Dragons v Leinster

TAULUPE Faletau returns to the Newport Gwent Dragons starting XV for Sunday’s clash with Guinness Pro12 champions Leinster at Rodney Parade.

The Wales number eight started last weekend’s European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-final win against Cardiff Blues on the bench, as did openside Nic Cudd.

However, the pair slot into the back row alongside Nick Crosswell for the Leinster encounter with James Thomas moving forward to lock and James Benjamin named among the replacements.

Director of rugby Lyn Jones has been true to his word and fields his first team despite the semi-final against Edinburgh at Murrayfield looming.

Tyler Morgan replaces Pat Leach in midfield but other than that he sticks with the side that have beaten Ulster, Treviso and Cardiff Blues.

Loosehead Luke Garrett is rewarded for a series of impressive performances for Wales Under-20s and Cross Keys with a place on the bench while Matthew Screech covers lock.

“We’ve got to use Leinster in a five-day turnaround as a really good training session, incorporating it in our preparation for Edinburgh,” said Jones earlier this week.

“We’ve got our feet firmly on the floor. We quickly put the Blues to bed, we enjoyed the moment but our thoughts turned directly to Leinster on Monday.

“European rugby is nice and we will think about that next week but now it’s about Leinster and we are not in the position where we can rest players."

Leinster’s matchday squad includes 12 of the 23 that were on duty against Bath in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup last weekend.

With a huge game against Toulon in Marseille looming, coach Matt O’Connor opts to leave out Ireland stars Jamie Heaslip, Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien, Rob Kearney, Ian Madigan, Devin Toner, Mike Ross and Sean Cronin.

However, they can ill afford to slip up at Rodney Parade in the battle for the playoffs and still boast a side with plenty of experience and class in the shape of Gordon D’Arcy, Eoin Reddan, Shane Jennings, Dave Kearney, Jimmy Gopperth and Zane Kirchner They boast a powerful tight five of Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Martin Moore, Ben Marshall and Mike McCarthy.

Dragons: J Tovey, T Prydie, T Morgan, J Dixon, H Amos, D Jones, J Evans, P Price, R Thomas (captain), B Harris, J Thomas, C Hill, N Crosswell, N Cudd, T Faletau. Replacements: R Buckley, L Garrett, D Way, M Screech, J Benjamin, L Jones, P Leach, G R Jones.

Leinster: Z Kirchner, D Kearney, B Te’o, G D’Arcy, D Fanning, J Gopperth, E Reddan, J McGrath, R Strauss, M Moore, B Marshall, M McCarthy, D Ryan, S Jennings (captain), J Conan. Replacements: A Dundon, M Bent, T Furlong, R Molony, J Murphy, L McGrath, N Reid, L Fitzgerald.

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/dragons/12882983.Faletau_starts_as_Dragons_stick_with_first_team_against_Leinster/

Certainly a good chance for the Dragons to do the double over Leinster. Where is Byrne and Amos?

Amos is playing, on the left wing. Lee Byrne's been out injured for ages.

Byrne has been injured and Amos is starting. I'm worried about losing Landman and Coombes with this game and the semi final coming up. They were two big players for us.

The Saint wrote:Byrne has been injured and Amos is starting. I'm worried about losing Landman and Coombes with this game and the semi final coming up. They were two big players for us.

Where is Boris Stankovich? he has probably been more important for you and your much improved scrum than Coombes.

He should be back for the Edinburgh game, so I've heard.

I was hoping that Leinster would go "balls out" for this one and get a few combos moving for Toulon.

Looks like Matt O'Connor is hedging his bets with the 5 day turnaround to the Ulster game from Toulon.

Perhaps he is not paying enough respect to the Dragons with the team he has named, and it will come back to haunt him as we need to win this AND Ulster to have any hope of a playoff spot.

I am hoping that the fact that the Dragons have a short turnaround themselves this week will keep us in it. That and the fact that they have feck all to play for in the league bar staying ahead of Cardiff.

Home advantage and pride though, and the prospect of doing the double on the reigning champs..... Not to mention the famous "hostile environment" that youse lads create.

Could be a black Sunday for us.

