The Battle of Dave Parade - Dragons v Blues

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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.

I think sweeney should have started

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Edit by RD: Please remenber to hide pics under the spoiler tag (found under the 'others' button) to keep posts work friendly. Thanks.

gcBlues wrote:I think sweeney should have started

Spoiler:

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I agree, Sweeney loves playing the Dragons - about the only game he performs for.

He'll probably come off the bench with 5 minutes remaining and score a try, conversion, 3 drop goals and penalty to win us the game.

Classic Sweeney

I bought a Sweeney tshirt for 50p from OddGods

Teams announcd on bbc, good dragons backline though weak front row and burns on the bench. Blues gone for downes at look which is interestin

My god is that the biggest backline in Wales at the moment? Apart from halfbacks the rest are huge whilst the dragons have the smallest backline I've seen in ages. It's going to cone down to the front 8 and I feel the blues have the edge.

Surly if the blues are picking Robberts n jenkins we could of had Toby as he's been begging to play?

Head 18-23
Heart 100-0


STAND UP FOR THE MEN OF GWENT !

Think he'll bring more physicality in the ruck and mauls than tito will. This is a definite move to take them on up front.

This is a definite move to take them on up front

That's usually the game plan the blues adapt when playing us. Our forwards tend to get bossed around by bigger packs but do make up for it with aggression.....Unless the play away from home!

indeed.

This game will hopefully be a cracker, the blues definitely have the edge in size, power and skill but then the dragons usually bring the aggression, passion and intensity to the match which evens everything up most times.

I agree that the Blues have the edge in size and power, but skill? I doubt that, actually.

Really wish we had Lydiate to hit rucks and Faletau's tackling and ball carrying abiltity.

Excited to have Brew and Chav on each wing though - two good strike runners. Just hope Brew has brushed up on his 'legal' tackling

Sorry GCBlues but don't agree on skill. I'll give you size and power though.

what? Being a human battering ram is a skilly

Can't believe how scared the Blouse are

In all honesty, I'd probably have played all our internationals this week and rested them against Prato the following weekend. The derbies are really the games I'd rather win. Didn't expect the Blues to go so strong.

Still, it'll be a good night tomorrow whatever the result. Dragons have beaten stronger sides than that Blues team at Dave.

Having seen the sides I feel confident we can go to Dave Parade and get the result. The Dragons look lightweight on paper and I think we'll see a different game than the one we saw back in April. The Dragons will understandably feel the loss of Charteris, Lydiate and Faletau. Not sure if I would have started Roberts and Parks but overall a strong side named and I dont see anything other than a Blues win.

Blues to win by 8 points.

[quote="Londonwelsh"]Having seen the sides I feel confident we can go to Dave Parade and get the result. The Dragons look lightweight on paper and I think we'll see a different game than the one we saw back in April. The Dragons will understandably feel the loss of Charteris, Lydiate and Faletau. Not sure if I would have started Roberts and Parks but overall a strong side named and I dont see anything other than a Blues win.

Blues to win by 8 points.[/quote - As a passionate Dragon,i have to totally agree with you on this occasion

[quote="dragon999"]

Londonwelsh wrote:Having seen the sides I feel confident we can go to Dave Parade and get the result. The Dragons look lightweight on paper and I think we'll see a different game than the one we saw back in April. The Dragons will understandably feel the loss of Charteris, Lydiate and Faletau. Not sure if I would have started Roberts and Parks but overall a strong side named and I dont see anything other than a Blues win.

Blues to win by 8 points.[/quote - As a passionate Dragon,i have to totally agree with you on this occasion

Dont worry, im a passionate Blues fan, but im pessimistic - I have the feeling the Dragons will up the intensity and Parks will stifle our backs :/

Thanks Wales - I think you are right, Dragons will up their game but i just feel that Blues will be over 85 or so minutes, just too strong. Blues have picked a very good side & Dragons will do well to get anything from this imho.Still, who knows, i may be pleasantly surprised

Whilest I think our pack will really step up I am worried we have no big ball carriers. Our backline has loads of pace and skill but will we get out muscled?

I've changed my mind n I now think we will sneek it. Another big performance from Tovey and hughes to show his worth at 13.

.... Bench is weak

This could be a classic battle of brains versus brawn. Or the Blues could trample all over us...

luckless_pedestrian wrote:This could be a classic battle of brains versus brawn. Or the Blues could trample all over us...

We have brains...we have Casey. We also have a doctor playing, he isnt stupid.

Calm down, you know what I meant. Guile versus power.

i knew what you meant, luckless.

Should be good, lets hope the players on both sides turn up and we get a cracking game

Yep, it'll be a great occasion whatever happens. I can't wait to get down there now!

I'm getting quite excited now - I do worry about the Dragons front row, which looks quite underpowered, but expect the breakdown to be an intense battle, and it will be interesting who comes out in the backs, and if the Dragons get the space to release Brew, Chavy and Thomas. (fair play going from last season and having to pick centres to play wing and fb, they've gone to a really dangerous back 3)

Chav will have his defence tested this evening but if we can work him into space... well he's an absolute flyer.

