The Battle of Dave Parade - Dragons v Blues

First topic message reminder :

Looking forward to this game on friday, should be good. We were convincingly beaten last season at Dave, i just hope that the players have learned much needed lessons. We can't just turn up at DP and expect a win (maybe when we play at home ) so we need to turn up.

I hope we introduce our WC players as starters and not off the bench, they need to get straight in to the game and get stuck in. Rather than trot on after 60, no point in that.

I'm optimistic that the boys returning might galvanise the blues and we do have the quality to win, but the Dragons treat their home matches against us and the Ospreys as the biggest of thier season...so we have to front up.

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Rhys Thomas
3. Tau Filise
4. Deiniol Jones
5. Bradley Davies
6. Michael Paterson
7. Josh Navidi
8. Xavier Rush

9. Lloyd Williams
10. Ceri Sweeney
11. Tom James
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Casey Laulala
14. Richard Mustoe
15. Chris Czekaj

That's the team i would pick, Deiniol because he offers more in the ruck and mauls that Tito does and with a pack the dragons, with the fans behind them, will be fired up to take it on up front. For me, Tito offers less in this area than DJ.

Gone for Lloyd Williams to start over Richie Rees, RR had a decent game last week but LW will be pretty confident over how the WC went and him v wayne evans would be a pretty good battle.

Sweeney to start. This is probably the one game of the season where Sweeney actually performs, didn't start last year and look what happened Games against the Dragons at Dave are never going to be territorial, kicking games because the match is physical and loose a lot of the time. So Parks' kicking game isn't really needed, Dave is a tight ground and as i said, the games between these two are usually quite attacking affairs and not the type where kicks for territory are needed much.

Finallly, i've gone for Mustoe on the wing. Cuthbert got injured in the last match and it looked like one which could keep him out so i haven't put him up for selection. Mustoe is dependable, quick around the park and gets stuck in. I could have put Czekaj on the wing and Fish at full back but i feel, definsively, Mustoe is better than Fish and with 1/2p out for a few weeks, Czekaj covers full back.

Dragons fans, who are you expecting to start this match? Hopefully the evening will be a nice, dry one so we can get the expansive game that these matches usually are.

Baber doesnt look happy. Think they have agreed 8 though.

Well...what's worse? Late kick off or not at all and pish off the public as well?

Cari wrote:Well...what's worse? Late kick off or not at all and pish off the public as well?

No doubt they dont want any injuries looking forward to next weeks HC.

Risk of drowning Shanks?

Seriously?

True Wales...apparently one of the coaches was arguing with Nigel about it. Thing is, if it's postponed, when would they play it?

Breadvan wrote:Risk of drowning Shanks?

Seriously?

Nigel still saying 8 o'clock but that could change in the next ten minutes. They're letting fans in anyway.

Cari wrote:Nigel still saying 8 o'clock but that could change in the next ten minutes. They're letting fans in anyway.

Glad its Nigel, most refs would have called it off when they saw the water, but Nigel is a bit more understanding and wants to get the game on.

Aye Nigel knows his onions all right. I trust his judgement with something like this.

Cari wrote:Aye Nigel knows his onions all right. I trust his judgement with something like this.

Or is he worried about getting out alive if he calls it off?

Breadvan wrote:Risk of drowning Shanks?

Seriously?

You can drown in an inch of water, so it's not that unbelievable really. Bottom of the ruck on the try line, big pile up, panting for air from all out effort, inhaling big gulps, 30 seconds layer you're dead! Happy days.

Nigel says NO!

Im in my seat,the pitch still looks awful they got loads of fans and even paramedics sweepin water off the pitch and a calls just gone out for volunteer groundsmen. Im glad its on but no way should it b on

Its off now mate sorry...Too much water.

Smirnoff - Nigel just said no it's not on, they can't move it to a later kick off.

The pitch is sopping wet though....I can't see it happening tomorrow nevermind tonight!

Well I dont miss many games at Rodney Parade and I still might get to see this game another night!

