Baaarf v Newport Gwent Dragons

Newport Gwent Dragons got their campaign off to winning ways with a 50-8 bonus-point verdict over Italian champions, Rugby Mogliano.
The regional sides clash with Bath at the Recreation Ground on Saturday will be one of the highlights of Round 2.
 
The men of Gwent took on Bath Rugby in the LV Cup last season and lost away from home at the Rec.
 
Injury Update from head Physiotherapist, Ben Searle,
“Sam Parry suffered a concussion against Mogliano last week so he is currently out of action this week. Nic Cudd also suffered an injury against Mogliano which was to his shoulder.
 
“Both Darren Waters and Rhys Thomas are progressing nicely and on schedule. Jack Dixon has suffered a serious injury to his right foot, on which he will need surgery.
 
Backs
Jonathan Evans, Richie Rees, Wayne Evans, Jason Mason, Kris Burton, Adam Hughes, Ashley Smith, Hallam Amos, Tom Prydie, Ross Wardle, Will Harries, Daniel Evans.
 
Forwards
Owen Evans, Phil Price, Aaron Coundley, Hugh Gustafson, Dan Way, Nathan Buck, Francisco Chaparro, Matthew Screech, Andrew Coombs, Rob Sidoli, Jevon Groves, Netani Talei, Lewis Evans, Toby Faletau, Ieuan Jones.
 
Players not selected through injury
Darren Waters (Knee), Pat Leach (Elbow), T. Rhys Thomas (Ankle), Jack Dixon (Foot), Nic Cudd (Shoulder), Sam Parry (Concussion).

 
Bath team - TBC

So we only have one hooker in the squad?

Hmmm....just noticed that myself, shonky reporting ?

The standard of reporting on the Dragons website isn't great, unfortunately. Unless it's implied that Rhys Thomas will be in the squad but isn't yet, if that makes sense.

Rhys Thomas is out for months though surely ? Weird.

Elliott Dee?

Hmmm, I'll look for a better source..

I suspect Dee is in. Remember when Phil Price ran that try in last year from hooker (threw it short, got it back and ran it in from the 22).

I was under the impression (from the Argus) that Ash Smith wasn't quite fit as well.

Anyway, should be a good game. They will look to scrum and maul us to death again, so I'm sure Kingsley has done a bit of work on that.

Yeah, mixed repaorts on a few people, I'll see if the Dragons website is any clearer now

Read in the argus that Elliott Dee is likely to come in as eh ad a decent showing against Mogliano (or was it Zebre the other day?).

 

Bath vs Dragons. Thats a real clash of the rugby titans.

It's pathetic isn't it Trevor?

It'll probably be a really good game. Certainly better than watching Quins or Cardiff play!

Risca Rev wrote:I suspect Dee is in. Remember when Phil Price ran that try in last year from hooker (threw it short, got it back and ran it in from the 22).

And Steve Jones had only gone off temporarily because of a blood injury. In fairness to him, he saw the funny side of it!

Artful_Dodger wrote:It's pathetic isn't it Trevor?

What's pathetic ?

munkian wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:It's pathetic isn't it Trevor?

What's pathetic ?

Trevor40 describes something as being pathetic and/or sad (usually Harlequins) in every other post.  I was jesting.

Artful_Dodger wrote:It's pathetic isn't it Trevor?

I think you mean its PATHETIC....

Nothing on the Dragons website yet, but the Argus has this as the match-day squad:

D Evans, W Harries, A Hughes, R Wardle, H Amos, J Tovey, R Rees, O Evans, H Gustafson, D Way, M Screech, R Sidoli, N Talei, L Evans, T Faletau. Replacements: E Dee, P Price, F Chaparro, A Coombs, J Groves, J Evans, K Burton, L Robling.

I don't know why we're not starting with our best loosehead and tighthead for this, but never mind. Lyn and Kingsley must have a cunning plan...

If I'm honest, I don't mind Owen Evans so much, but I would prefer Chaparro over Way and also I am not a fan of Gustafson at hooker. I get that Dee is young, but I would still rather a nervous, natural hooker than a converted one.

Backrow battle should be good.

Bath: Abendanon (capt); Lane, Banahan, Henson, Biggs; Heathcote, Roberts; Perenise, Batty, Wilson, Spencer, Caldwell, Skuse, Fa'osiliva, Fearns.

Replacements: Guinazu, James, Orlandi, Hooper, Gilbert, Stringer, Ford, Joseph.

Where's the main man Gav? He's not injured again is he?!

Griff wrote:Where's the main man Gav? He's not injured again is he?!

Ummm, on the teamsheet at 12

Griff wrote:Where's the main man Gav? He's not injured again is he?!

