Dragons v Blues Build-up Thread

[Luckless Pedestrian]

First topic message reminder :

Just thought I'd get the ball rolling ahead of Saturday's derby match. The Blues have a good record at Dave Parade and will be looking to get back to winning ways after losing at home against Edinburgh; the Dragons lost away to Leinster on the weekend but will have taken heart from scoring three tries at the RDS and will be looking to put in another winning performance at home.

What do we think? Who's going to come out on top?

[wales606]

Prydie was the fastest player in the Wales squad, faster than Shane and Halfpenny.

Tom James comes from athletics and is probably the fastest if sprinting from try-line to try-line.

[thebluesmancometh]

Oh of course, their careers will depend on what they do on the pitch, it'll determine what kind of package they bring to the game, and IMO both Evans and Prydie will prove very usefull for the Dragons over the course of the season, and well outweigh what they lost in Brew.

This argument all started because I mentioned that both sets of teams will concede penalties and that there is little out wide from either team to threaten the defences. For all the Blues failings in the last few weeks the defencive system has been decent enough, I don't see the Dragons tearing them apart.

[thebluesmancometh]

Prydie was the fastest player in the Wales squad, faster than Shane and Halfpenny.

Tom James comes from athletics and is probably the fastest if sprinting from try-line to try-line.
___________________________________________________________

Not entirely accurate mate, James is from cross country essentially and isn't that quick, he's powerfull but not electric.

Prydie isn't that quick.

[munkian]

I dont think anyone has said they will though, the games at Rodney parade have been fairly tight recently.

[thebluesmancometh]

Munkian

I'd expect another one, tight scrum with the refs arm falling off from repetititve strain disorder, 2 possible strong back rows compounding the problem IMO mediocre/inexperienced half backs and 2 backlines that will nulify each other the scoreboard will depend on defencive capabilities and discipline at the breakdown.

[youngguns6]

.. Are these tests done with a rugby ball in there hands?

[youngguns6]

"This argument all started because I mentioned that both sets of teams will concede penalties and that there is little out wide from either team to threaten the defences"

NO - it started because you said tuilagi is a bosh pad and that we didn't have any pace around him. - that is wrong. I then said we had plenty of pace.

[offload]

Tom James is surprisingly agile, but not particularly bright.

Agreed.

Either that or he's borrowed Mikey Phillip's set of blinkers. He does the break and suddenly forgets it's a team sport!

[munkian]

Lydiate , Hughes and Roberts are back for this game , should be good !

[gowales]

Lydiate , Hughes and Roberts are back for this game , should be good !

That just made things extra interesting

[munkian]

Especially if Tuilagis form continues

[wales606]

Especially if Tuilagis form continues

If Roberts starts for the Blues, I don't think they will worry about Tuilagi on the crash, Roberts will floor him 99 times out of 100.

Even though he doesn't make the same ground with the Blues, his defence is still second to none.

[youngguns6]

Yeh fair comment robberts will wrap him up but then hopfully that will be him out of the next phase which is what both opposite 12s will be aiming to do.

Hughes will probably be on the bench then which gives us another good option.

[glamorganalun]

If halfpenny is out I suspect the Dragons will win as Sweeny's kicking is not that great. The Blues need to drop James as he cost them the game last week. If the Blues have worked on their scrum they may be able to keep the Dragons back row in check but I suspect the Dragons will take a close game. I hope the rain stays away and we get a fast open game.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Still no squad / team announcements as far as I can see.

[XR]

Here's me coming to comment on the game and i get all this fitness waffle thrown around. Let's just say that these guys are quicker than us

[Guest]

Extended squads are out. The Argus printed ours. Hughes back in along with Lydiate. Coundley gets a place instead of Williams, after a good cameo last week.

Dragons squad: D Evans, T Prydie, W Harries, A Hughes, A Tuilagi, A Smith, P Leach, L Robling, Steffan Jones, J Evans, L Davies, P Price, A Coundley, Steve Jones, H Gustafson, D Way, N Buck, I Nimmo, A Jones, J Groves, L Evans (captain), H Stoddart, D Lydiate, T Faletau, T Brown.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

So the Argus beat the Dragons website to it!

[munkian]

Thats a pretty decent team from us : )

[youngguns6]

I'm guessing the backs will be unchanged with Hughes coming onto the bench. The front row will probably be price, jones, way. Nimmo and jones in the row with Danny Toby and Lewis captain.

[munkian]

I likes it. We almost have strength in depth in our backs

[youngguns6]

Will DE go with Hughes and smith on the bench or will smith miss out with Roblin coming in? Interesting, I can't remember the last time we had genuine options for the bench.

[Guest]

Robling has to come onto the bench for this. Robling and Hughes for me. It's daft to go in without genuine ten cover.

[munkian]

And is Steffan decent enough at 10 ?

[youngguns6]

Steffan decent enough? He looks like he could be a quality player. He's good at every aspect of 10 play. He will only get better, no complaints from me having him at fly half. Ok his defendings not brilliant but that's not what a 10 is there to do!

Ye I'd go with Roblin and Hughes. That's 10,12,13 and the wins covered by 2 players. Also leach can move to 12. Prydie to fullback so we've got a lot of options if injures hit. Strange to not have smith in the 22 when fit but it's a long season. When Tondi is back we've got massive selection headachs!

[thebluesmancometh]

Steffans a cracking player, but watch out for his younger brother, 16 now, give him 2 seasons and he'll be in the reckoning.

[Liam]

Think Harry Robinson deserves a start this weekend. James just hasn't got a rugby brain and if I had to put money on James or Robinson being in the autumn internationals squad then I'd put my money on Robinson.

