JUDGEMENT DAY!!

First topic message reminder :

Anybody going up then?

If so, can you spare a minute to complete a brief survey:

Dixon is big and useless.

"Dixon is big and useless"

Is that a WUM? He's more than solid in defence, a strong runner, good hands and good at the breakdown. He's going to be a very good 12. He's still only 18.

It seems to have wound you up. As I said in the Ospreys match, he was the worst player on the field, completely ineffectual in attack. Edwards said he should be touring with Wales!

Have to worry our front row is going to be more underpowered than usual. That's saying something. Glad I can't watch this, as I'm worried.

If we can go to uncontested scrums within the first 5 minutes we could be alright!

Taffineastbourne wrote:If we can go to uncontested scrums within the first 5 minutes we could be alright!

Is this regarding the Blues or Dragons???

Dan Evans at ten? Adam Hughes on the bench? What the chuff is he thinking?!

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Taffineastbourne wrote:If we can go to uncontested scrums within the first 5 minutes we could be alright!

Is this regarding the Blues or Dragons???

Dragons.

Taffineastbourne wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Taffineastbourne wrote:If we can go to uncontested scrums within the first 5 minutes we could be alright!

Is this regarding the Blues or Dragons???

Dragons.

You mind if I extend that to the Blues too mate?

We are Blues season ticket holders so voted other. Seats in M10, row 1 so the best I have ever had in the Mill. And dinner between games in the St David's lounge. Roll on, but yes, can't see the Blues winning if there are more than a few scrums. I am surprised more has not been made of Biggar v Patchell. I feel the latter is the better player.

laurie, your seats are slightly better than mine, but I won't be too far away M8 I think.

Patchell is an emerging talent, but he won't have the platfomr to perform saturday, and Biggar will look extremely good I suspect!

Agreed thebluesmancometh - players always look better going forward, but we can make allowances and this could open a few eyes. As regards J Roberts I have heard a Blues director saying that he was poor value last season at around £100K a game played for the club, while I also understood Sam Warburton had an ankle problem after the Wales/England-maybe a knee as well, as my source is reliable.

Ye I spoke to his brother (Dragons physio) who said his ankle was sore. Roberts has been a waste of time Blues wise since that Leicester semi final at the MS, he costs a fortune and barely turns out for us.

With us not having a tight 5, and constantly panic buying Romanians, PI'ers, and French and Irish no marks there really is little point spending a fortune on a centre who would only be interested in playoffs and HC latter stages, mainly because we won't be there!!

The likes of Roberts, 1/2p, Warburton are very good players to have, but they need SOME SORT OF PLATFORM to perform, and the welsh internationals cannot go 6-8 months without being in a winning team like ours did last year!!!

Agreed 100% - we were at the Treviso game last week, and the ref there was I thought v harsh on the Blues, and they lost simply because of the scrums. So in the absence of a platform there, some thought needed, eg Nigel [ ref. on Saturday] loves to yellow-card two opposing props at the same time.

So maybe niggle at AJ to depower them a bit for 10 is the tactic? And hope we can improve next season. We will have a much better front row then as announced, at least for the big games, and grunt back with Bradley.

lauriehow wrote:Agreed 100% - we were at the Treviso game last week, and the ref there was I thought v harsh on the Blues, and they lost simply because of the scrums. So in the absence of a platform there, some thought needed, eg Nigel [ ref. on Saturday] loves to yellow-card two opposing props at the same time.

So maybe niggle at AJ to depower them a bit for 10 is the tactic? And hope we can improve next season. We will have a much better front row then as announced, at least for the big games, and grunt back with Bradley.

Or Hobbs and co take a dive and we have to play uncontested... where is that quins physio when you need him?

God, I've just seen Neil Paterson is reffing the Dragons v Scarlets game. Why haven't we got a Welsh ref? Paterson is dreadful too. The only blessing is he isn't likely to have an influence on the result.

Speaking of Welsh refs, Leighton Hodges refereed Glasgow v Munster last night; I've never been a fan of his (to put it mildly) but he did an excellent job, in fairness. His playing of advantage in particular was spot on.

I'm travelling to Cardiff in hope rather than expectation for this one. I'm worried that Dan Lydiate's right and that we could be looking at another 50-pointer if we don't get our act together. The last few games we've conceded soft tries (tries, in the plural) in the opening minutes. We can't let that happen again, but I really won't be surprised if it does.

Today should be a celebration of regional rugby and I'm worried we're going to embarrass ourselves.

Cmon guys don't be so negative, many people are treating this as a mini international there appears to be loads of fans who normally wouldnt watch regional rugby, going to see the games.

This could be a great boost to regional rugby

Shifty, on the one hand I can't wait for it: fans of all fours regions rubbing shoulders in the capital, it should be a brilliant atmosphere, and that's before the matches start; but in rugby terms, I wish we were on at least a half-decent run going into it.

It is a pity that the two games could be a bit one sided though. You never know, but Ospreys should overpower the Blues in the pack and Scarlets will look to do the same against us, particularly in the backs.

You're right, both away teams look to be favourites. But you never know, and that's the beauty of sport.

I predict two demolishings of the East at the hands of the West...

It's going to be a long day for a Blues fan with a soft spot for the Dragons!!!

Let's just hope rugby is the winner.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Let's just hope rugby is the winner.

