N-G Dragons vs Edinburgh

Edinburgh Team:

15 Tom Brown
14 Sep Visser
13 Matt Scott
12 John Houston
11 Tim Visser
10 Phil Godman
9 Chris Leck

1 Kyle Traynor
2 Alun Walker
3 Jack Gilding
4 Grant Gilchrist
5 Sean Cox
6 Stuart McInally
7 Roddy Grant CAPTAIN
8 Netani Talei

Substitutes

16 Andrew Kelly
17 Robin Hislop
18 Ulises Gamboa
19 Esteban Lozada
20 Hamish Watson
21 Alex Black
22 Gregor Hunter
23 Jim Thompson

Very disappointed to see Matt Scott turning out at 13(!), it does not bode well for a sensible selection at national level

Weak spots in the team are WCP, the front row and Leck's passing, decent strength in second and back rows, and outside backs don't look too shabby

I thought Leck played quite well last week? Looked busy anyway.

Not too bothered about Scott at 13 as I don't really expect Robinson to pick him and any game time is better than no game time!

Really need to win this one. We've got nothing to play for but we really should be aiming to finish above the dragons, Airioni, Connaught and Trevisio as a bare minimum.

Plus we could do with some momentum before the 7th of April!

Edinburgh just need to start taking these games seriously, and stop treating them as training exercises. That means taking points when on offer and playing to win.

Edinburgh should win this game, front row and stand off aside it's a very decent team. Perhaps a shame for Jim Thompson that Sep Visser is now ahead of him in the pecking order, but I'm pleased to see Brown getting a shot at fullback. Thought he looked sharp against the Ospreys.

JT has had his injury problems - pulled out late last week.

I'd be very surprised if Sep was really ahead of him in the pecking order.

I agree re Brown - Mossy looks like he needs to retire ( ) and Tom Brown is an exciting runner.

Well I guess that makes sense on JT, at least we don't have Simon Webster making a cameo.

I hope Godman has done nothing other than work on his goal kicking this week. Edinburgh are really missing Laidlaw's kicking.

Edinburgh need to finish mid-table as you suggest, for their league position not to detract from HC success. The great celtic sides, Munster and Leinster, are strong because they have squads to compete on all fronts. That's what we need to aspire to (and looking at the signings coming in that's exactly what Bradley and Lineen are addressing).

Already been commented on is the fact that our front row looks really weak, couple that with GoodGodman and our weaknesses are fully exposed. Everything else looks ok.

I have never really thought Leck has played badly for Edinburgh.

Tough game in Newport but hoping as RDW has said we can finish above Connacht, Aironi and Treviso.

Black + Red Army

Not sure Edinburgh should be winning this game. Rodney Parade is a difficult place to go. I have a funny feeling that a few of our players will want to put in massive performances tonight, after the announcements of their imminent departures.

Our team

Martyn Thomas, Adam Hughes, Andy Tuilagi, Ashley Smith (c), Aled Brew, Jason Tovey, Joe Bedford, Nathan Williams, Steve Jones, Nathan Buck, Jevon Groves, Rob Sidoli, Lewis Evans, Darren Waters, Gavin Thomas

Replacements:
Sam Parry, Phil Price, Dan Way, Hugo Ellis, Tom Brown, Jon Evans, Lewis Robling, Will Harries.

Basically I am not too sure about Tuilagi at 13 and I am not a fan of Bedford at 9.

Jeez you Scots are worse than us Irish. You have a team in the QF of the HC and all you can do is look for weaknesses? Shame!

Rav, it's a crisis!!

Rev, don't think it's an expectation, more a comment that if Edinburgh have any ambition then they should be looking to consolidate in the league and win games like this - but they are missing nearly a dozen players, so I don't think anyone is that confident. One week to go for you?

Rava wrote:Jeez you Scots are worse than us Irish. You have a team in the QF of the HC and all you can do is look for weaknesses? Shame!

The difference is, a lot of these players are back up to the ones that got us there - and the backup are awful!

I must agree rev, Bedford is a weakness and I lost faith in tuilagi when he was ment to be getting fit I saw him smoking and drinking in a Cardiff night club...

We need a win.. To much gloom around at the moment. It will be interesting to see Lewis come on at 10 at l evans needs a big game in the back row.

Dragons by 8 and a good sing song!

Why is he insisting with Bedford at 9 can anyone explain?

Also with Brew off as well now next season we need to find another winger because I feel if we keep shunting Hughes back out there he himself will get peeved.

Evans is injured and after my tuilagi cOmment I read he's lost 11kg!

Harries on the bench - still struggling, or Hughes is more in form?

Now, Steffens jones is playing very well for keys and people are wondering why he's not in the squad. Is it do he can play 80mins at 10 rather than sit on our bench?