Our front row may well struggle, Priest, but a lot of guessing goes on when referees decide who to ping. The strongest scrummaging pack doesn't always get rewarded for it.

Thats true luckless - it's such a lottery isn't it? I'd still be worried by that front 5 if I was a dragon as the locks B Davies and Downes are pretty good (well Bradley is very good, and Downes is very promising, and prob a next Welsh captain), but ur backrow fowards should have a good battle with the blues ones.

It'll be my first visit to the new stand so I can't wait.

I haven't seen Downes before, Priest. Our locks actually aren't bad at all - Adam Jones in particular is a player transformed from last season.

Hope you enjoy the match, I'll be watching from the other side of the pitch!

Haven't seen much of A Jones, but yes you're locks are pretty good, I just worry about them behind that front row. Has Hugh G continued to go back as a prop this season or is he showing some form?

Downes looks very promising

I don't know, to be honest. Is he injured?

Having watched last seasons epic, just again the other night. It underlined to me just how much we're going to miss Danny and Toby. They were immense. Our scrum just went to pieces in the 2nd half and faletau was superb in just making the yards to get our backs going ( what great practise it was for the French game!!!). Both sets of backs look great, but I'm worried that the blues look to have the edge up front. Last season the blues were tactically poor at the parade and maybe they ll not make the same mistake again.
Expect an awesome atmosphere once again. It's too close to call.

Even though I'm a season ticket holder, I was offered 2 tickets for the new stand with access to one of the rooms with free food and drink. I didnt want to seem ungrateful, but I just couldn't watch the dragons without the smell of urine wafting out of the bogs!!!
This ones so close to call, I don't think it"ll just be the smell of urine lingering in the hazell tonight!!!

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Haven't seen much of A Jones, but yes you're locks are pretty good, I just worry about them behind that front row. Has Hugh G continued to go back as a prop this season or is he showing some form?

Downes looks very promising

Its Down (Downes is the Blues/Ponty SH who is also very promising apparently)

Not sure about how good Down is yet, he needs to cement a starting place and build a partnership with Davies - unfortunately neither are great lineout operators which means Paterson has to play 6 (probably) and Pretorious is such a good player it is impossible to leave him out (though he could well be playing 8 again, though he is an excellent 6)

Ahh I see - apologies Wales 606 (and Down)

Not long to go now, folks! Nothing like a derby game! (I was going to use the dancey-dance emoticon but it annoys me!)

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Not long to go now, folks! Nothing like a derby game! (I was going to use the dancey-dance emoticon but it annoys me!)

Ha, that's the one!

Will the game be on, that's the question? I'm in Newport, sat in my car, and I've never seen rain like it! A great advert for winter rugby! If the game goes ahead, what's the odds it'll be completely ruined as a spectacle because of the conditions?

Ive just spoken to someone in their office when i rang up to buy tickets and he told me to ring back later as they are considering cancelling the game, due to the rain.
No Hazell stand left so I will give this one a miss

Stupid climate

Had been looking forward to this one. Here's hoping...

It's still lashing it down. The pitch is in great condition, but this much rain in 2 hours. Who knows?

AlynDavies wrote:Ive just spoken to someone in their office when i rang up to buy tickets and he told me to ring back later as they are considering cancelling the game, due to the rain.
No Hazell stand left so I will give this one a miss

Noooooooooooooo, I was really looking forward to this game, looks like it will be a snorefest even if it goes ahead :/. Still, should negate the Dragons backs and give Parks something to do.

Just thought of something. I wouldn't fancy having a ticket for the north terrace tonight. Nor would I fancy being in the front 5 rows of the Bisley. Apparently they are open to the elements.

If it does go ahead. I would have to favour the blues. There won't be a lot of rugby played and their front 5 should dominate.

Good point manofgwent, I imagine the majority of the Blues tickets will be in the north terrace and Bisley stand as the Hazell is chocka with dragons season ticket holders (going on the last few home games).

How do we find out if the game is on? I expect the phone lines will be jammed! Will they announce it on the website?

Still radio Wales on and keep checking the web site.

Would it be a good thing for the dragons to re-arrange the game, considering they are missing the BIG 3?

How about a boxing day game!!! Although that'll probably be off due to snow!!

I can't see how it'd be hard to invest in some giant umbrellas or tarpaulin sheets to protect the schedule on occasions like this

Knowsit, I was thinking exactly the same thing. We'be put a man on the moon, split the atom, grown animals from cells, but can't come up with a cover for sports grounds that can be used in the rain!

It looks like it'll be off.

Apparently large parts of the pitch are under water including one of the try lines.

Nigel Owens has the final say and apparently he's not turned up yet. Maindee is chaos and properties have been flooded in the area.