How so?! If rugby is the winner most of the crowd are losers!!! Lets hope for 2 reffing performances intent on keeping the games tight!!

I like the idea of the double header but it couldn't come at a worse time for Welsh rugby, any time before this season both games would be competitive, today they are both one sided!!

Risca Rev wrote:God, I've just seen Neil Paterson is reffing the Dragons v Scarlets game. Why haven't we got a Welsh ref? Paterson is dreadful too. The only blessing is he isn't likely to have an influence on the result.

He is dreadful but he is a hundred times better than Changalang used to be!

Yeah that's a given, but that's like saying being booted up the arse is better than being kicked in the nuts.

Taffineastbourne wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:God, I've just seen Neil Paterson is reffing the Dragons v Scarlets game. Why haven't we got a Welsh ref? Paterson is dreadful too. The only blessing is he isn't likely to have an influence on the result.

He is dreadful but he is a hundred times better than Changalang used to be!

Wasn't that a song by the Bay City Rollers?

Risca Rev wrote:Yeah that's a given, but that's like saying being booted up the arse is better than being kicked in the nuts.

I was trying for a positive spin. Paterson is truly dreadful and has the appearance of an alien who found a Laws book floating in space and has read it from cover to cover but has never seen or played the game.He has a total lack of empathy for the game.He was awful when he started out and has shown no sign of improving.

Empathy for the game is such an intangible, but one thing's certain: you know when a referee has it.

Fans of all regions dotted around the city centre, it's great to see. Hope the rugby can match the atmosphere!

More rotating from Edwards. He must approach team selection with a lucky dip. Clueless coach.

10-10 at half time.Paterson not reffing for some reason!Pretty good game.Scarlets look the better side but Dragons holding on.Scarlets should pull away in the last twenty,I reckon.

That Dragons break was the shizzle.

Our finishing was shizzle though too!

Was that priestland bringing kicking tee on???!

Really enjoyable game so far think it's great the WRU put this day together.

GLove39 wrote:Really enjoyable game so far think it's great the WRU put this day together.

I agree. Not a sellout by any stretch of the imagination, but better attendance than the regions would have got individually. A good thing to build on, and great to continue next season and beyond.

Pleased to see Gareth Owen have a good game.

I'd love to see Dan Evans get something from this game - he's a real pleasure to watch. He was the shining light for Dragons against Glasgow last month - you got the sense that the other Dragons were struggling to keep up with him.

"hint of a block" lol

I'm guessing maybe 25,000 fans there today? It's not what we had hopped for to be honest.

Still well done the the Scarlets and thankyou to the Dragons for not letting them get the bonus point win, now we just need to crush the Blues!

20-28 Scarlets deserved victory.Much improved Dragons performance.Cudd and Evans were great for us.
Hope the second game is as good as this one.
Compliments to the ref,Fitzgibbon ?.Hope it was nothing serious that prevented Paterson from making it but I was glad that he couldn't!

Fairplay to the Dragons, best I've seen from them this season. Evans and Cudd both proved that they made the right move.

If the Blues Ospreys game is half as exciting then Judgement Day will be a huge success.

Shifty wrote:I'm guessing maybe 25,000 fans there today? It's not what we had hopped for to be honest.

Still well done the the Scarlets and thankyou to the Dragons for not letting them get the bonus point win, now we just need to crush the Blues!

It's not bad though - would have only been about 8,000 tops at Rodney Parade.

I guess there were more tickets sold but not everyone went to watch both games which for me is a shame.

@Griff - I'm not sure mate Rodney Parade is always sold out for the Blues game.

I'd be amazed if anyone left early after the Scarlets game, the turks will probably be in a frenzy trying to help the Blues beat the Ospreys.

Shifty wrote:@Griff - I'm not sure mate Rodney Parade is always sold out for the Blues game.

I'd be amazed if anyone left early after the Scarlets game, the turks will probably be in a frenzy trying to help the Blues beat the Ospreys.

But we we playing the Scarlets not the Blues. My point is that if it was not at the MS then it would have been about 8k at RP and the Blues v O's at the arms park would have been maybe 10k. So, overall this looks to have attracted more than by not doing it. I expect some fans to just turn up for the second game too, so overall ticket sales I would imagine will far outstrip what the individual derbies would have generated at the regional grounds. That's a success for me. And it's the first attempt. Next year will be bigger and better I should imagine.

seconded griff

I hope both the WRU and Regions don't write this off after one attempt lets do it again next season and give it a fair crack of the whip.

Griff wrote:

Shifty wrote:@Griff - I'm not sure mate Rodney Parade is always sold out for the Blues game.

I'd be amazed if anyone left early after the Scarlets game, the turks will probably be in a frenzy trying to help the Blues beat the Ospreys.

But we we playing the Scarlets not the Blues. My point is that if it was not at the MS then it would have been about 8k at RP and the Blues v O's at the arms park would have been maybe 10k. So, overall this looks to have attracted more than by not doing it. I expect some fans to just turn up for the second game too, so overall ticket sales I would imagine will far outstrip what the individual derbies would have generated at the regional grounds. That's a success for me. And it's the first attempt. Next year will be bigger and better I should imagine.

Maybe a full house next year? Could do it several times a year, Christmas derbies etc as well...

I think it's a good thing, hopefully I can go next year.