It really isn't looking hopeful is it? Besides if it DID go ahead, what would the quality of the game be like?

crowd getting edgy now...I heard Nigel say a nine o'clock kick off! Coaches not agreeing to that though.

Griff wrote:

Breadvan wrote:Risk of drowning Shanks?

Seriously?

You can drown in an inch of water, so it's not that unbelievable really. Bottom of the ruck on the try line, big pile up, panting for air from all out effort, inhaling big gulps, 30 seconds layer you're dead! Happy days.

Yeh granted but they would've never played with a massive puddle like that. Not even with an inch of surface water.

It's off!

OK it's definitely off! this is worse than a celebrity wedding...on...off...

Ah well, I'm going to watch the Irish derby online.

Cari wrote:It really isn't looking hopeful is it? Besides if it DID go ahead, what would the quality of the game be like?

A typical Welsh derby?

Shame but looks like they tried really hard to save it so fair play. Could it be played tomorrow or Sunday instead?

10000 glass jars at the ready next time.

Controversy at RP - my mate says they announced the match was off and there's no refunds.

If Id been there with my work van id of dug a big hole at the end of the ground with my jack hammer and the water would of soon gone away. The major draw back of course is Tonderai Chavhanga might of drowned if hed fallen into it...

Cari wrote:Controversy at RP - my mate says they announced the match was off and there's no refunds.

Same thing happened at the Liberty stadium when the Scarlets - Ospreys game got called off because of the frozen pipe last time, you only have to look at the Scarlet Fever forum to see the Turks still complaining about it!
Lets be honest most fans would of bought tickets prior to the game, so you cant really expect the Dragons to have about £300,000 in cash available to refund everyone who bought a ticket in the club house till can you?

Knowsit17 wrote:Shame but looks like they tried really hard to save it so fair play. Could it be played tomorrow or Sunday instead?

10000 glass jars at the ready next time.

Doubt the Blues would want to play Sunday with their HC game on Friday. I cant see it being played this weekend.

Poopie!was close but to b honest it was dangerous

Alyn - what if people can't make it to the rescheduled match though? Not even a partial refund? Or a voucher to purchase another ticket in future perhaps?

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Poopie!was close but to b honest it was dangerous

Yes but the water was in the in goal area, its not as if they were going to scrumage in it.
All you really do behind the try line is stand there waiting for the kicker to kick a goal. or an opposition player dab the ball down.
I think the game could of been played, it was no where near as bad as th south africa - france semi final in the 1995 world cup, that was a real monsoon!

Cari wrote:Alyn - what if people can't make it to the rescheduled match though? Not even a partial refund? Or a voucher to purchase another ticket in future perhaps?

I'm not saying it's right, or agreeing with it, but it isnt the Dragons fault that the game didnt go ahead, that's rugby.
I'm just glad I didnt go to tonight game as I wasnt sure Id of had the money this week so left it until the last minute, then when i rang out was told there were no Hazell stand tickets left and only the north stand terrace available.

No biggie though the fans will probably pack into the club house and hit the town, they will get over it.

No it's not their fault, but it's not the fans fault either. Therefore the club could meet them in the middle and do what I suggested, but to just refuse anything other than attending the recheduled game is a bit mean to fans I think.

What a joke, the organisation clearing the water using kids and not having the tools to do the job sums up our club rugby, no shortage of effort by those involved but there was no chance of clearing the large pool of water without pumps, it looked like a job for the fire brigade.

All credit to Nigel he gave the game every chance but poor organisation and resources let the public down again like last year.

Ha!cheer who ever changd my post to poopie. Doesnt have quite the same impact-how about cachu?

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Ha!cheer who ever changd my post to poopie. Doesnt have quite the same impact-how about cachu?

That's the swear filter, it's automatically done. You're better off saying sh*t...

glamorganalun wrote:What a joke, the organisation clearing the water using kids and not having the tools to do the job sums up our club rugby, no shortage of effort by those involved but there was no chance of clearing the large pool of water without pumps, it looked like a job for the fire brigade.