Sorry I meant Brew instead of Amos. Don't know how I got them mix up.

As Gats says:  Smash 'em, Smash 'em, Smash 'em!

Oh that's the Leinster team???

Oh well, revise the plan.  Dragons 28 - Leinster 6 ..... and out of the play-offs.

These are the differences to when you beat us in the RDS. Barring Faletau are most of them downgrades? (Please say yes)

13 Pat Leach Tyler Morgan
1 Owen Evans Phil Price
4 Andrew Coombs James Thomas
5 Rynard Landman (C) Cory Hill
6/8 James Thomas Taulupe Faletau.
17 Boris Stankovich Luke Garrett
19 Ian Gough Matthew Screech
21 Richie Rees Luc Jones
22 Ashley Smith Pat Leach
23 Matthew Pewtner Geraint Rhys Jones

Tyler Morgan, Phil Price are definitely step-ups. James Thomas is a 6 covering lock, so kind of similar to Coombes I guess but there's no drop off in capabilities there. GR Jones is a 10 and Pewtner a winger, but I've always thought Pewtner was average. Jones looks decent.

Will be interesting to see how Luke Garrett goes, hes been in fine form for cross keys and wales 20s

Good to see us putting out our strongest team given the semi next week. When is Landman due back and what's the news on Coombs' injury?

Not sure on Landman, think it's a week after the semi? We need him back badly.

Landman would be back for the Challenge Cup final, if we make it. I'm not sure if he'll be back in time for Judgement Day.

Coombs dislocated knee so probably out for rest of season

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:I was hoping that Leinster would go "balls out" for this one and get a few combos moving for Toulon.

Looks like Matt O'Connor is hedging his bets with the 5 day turnaround to the Ulster game from Toulon.

Perhaps he is not paying enough respect to the Dragons with the team he has named, and it will come back to haunt him as we need to win this AND Ulster to have any hope of a playoff spot.

I am hoping that the fact that the Dragons have a short turnaround themselves this week will keep us in it. That and the fact that they have feck all to play for in the league bar staying ahead of Cardiff.

Home advantage and pride though, and the prospect of doing the double on the reigning champs..... Not to mention the famous "hostile environment" that youse lads create.

Could be a black Sunday for us.

I'm sure he'll respect us plenty seeing as we've beaten you in leinstuuuuuur already this year.

Won't be hostile on Sunday. We are all nice goys and those who aren't in church still, will be well behaved. That said, I'm sure mr mitrea will do his best to give the D4 crowd their token penalty try. He loikes all oirish v us too.

Leinster by 560. Penalty try a minute probably

Why aren't we paying these D4 types more respect? Just because we smashed them once, we rotate our reserve back row in, when we could've just started Screech and minimised the distraction. Also, why isn't Carl Meyer back in, seeing as he did well in Treviso and GR Jones can't pretend he had a blinder last week, to displace him in the squad?

Well worst possible set of results for Leinster today - everybody ahead of us gets 5 points. Had hoped Connacht would have done a job on Ulster but hard to quibble with a 5-2 try count. With her indoors demanding the telly for Montalbano, went out to the pub for the Munster game only to find bleeding golf clogging up the telly - what a p1sser.

For Leinster unless we get 5 points against Dragons - can you seriously see us getting 4 tries - then we can write off the Pro12. Can't see us beating Ulster oop north. Matt better hope we can somehow turn over Toulon next week or else the season is a write-off

The game in the RDS aside, Leinster normally have our number whatever team they put out. Personally, I'm not very confident but dragons are on a bit of a roll

I read on Twitter that Leinster have only won away twice in the league this season. That can't be right, surely?

http://www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures_grid.php

I might go to this game, I am looking for something to do today, the only problem is I will have to drive and I will not be able to have a sherbert. Why the fook is this kicking off a 4pm on a Sunday ? If it was earlier I could have made a day of it, gone for dinner, the girls could have gone shopping, but everything closes after 4pm. On the other hand I might just go down the club after dinner to watch it. This needs sorting, 4pm on a Sunday is no good for man or beast.

If Leinster win it'll be good for me.... even if they're forced to move it to a mid-night start with lights out and no cameras

Actually that's the best time for the Irish to use all their favourite ref tricks to get bonus points required!

