Dragons v Scarlets, 30.12.2011 k.o 7.05pm

First topic message reminder :

Scarlets face a daunting task heading to Rodney Parade with only a 4 day turnaround after their hard fought derby win over the Ospreys.

The Scarlets have been training with two seperate 22's leading up to first the Ospreys and now the Dragons match, with many fringe players now getting a chance to prove themselves.

Scarlets team: 15 Dan Newton, 14 Viliame Iongi, 13 Adam Warren, 12 Gareth Maule (capt), 11 Andy Fenby, 10 Stephen Jones , 9 Rhodri Williams, 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Deacon Manu, 4 Sione Timani, 5 Dominic Day, 6 Josh Turnbull, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 8 Kieran Murphy.

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Iestyn Thomas, Peter Edwards, Lou Reed, Richie Pugh, Gareth Davies, Aled Thomas, Daniel Evans.

George North and Mat Gilbert travel to Rodney Parade as 24th and 25th men.

Damien Welch and Liam Williams not considered due to injury, and Tavis Knoyle is not playing on medical grounds that he needs an operation early in the new year to stabalise a shoulder joint.

The Scarlets have not had an away win in the Pro12 this season.


Dragons Team: Martyn Thomas, Tonderai Chavhanga, Adam Hughes, Lewis Robling, Aled Brew, Jason Tovey; Wayne Evans; Nathan Williams, Lloyd Burns, Nathan Buck, Adam Jones, Rob Sidoli, Danny Lydiate, Gavin Thomas (c), Toby Faletau.

Replacements:
Steve Jones, Phil Price, Dan Way, Jevon Groves, Lewis Evans, Joe Bedford, Andy Tuilagi, Will Harries.

The Dragons make only one change on the bench to the side that faced the Blues. The Dragons will be determined to put an end to their current 5 match losing streak and provide the supporters at Rodney Parade with a first home win in the Pro12 since the end of September.

Definitely not a bad team by any means.

Stevo facing a late fitness test

What is the issue with Wellies? I didnt remember him being injured last monday?

Back problem apparently, been struggling with it the last few days. Not good for us, he makes a huge difference to the Scarlets side when he plays.

The rains coming down in the port!
Please no. We can't have another postponement.

ah no, how heavy is it??

Tis a light but horrible rain in the Diff.

That's how it is here. It's no as heavy as earlier. I'm sure we'll be ok.

Drizzle everywhere guys...! Dave parade is a wet ground at the best of times.

Here is a very accurate weather site that I use a lot.

http://www.xcweather.co.uk/

They forecast for there to be more rain later this evening.

Sorry for the gloomy news on the weather...

Despite that both sides are able to add skill and endeavour, I am sure the weather wont effect our enjoyment of the game.

Good luck to both teams, and to the fans, heed your Mam's words and take a decent cagoul with you so you don't catch a chill...!

Let's get something clear here; I've been watching rugby at RP for many years and have watched games in much fouler weather than this! The weather before the cancelled Blues game was nothing short of a freak monsoon. Seriously, I picked my daughter up in it 2 hours before the game and I'd never seen anything like it! Today is just rain like any other rainy day. The RP pitch will cope with this like it always does (we seem to play more rainy games than dry IMO). The Blues game weather could not have been predicted or planned for. Yes, the fire brigade would have been good to call upon but they had 16 house flooding call outs to attend in the area, so we were not the priority.

Don't worry about the game being called off. Get down there and get being the boys!

Griff wrote:Today is just rain like any other rainy day.

Have you seen Rhodri Gilbert, he started his show once asking if there was anyone from Wales in the Audience, when a young lady says she is he asks, "how old were you when you knew you could take your Cagoul off?"

Enjoy the match best Wishes to all and good luck... I'm sticking another log on the fire and watching from the comfort of the BBC. I'm also away in Hampshire so unable to attend.

Murphy and Gilbert both.

The game is Off!!!

Only joking. It's lovely over here at the parade. Just warming up.

Wellies is out! Huge blow. Aled Thomas promoted off the bench and North brought in.

I would imagine most people would have their wellies out subs mate

What, even in sunny Newport Maes?

Ha ha ha...!

Crowd seem to be enjoying themselves though don't they

In very good voice

Aye. Always looks like a good atmosphere at RP. Havent been there for years though.

Brew is looking very good tonight... Points to prove to the selectors

ooooohhhh... lovely try... brilliant work

Scarlets great backline move... Try for Edwards who was giving great support play to take the last pass...! 0 - 7 to Scarlets

Very good try, and good conversion.

Dragons have a game on here eh...!

Dragons are back in this. If they play some sensible rugby (territory) they'll win.

Nigel Davies is taking some stick from the crowd and the there's plenty of needle between the coaching teams.

Come on dragons!!!