Mike Poole to come in for Brew next season surely? I really thought Pewtner would become a regular face this season but hasn't been so.
Yeah Tuilagi has trimmed down to 113kg, he was 124kg when he arrived! His weight stat on the Dragons site is obviously wrong as I remember thinking wow he's light for a Tuilagi!

Risca Rev wrote:Not sure Edinburgh should be winning this game. Rodney Parade is a difficult place to go. I have a funny feeling that a few of our players will want to put in massive performances tonight, after the announcements of their imminent departures.

Who is definitely departing?

Morgannwg - Tovey, Brew, Charteris. Roumors of M.Thomas, W.Evans leaving too and Castle/Willis have retired.

Im sick of the negativity latley, ive been whinning on myself but lets get behind the boys today n make some noise. Weve kept hold of danny n toby n we have some very exciting young talent... (same old story eh?)

I didn't think Tovey or Charteris had been officially confirmed yet.

0 - 3 after a successful Embra penalty. Tovey missed his first attempt.

Wow we got off pretty lightly there!

Glad to see the ref is not putting up with any dodgey stuff in the rucks, that does my head in!

Dragons with a man in the bin. It's still 0 - 3 at the moment.

3 - 3 after a succesful penalty from Tovey.

Great penalty from Tovey - huge kick.

6 - 3.

Now Embra have a man in the bin too. Their no.5 is binned. Thomas just out of his binning.

Quiet weekend then Cari?

Try Dragons. 13 - 3 after conversion.

Come on the Drags.
Shame they didn't include terracing in the new stand.

Brew in the corner with a second try.

18 - 3.

Allez le Brew!

How crap are Edinburgh just now??? Absolutely raging.

Can't believe they messed that one up! We always mess up.

Matt Scott looks good, even at 13. Nick De Luca offers nothing to Scotland, pay attention Andy.

way too much slow ball from Edinburgh, Dragons are dominating in rucks.. can't see us winning this one, looking pretty clueless out there.

No offence to Embra, but we should perhaps be a score or 2 further in front by now. Lots of possession close to the Embra line but poor final plays have led to forward passes, penalties, etc.

P.s. I'm not at the game as I have man flu! Poor excuse I know, but I feel like sh*t.

Matt Scott is definitely a stand out - Jim Thomson is playing well too!

Griff wrote:No offence to Embra, but we should perhaps be a score or 2 further in front by now. Lots of possession close to the Embra line but poor final plays have led to forward passes, penalties, etc.

P.s. I'm not at the game as I have man flu! Poor excuse I know, but I feel like sh*t.

Griff,it's an epedmic.I've got it too!Just had a can of soup.It was red/orange so it was probably tomatoe-taste buds are not functioning.
How the Embra fans expected a win with this outfit is pretty insulting to be honest.We are poor but they are dire.

They have a penalty and they aren't going for touch. Just idiocy in my view.

Yep, true. Without wanting to sound arrogant (Christ, I'm a dragons fan so little to be arrogant about), but winning at Rodney parade is never a given, even for teams at the top of the league. We're a much different proposition at home. A Scottish team with a lot of players missing has an even harder task, Heineken Cup quarter finalists or not.

Only one team in this game, it's a shame Smith has butchered one try and possibly another by being selfish. So far D Waters looks like the best player in the pack but he does not speak Welsh so I suspect Brew will get MOTM.

Much better from Edinburgh! Came from a fantastic run by Matt Scott.

21-10

Lol Tovey...
Clueless

What did he do that for??

Yep, Edinburgh stepping it up now. Concentration needed by the Dragons.

Poor by Tovey, very poor.

His kicking is much better than Preistland's

What worries me is how bad Edinburgh have been at the breakdown for the past few weeks now.

It is usually a massive strength of ours but we've been well 2nd best for weeks!

This ref has absolutely penalised the hell out of us today.

Like watching semi-pros with some of the handling skills. Knock ons, passes spraying everywhere except 'in the bread basket', mucked up running lines, etc.

At least we won though...!

Misplaced optimism/arrogance by our Scottish brethren.They hadnt won in Newport since 2006 and they will have to wait another year to try again.
Your team should finish above ours only if they were a better side.Unless my eyes deceived me your lot are pants!

Enjoyed the game at least both teams tried to play attacking rugby, I still think the Dragons Samoan is poor his hands must be covered with grease.

Taff:

I think your comment is unfair as they provide the best part of the Scottish team he Dragons 2 players!

Morgannwg wrote:Can't believe they messed that one up! We always mess up.

Expertly butchered.
Any kind of pass, other than forward and Brew was in.

misplaced optimism/arrogance? I don't know about any other edinburgh fans but I didn't expect to win easily away, especially when the squad is unsettled due to 6 nations on just now.

We played dire, gave away so many penalties (although I think some were a bit skeptical). Dragons had right idea, they slowed down the rucks when we had possession and prevented us from playing our natural game. Should have done better in 2nd half but I think we're lucky to have not lost by more.