
The Dragons have only ever appeared in the Amlin Challenge Cup once, back in 2006 when they made the semi-finals and Darren Edwards's men will be targeting a knock-out stage place this time around.

Perpignan reached the last four of the Heineken Cup last season but have had mixed fortunes in the TOP14 so far this campaign.

Exeter Chiefs v I Cavalieri Prato
(Saturday November 19, KO 15.00)

Exeter came within a whisker of beating Perpignan in the south of France last weekend but had to settle for a losing bonus point and so will be keen to record their first victory of their 2011/12 campaign when they welcome I Cavalieri Prato to Sandy Park.

The Chiefs impressed last term in their debut European season but will be looking to go one better this time around and reach the knock-out stages.

I Cavalieri Prato struggled in their opening game this season, losing 3 v 33 at home to the Dragons.

The record books show only one victory in their European history so it will be a tough task for the Italian side on their visit to the south west of England."


Newport Gwent Dragons: M Thomas; T Chavhanga; A Hughes, A Smith (c), A Brew; J Tovey, W Evans; N Williams, L Burns, D Way, A Jones, R Sidoli, L Evans, G Thomas, T Faletau. Replacements: R Buckley, P Price, N Buck, S Morgan, A Coombs, J Bedford, L Robling, S Jones

Perpignan: J Porical; A Plante; M Mermoz, G Hume, J Candelon; J Hook, F Cazenave; P Freshwater (c), C Geli, B Bourrust, O Olibeau, R Tchale Watchou, G Le Corvec, J Perez, O Tonita. Replacements: G Guirado, J Schuster, N Mas, G Britz, B Guiry, R Coetzee, D Mele, N Laharrague.


A short turnaround for tomorrow night's game, with USAP having an extra day after last Friday's hard fought win over Exeter. Pretty strong Dragons team witj Lloyd Burns back, but Lydiate picked up an injury last week and may be missed, as will Charteris.

USAP have Mermoz and Porical back from injury, but Marty has been cited and presumably rested. The pack is reshuffled a bit, but with a front row of Schuster, Guirado and Mas to come off the bench, there will be relentless pressure at scrumtime.

Perpignan are the bookies favourites - if they keep it tight and pick up penalties for Hook to knock over, it could be a long evening for the Dragons. If Toby the tackle monster Faletau and his colleagues get amongst them, then Dragons have a chance to spread it wide.


The other game on Saturday, I can only see going one way. Rob Baxter will shuffle the Exeter team, with bench players starting, and fringe (possible Academy) players promoted but still a number of the first XV starting.

Dragons vs USAP

I think this one depends on which USAP team turns up mentally - on paper they ought to do a job on the Men of Gwent, particularly without Lydiate and Charteris, but as my good friend, the very good Rev Risca said, will USAP fancy a wet Thursday night at Dave?

I would have guessed USAP by more than a score

Chiefs vs Prato

On paper, and without knowing the Exe team yet, this ought to be a comfortable home win - however, there lies danger, and any casual approach to the game will delight the I Cavalieri faithful. Not expecting Rob Baxter to field to many Academy players (as the main ones all put in a shift on Monday night with the A team), but I would expect to see the Chiefs' use a number of bench and fringe players to rest a handful of regular starters.

Hoping for Chiefs by more than a score and a TBP

I expect 5 points for Exeter no bother.

As for the the Dragons, yeah I have said that we might catch them cold a bit, but I do think they'll have a bit much for us. On a positive note I do like the Dragons team and I'm sure they'll be keen to play at RP again after the Blues game being postponed. Tovey v Hook might be a good contest.

Was Hook or Biggar playing when we last beat the humble Ospreys last time at Dave Parade ? Tovey did a number on whichever number 10 they were fielding

Just repeating what others have said.

Should be an easy win for Exeter.

Perpignan have not selected a full strength team - but it is not a weak team. they will porbably be focused more on next weeks T14 clash, so a good time for Dragons to take a major scalp.

I'd love us to pull off a win against USAP, but everything tells me that they will be perhaps a bit too strong. We need a strong set piece to compete, and unfortunately our front row are too inexperienced. This is really our achilles heel. Although Lloyd Burns is back, he's got Dan Way and Nathan Williams on either side of him and, without wanting to be too disrespectful, they're not top european standard.