Cop on Pro12!!! Act like a real league! More midnight non-floodlit games!!!!

LordDowlais wrote:I might go to this game, I am looking for something to do today, the only problem is I will have to drive and I will not be able to have a sherbert. Why the fook is this kicking off a 4pm on a Sunday ? If it was earlier I could have made a day of it, gone for dinner, the girls could have gone shopping, but everything closes after 4pm. On the other hand I might just go down the club after dinner to watch it. This needs sorting, 4pm on a Sunday is no good for man or beast.

Could just not drink......

Good start by the dragons so far. Two exceptional tackles by Jack Dixon

Penalty line out drive penalty line out drive try

Dragons leading

Great composure from dragons

These 2nds Leinster boys don't look like the have the cutting edge to get through a paper bag. O'Connor really has taken all bite out of the lesser guys in Leinster's squad. They're wallflowers.... soft as talc on a baby's bum

Okay prove me wrong boys

The worst kick for touch ever?

Dragons are butchering the Leinster line outs...

Good dragons team...!

Jon Evans has become a much improved player this year. Bath have a good buy there, and we are set to lose two good scrum-halves.

It is dreadful anaemic stuff from Leinster when 'attacking' - season's long story.

Leinster are attacking well, experience of Goperth, Reddan, Kearney and D'Arcy showing but Dragons defending has been superb..

The Saint wrote:Jon Evans has become a much improved player this year. Bath have a good buy there, and we are set to lose two good scrum-halves.

Who is the other good scrum half you are losing?

Dragons playing well here. Less said about Leinster the better.

Huge scrum for the penalty there...

Big effort dragons, thryve been struggling in the scrums.

Leinster have three internationals in their front row

Leinster massively underestimated the Dragons scrum there.

maestegmafia wrote:Leinster are attacking well, experience of Goperth, Reddan, Kearney and D'Arcy showing but Dragons defending has been superb..

Attacking well?


Hmmm..............rubbish in my book, maesteg. Dragons playing their part - not denying they're there doing their bit. But Leinster attack this season is featherweight and full of handling errors.

Good pressure leading to the try there.

Dixon still too suspect in defence for me, he's missed too many on Te'o already.

maestegmafia wrote:

The Saint wrote:Jon Evans has become a much improved player this year. Bath have a good buy there, and we are set to lose two good scrum-halves.

Who is the other good scrum half you are losing?

I think Rees is off as well.

Good man Gopperth ...lost two gets five..... he can do his maths that lad

Pathetic defending there.

Dragons switched off there, Richie Rees wouldn't have missed that tackle.

The Saint wrote:Dixon still too suspect in defence for me, he's missed too many on Te'o already.

He is highest in the tackle count so far mate... Put in two awesome hits in the first quarter.

maestegmafia wrote:

The Saint wrote:Dixon still too suspect in defence for me, he's missed too many on Te'o already.

He is highest in the tackle count so far mate... Put in two awesome hits in the first quarter.

What and that makes the tackles missed okay? If you watch Dragons more often, and it sounds like you don't, you'd be able to see that he isn't a good defender when the opposition isn't playing from phase play. Both missed tackles on Te'o were in broken play. Dixon either struggles to set the defensive line or just doesn't set it. Dragons defence is making Leinster's average attack look good, they're gaining ground too easily.

Thomas off is a shame, he's been playing well

The Saint wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

The Saint wrote:Dixon still too suspect in defence for me, he's missed too many on Te'o already.

He is highest in the tackle count so far mate... Put in two awesome hits in the first quarter.

What and that makes the tackles missed okay? If you watch Dragons more often, and it sounds like you don't, you'd be able to see that he isn't a good defender when the opposition isn't playing from phase play. Both missed tackles on Te'o were in broken play. Dixon either struggles to set the defensive line or just doesn't set it. Dragons defence is making Leinster's average attack look good, they're gaining ground too easily.

Dragons 106 tackles by half time...!

Dixon may have missed a couple but if he hadn't made the ones he did Dragons would be in a worse position than they are now.

Jeez, defence from Jones' son has also been pathetic in this game.