See above - playing inside center

What?! Could have sworn he wasn't there when I scanned that line up a minute ago  

Maybe I was concentrating on the bench!

A pretty strong bench but looks like first team being kept back for next Friday night. That could be a mistake for this Saturday with some new combinations but looking forward to seeing the Puma front rowers and Fearns and Abendanon getting some form.

Griff wrote:What?! Could have sworn he wasn't there when I scanned that line up a minute ago  

Maybe I was concentrating on the bench!

Love is blind!  

Has Henson played much this season?

He makes an appearance here and there, still looks rusty (not his skin colour)

Time will tell whether he can get back some form.

I wouldn't mind if he waited another week, then he can find all the form he wants.

I think you'll be safe.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Nothing on the Dragons website yet, but the Argus has this as the match-day squad:

D Evans, W Harries, A Hughes, R Wardle, H Amos, J Tovey, R Rees, O Evans, H Gustafson, D Way, M Screech, R Sidoli, N Talei, L Evans, T Faletau. Replacements: E Dee, P Price, F Chaparro, A Coombs, J Groves, J Evans, K Burton, L Robling.

I don't know why we're not starting with our best loosehead and tighthead for this, but never mind. Lyn and Kingsley must have a cunning plan...

Would have started Coombs as well, hope Rees and Tovey can continue their good form and I do like our back row.

Scrumpy wrote:I think you'll be safe.

You won't know this, but he is up against an unnatural 12 in Ross Wardle, who generally features at 13 or wing for us.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Nothing on the Dragons website yet, but the Argus has this as the match-day squad:

D Evans, W Harries, A Hughes, R Wardle, H Amos, J Tovey, R Rees, O Evans, H Gustafson, D Way, M Screech, R Sidoli, N Talei, L Evans, T Faletau. Replacements: E Dee, P Price, F Chaparro, A Coombs, J Groves, J Evans, K Burton, L Robling.

I don't know why we're not starting with our best loosehead and tighthead for this, but never mind. Lyn and Kingsley must have a cunning plan...

Would have started Coombs as well, hope Rees and Tovey can continue their good form and I do like our back row.

He can't be fit, or I think they'd have started him and got as much as they could out of him.

Can't believe Dragons have only won once v an English team in Europe (Brizzle). With how we play at home, that's a surprising stat.

Second string looking Bath team. Fearns coming back from injury will be desperate to make an impact. Where's Olly Woodburn Bath fans?

10 a peace at half time.

There no alternative way to watch this? I don't think it's available live, on any channel.

No, you'll have to wait for highlights. If there was a French or Italian side involved you might be able to get a stream from their TV, but Sky concentrate on the HC games Sat & Sun daytime.

Next season when both competitions are split between Sky & BT there should be channel space (and therefore streams) for this sort of match.

Ah... Do Sky host a highlights programme which covers some Amlin games?

16-10 Baarf

Sometimes it's on their general European highlights programme, but the video section of the ERC site or youtube posted by one of the two clubs involved is usually your best bet.

Thanks.

26-10 second try for Bath

Interested to know why Shanksy got yellowed? No surprise that Bath got a forwards' try. 16 points is a big swing to overturn if it comes down to head to heads, but at a packed and hostile RP, anything is possible. Just need to do Bordeaux twice first.

Hope Jase Tovey is ok too. He's pretty key to us, as well as Burton played last week.

Apparently the only two players one Bath supporter rated in attack were Toby and Jase Tov. They're very complimentary of Toby especially. Great to hear Toby is performing in the big games still. Can't wait to see him in a Welsh shirt again.

I don't suppose you've found any highlights rev?

We have probably be reading the same sources but I've heard Toby was the standout player on the pitch, he just didn't have the other forwards around him to do the job. I'll look forward to seeing his try, great pace apparently!

From a Bath point of view I'm happy with the win and pleased that a largely 2nd string pack came out on top. Also glad to hear that Heathcote got some game time and played well, I don't want Ford getting complacent.

Having travelled to bath to watch this match what I witnessed was a very dominant Bath pack and line out. As a result of that the dragons backs barely touched he ball. If we had that pack we would have walked away with the game as our backs are more than capable in attack. To be able to rate someone's attacking capability you the need ball in their hands more than once in a game. All our backs ended up doing was defending for their lives and eventually the opponents will score. Also stop kicking the ball away some really silly kicks into touch. We should have come away with more points. Toby could have passed the ball to harries to score a try but didn't. Another break up to their 5 metre line saw the dragon forwards player get tackled into touch when experience tells you to cut inside. Onwards and upwards to the next game

I did a bit of hunting around for last week's game and found it was being shown on ESPN which is linked to BT sport and no longer shown on Sky. I could not find any streamms, I suspect very few people have BT sport hence the lack of streams.