All credit to Nigel he gave the game every chance but poor organisation and resources let the public down again like last year.

Now, now be fair mate.
If Jiffy says he has never seen rain like that before in all his years of playing rugby all over the world then you can bet something very rare happened tonight with the weather.
How can you play for something like that to happen? at 15:30 the weather wasnt bad at all I was in Cardiff shopping in Ikea and Asda at that time, yet an hour later and it was a torrential downpour! it caught everyone off guard it seems!

That was some battle.....

Thomond wrote:That was some battle.....

The kid in the Blues top sweeping was doing a superb job - BP win I think....

Do you think mops might have been more effective or would that not have been feasible due to an absence of buckets?

wales606 wrote:

Thomond wrote:That was some battle.....

The kid in the Blues top sweeping was doing a superb job - BP win I think....

I hope you know it was all a ruse, the Pill and Newport wheel trim squad have now stolen all the Blues supporters alloy wheels and trims from the parked cars at the NCP car park!
They will make a killing at Splott Market, and Besima road boot sales on the weekend when they sell them back to them!
By postpoing the game they will now get another crack at them soon!

Thomond wrote:Do you think mops might have been more effective or would that not have been feasible due to an absence of buckets?

The best solution would of been to give the season ticket holders straws and told them it was beer!
nothing free gets wasted in Gwent!

Play the game between Christmas and new year. The 27th sounds good to me.

I'm gutted it was off, but it was the right call and to be honest it will probably favour the dragons. With our poor start we could I'll afford a home loss and I think that would have been the case.

This was a one-off and Rodney parade is an old ground butthe organisation of letting people into the hazell was really poor. I wouldn't have wanted to be a person who brought children with them. It was a complete free for all.

How many times are us dragons fans going to be left hanging? Blues today, last year and Biarritz the year before. I hope the blues fans that did travel up, at least enjoyed their night. Can't see how, but I don't think the dragons have come out of this too well.

No refunds but ticket is valid for the rearranged game or can be swapped for another Dragons game. Seems fair to me. People shouldn't react till they hear something official.

The only thing that annoys me over tonight is that we should have been allowed in the ground. Could have at least had a singalong then. I was waiting in a bus stop in the rain at 5 waiting to cross Newport Bridge to the ground and I knew the game would be off because the water on the roads was awful. Just hope it's rearranged for when I'm back from my winter training camp.

The organisation was pretty p!ss poor - it would have been the least to do to tell people who were queued outside what was going on - instead people had to hear it from friends who were watching it on TV at home. Or even simpler answer the phone in the ticket office so fans could find out the situation before travelling down.

The announcer has just gone on about it on another site, saying what were they supposed to tell us? Even a message like decision in 5-10 minutes would have sufficed in my opinion. He also said Health and Safety was why we didn't get let in the ground. I don't see what the harm would have been in us being in, but there you go.

I am not a fan of Mother Nature right now.

Risca - there were some fans in the ground wasn't there? Why let in some and not others? Some were even helping to clear the water off the pitch at one stage.

Risca,

Imagine how I feel, this was due to be my first visit of the season to the new Dave and all I got o see was the outside of the gorund I can see the refs view point but I feel the organisation of the crowds etc was very poor.

Oh well never mind off to watch Ebbw this afternoon so not wasted weekend.

I first heard at about quarter to 6 that the game would probably be off. Got to RP at about 6pm and saw the pitch and we knew immediately, saw Darren Waters outside and asked him for info and he said the talk amongst the players was no way is this going ahead. Headed off to the pub couldnt be bothered to wait around.
I was wondering why at 6pm an hour before kick off nobody was on the pitch trying to clear the water, there wasnt a single person there doing anything about it. If they had started trying to clear it before then we might have been OK for half 7.

Rucking - I really think if it had been possible they could've got the fire brigade or someone like that to pump the water away. When Scrum V came on at 7, there were only five, six blokes with brushes trying to get the water into a small manhole. They didn't stand a chance to be honest, which was a shame.

Any ideas when it will be rescheduled for?