40 mins on the clock, conditions not great, Scarlets win the line out. Surely, they dink it into touch ? No they run the thing, penalty to Dragons. They have to tap and go. Take it to the Scarlets 22 - penalty Dragons., yellow card Scarlets #8.
Brilliantly naive from the Scarlets

loving the commentary from Jiffy. "Any more of that pushing and you'll be off". Love it

Scarlets tight forwards are really making a difference now...

Andy Tuilagi has added some physicality to the Dragons back line. George North runs over Adam Hughes

Hughes off injured. not good losing Tovey and Hughes in one game, dragons backline is a little decimated. Brew is in the center, harries on the wing.

who was that woman they showed? She was rather loverly...

Ulster giving Munster a hiding by the way... bonus point try just been scored...

mckay1402 wrote:who was that woman they showed? She was rather loverly...

Dan Lydiate, on fridays nights he goes by the name Janice, wears a wig and fake boobs...!

Those stats tell the story of 2 teams that look as though they haven't played together - lack of accuracy.
No excuse for such poor kicking though.

I believe the players are endeavouring to play but the skill just isn't there.

Game needs a spark, one will do & it will win the game!

Good finish.

Bad luck Dragons, lots of players off injured.

The dragons should get some passing practice as well as goal kicking. How J Edwards did not get a yellow, well played Scarlets but the Dragons what are they doing!

Do dragon fans still think Brew should be in the wales squad? Did nothing this evening and was horrendous last week against the blues when he was outscored and outperformed by Cuthbert.

Other than that, tonights match was a penalty fest and the dregs were unlucky not to win, thought they would at the end but you know who got involved.

We were very, very lucky the Dragons didn't have a proper kicker for most of the second half, what with all the penalties we were giving away.

THought the Dragons back 3 looked good everytime they had the ball, shame for them they didn't get to see more of it.

A dogged display by the Scarlets, but Nige's gamble to train with two seperate squads really payed off, we looked fairly solid defensively throughout. I'm very, very happy with that win.

Dragons - you guys were hit very badly by injuries tonight, very unlucky.

Fair play to Nigel for getting behind his players when Phil Steel said it was a weakened side Nigel said that every player is part of the squad.
Team spirit seem to be high at the Scarlets and long may it continue.

I agree RD,

A great defensive performance by scarlets. 150 tackles is an admirable achievement.

Sad for the dragons to lose Tovey, brave of him to get that last kick with a bad knee.

spoilt my night that result. Surely there should have been some 10 cover on the bench for the dragons. Something drastic needs to happen or why will players like Lydiate, Faletau and Brew stay. No one wants to loose every week and the clueless way we are playing at the moment is just really frustrating to watch so god knows what its like to play in. I really think the dragons need some help in the coaching set up, not enough experiance there to drive things forward and darren Edwards hardly seems like the type of guy who will read the riot act for not winning a game against the Scarlets second xv (lets be honest it was!!)

What Nige said is exactly right I think, Cymro, was chuffed he said it. Like SS posted earlier on, a lot of the players for the Scarlets have been regular squad member for a fair few seasons now and they all play a very, very important part for us. You can't always rely on the 'stars' to win games for you I don't think!

The vibe with the Scarlets at the moment is brilliant, long may it carry on that way

I really like the Dragons, but wouldn't if they were like this when I started liking them, if that makes sense?

When can fingers be pointed at Darren Edwards?
We are tactically naive. We play rugby in the wrong areas and have done for a while. We aren't learning from our mistakes at all. We have mo cutting edge from our backs. We play too lateral. We have no kicking game and tonight you have to question why Steffan Jones (who had a blinder for Keys on boxing day) wasn't on the bench. We lack leadership .

Well that game was pretty stop start, some players had good games for both teams, felt bad for the Dragons losing Tovey so early on, but Robling put in some nice kicks.

Felt bad also for Dom Day who must've had 3 or 4 penalties for doing nothing wrong.

Smacks of a team lacking confidence and a clueless coach. Change the coach and I'd bet that the Dragons squad would gell. They are not far from being a good side - they just need confidence and a change of leadership.

manofgwent wrote:When can fingers be pointed at Darren Edwards?
We are tactically naive. We play rugby in the wrong areas and have done for a while. We aren't learning from our mistakes at all. We have mo cutting edge from our backs. We play too lateral. We have no kicking game and tonight you have to question why Steffan Jones (who had a blinder for Keys on boxing day) wasn't on the bench. We lack leadership .

Not sure you can blame Darren Edwards. Newport GD would have won easily had they had another recognised kicker even after all of the mistakes. So buy someone else who can kick is the answer. There's the problem. Cash.

If Tovey had of been on and kicked the goals dragons would have won well. Dragons played some very good rugby.

You can't say that. He knee was crocked. He may have got some points, but how many would he have given away?