A retreating scrum and lightweight backs has been the undoing of us all too often. When we do get scrum parity (never dominance!) we do quite well as, with front foot ball, our backs can be quite creative. But it all comes down to the front row for me, and if Perpignan get the upper hand as expected I think they'll win.

So, Dragons by 5!

eLoving the logic there, Griff

As, that's my blind optimism logic there! I've seen Newport RFC and the Dragons beat some pretty big teams there at Rodney Parade over the years, so I know that now and again it can happen! Who knows!

was doing my picks on sportguru earlier and this game was the only where I spent more than 10 seconds thinking about who could be the winner! most of the others AC games are likely to be 30+ points affairs.

Well unless we get another downpour from out of nowhere and flash flooding, the weather is quite nice here in "Gwent". Will suit our powderpuff forwards down to the ground ;-)

Hopefully be a good night down Dave again. They've dropped the beer by 20p a pint, so I'm in a good mood about it all already

A retreating scrum and lightweight backs has been the undoing of us all too often

I agree to a point with you griff but I think Danny Wilson has done a good job with our scrum and has made considerable improvement compared to last season. Yes we don't have a top European set piece pack but they have managed to hold their own on some occasions whereas the season before they were getting completely out muscled.

Anyway here's to a Dragons win!

Am so gutted as I was going to tranfer my Blues Vs Dragons ticket for a ticket for this game but can't now as I'm playing (don't say anything!) 5 a side football and can't get out of it.

It's a shame as it should be a good game, though prob LBP for the Dragons, but I hope Tovey shows Hook up and underlines to Gats how good he is.

Dragons doin quite well so far

TRY! Awesome by dragns

Try no. 2 - 15-0 to dragons with the wind with them

That really has shaken up the pool - 23-13 to the Dragons. Well played with lots of pressure, slick passing and a fair few turnovers - game was won in matching the Perp pack, though.

Dragons clear leaders now. Looking good this year

Bravo, Dregiau, great result

Just hope they can get a result away to Exeter and then they'll be plain sailing...

If Chiefs can do the business against Prato, it'll set up the double header very nicely.

Haven't seen the Exeter team for tomorrow yet, but it seems that Jack Nowell, promoted from England U-18 to U-20 this season, will be making his second start at full back.

Exeter Chiefs to face I Cavalieri Prato:

15 Jack Nowell
14 Josh Tatupu
13 Nic Sestaret
12 Phil Dollman
11 Mark Foster
10 Ignacio Mieres
9 Haydn Thomas (capt)
1 Ben Moon
2 Simon Alcott
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Chris Bentley
5 Aly Muldowney
6 Dave Ewers
7 Ben White
8 James Phillips

16 Neil Clark
17 Luke Cowan-Dickie
18 John Andress
19 Chad Slade
20 Tom Johnson
21 Kevin Barrett
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Myles Dorrian

Mix of bench and fringe players - hopefully should be strong enough

68 - 0 to the Chiefs, 34 points in each half. Prato had two yellow cards in the first half and seemed to have little answer to the questions that the Exe forwards posed.

Some good experience for the 3 youngsters, Nowell, Ewers and Luke C-D, and a good runout for some of the fringe players.

Marty received a 4 week ban after his citing, but I don't think he'll be significantly missed by Perp in their double header against the Italians.

Good solid win for the Chiefs, very happy with that result

It will be an interesting double header as I can't imagine the Dragons will get a result in Exeter but could very well win at home - meaning the games away to Perpingan will be all important

It seems that the Dragons victory has precipitated the first coaching casualty of the season (at club level, anyway). USAP have invited manager Jacques Delmas to spend more time with his family, just a few months after replacing long serving Jacques Brunel.

Assistant coaches Bernard Goutta and Christophe Manas, who both previously served under Brunel, will take over.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:It will be an interesting double header as I can't imagine the Dragons will get a result in Exeter but could very well win at home - meaning the games away to Perpingan will be all important

By a 'result' you mean a 4 try BP win right ?

Just the 4 points is fine by me

Well I thought most Dragons fans would naturally be demanding a 4 try win...