Think Blues should real make use of the talent he has and try to bring him to the next level by giving him game time, only way players will improve.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Think Harry Robinson deserves a start this weekend. James just hasn't got a rugby brain and if I had to put money on James or Robinson being in the autumn internationals squad then I'd put my money on Robinson.

Think Blues should real make use of the talent he has and try to bring him to the next level by giving him game time, only way players will improve.

Def, seeing as James has proved he's not international standard but is a good regional player (even with using all the muscles except the most important one), it'd be Robinson or nothing in the Wales squad.

[Janecory]

Steffans a cracking player, but watch out for his younger brother, 16 now, give him 2 seasons and he'll be in the reckoning.

Can you PM the winning Lottery numbers for the weekend.

[munkian]

Cardiff Blues

15. Thomas Williams 14. Alex Cuthbert 13. Gavin Evans 12. Dafydd Hewitt 11. Harry Robinson 10. Rhys Patchell 9. Lloyd Williams

8. Andries Pretorius (c) 7. Sam Warburton 6. Josh Navidi 5. James Down 4. Bradley Davies
3.Taufa'ao Filise 2.Marc Breeze 1.Nathan Trevett

16. Kristian Dacey 17. Thomas Davies 18.Benoit Bourrust 19. Lou Reed 20.Rory Watts-Jones 21.Lewis Jones 22. Ceri Sweeney 23. Jamie Roberts


Damnit they've dropped James

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Who the chuff is Rhys Patchell?

[munkian]

He was 10 against Embra I believe

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Ceri Sweeney played 10 against Edinburgh. Maybe Patchell came on as a sub but I don't remember hearing his name.

He'd better not be good!

[munkian]

If Sweeney started ahead of him I wouldn't be too worried

[youngguns6]

I have to concerns.
Blues have 2 openside playing, ours isn't really a 7.
Cuthburt and Robinson are dangerous.


Gone are the days of a young 10 coming in and the opposing pack smashing him late in the first 10mins. I miss that.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Patchell played a few friendlies i believe,isnt he around 20ish and with tovey,sweeney and gareth davies makes up the blues stable of 10s this season. Who is thomas williamson?

[munkian]

Yeah, Robinson and Cuthbert worry me, as does Roberts coming on as an impact sub.

How the breakdown is reffed is going to have a massive impact on this game

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Do we know who's reffing the match?

[XR]

Ceri Sweeney played 10 against Edinburgh. Maybe Patchell came on as a sub but I don't remember hearing his name.

He'd better not be good!

If Sweeney started ahead of him I wouldn't be too worried

He was outside half for cardiff rfc last year, he's far quicker than Sweeney and far more attack minded. He likes to run with the ball and attack the back line but can mix it up with his passing and territorial kicking. He looks promising from what i've seen but he's still a young guy who is starting his first professional league game, so we'll see how he copes.

Patchell played a few friendlies i believe,isnt he around 20ish and with tovey,sweeney and gareth davies makes up the blues stable of 10s this season. Who is thomas williamson?

Tom Williams is the younger brother of Lloyd Williams. He played a few times in pre season, scored a hat trick against Worcester and really looked the business. Just hope he can carry that form on in the league.

[XR]

Do we know who's reffing the match?

From the Pro12 website

Referee: Neil Hennessy (WRU, 10th competition game)
Assistant Referees: James Jones, Wayne Davies (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Charles (WRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

When scanning the page, i saw James Jones' named and winced, but then saw he was only running the line and i felt relaxed again

[Luckless Pedestrian]

At least it's not that Leighton whatsisname, he's terrible.

[youngguns6]

Dan Evans, Will Harries , Pat Leach, Andy Tuilagi, Tom Prydie , Steffan Jones; Jonathan Evans; Phil Price, Steve Jones, Dan Way, Ian Nimmo, Adam Jones, Dan Lydiate, Lewis Evans (c), Toby Faletau

Replacements
Hugh Gustafson, Aaron Coundley, Nathan Buck, Jevon Groves, Tom Brown, Liam Davies, Ashley Smith, Adam Hughes


As expected but no Roblin on the bench. Can't wait!!!

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I'd have liked Adam Hughes to come straight in at outside centre, but it's still good to have him in the match-day squad.

If we're not going to have Robling on the bench, Steffan Jones has to play the full 80 minutes. We haven't signed Dan Evans as an outside half.

[bedfordwelsh]

I still think Smith is the one who makes our backline tick but he just cant seem to get an injury free season.

Like what I have seen of Nimmo and that backrow really excites me.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Evans can play at FH, so he's probably covering in case of injury, but I suppose as you say it's more likely for Steffan to play 80 mins, which will be good for him

[bedfordwelsh]

Priest,

Yh I agree that we need to give Jones all the game time we can and 80 minutes a (hopefully) full blooded derby much which will ultimately end in a Dragons victory can only be good for him.

[youngguns6]

Smith is a 12 who can cover 10 but we have to 12s on the field already, I'd of rathered Roblin to cover 10 n 12.

Hughes and smith coming on would really change our attack so I guess its a great option for the bench.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

It's game on now the teams have been announced, isn't it?

[Smirnoffpriest]

I like the way the Dragons backs have really strengthened and seem to have options all over (except maybe 9). Their backrow is coming along, despite some really unlucky injuries, such as Gavin T and Waters, but their in the same boat as the Scarlets were, no strength in the front 5 - but hopefully that'll change soon, and they've got some good and some promising locks and Iestyn helping out.

I hope this is a good no holds barred derby with some good attacking rugby, but there's a chance it could be a little turgid. fingers crossed.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Priest,

Yh I agree that we need to give Jones all the game time we can and 80 minutes a (hopefully) full blooded derby much which will ultimately end in a Dragons victory can only be good for him.

Yeah it'll be great to see Steffan come on this season, he looks good, I just hope Roblin manages to get enough game time as well, because he looked good when he played last season.

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