Dragons vs Blues boxing day

Dragons Team to face Cardiff Blues:15 Daniel Evans, 14Will Harries,13 Pat Leach, 12Ashley Smith,11 Hallam Amos, 10Jason Tovey, 9Wayne Evans; 1Owen Evans, 2T. Rhys Thomas, 3Nathan Buck, 4Andrew Coombs (c), 5Cory Hill, 6Netani Talei, 7Lewis Evans, 8Toby Faletau.
Replacements:Sam Parry, Aaron Coundley, Francisco Chaparro, Rob Sidoli, Nic Cudd, Richie Rees, Steffan Jones, Ross Wardle.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Gavin Evans, 12 Dafydd Hewitt, 11 Dan Fish, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Sam Hobbs (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Benoit Bourrust, 4 Chris Dicomidis, 5 Filo Paulo, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Robin Copeland.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Ellis Jenkins, 20 Rory Watts-Jones, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Richard Smith

I can see this being cancelled. Newport County was cancelled yesterday, and the rain has been worse since. Fingers crossed though.

The Blues' defence has been better this season, and so has ours, so I can see it being a bit of a war of attraction. If it's wet weather and sloppy under foot then there won't be much running rugby going on.

This is an important game for both sides. If we win we open up a bit of a gap on the Blues, which would be awesome.

Close result I reckon.

Dragons by 5.

Final score prediction: Dragons 22 - 17 Blues, 1 try each.

Griff wrote:I can see this being cancelled. Newport County was cancelled yesterday, and the rain has been worse since. Fingers crossed though.

The Blues' defence has been better this season, and so has ours, so I can see it being a bit of a war of attraction. If it's wet weather and sloppy under foot then there won't be much running rugby going on.

This is an important game for both sides. If we win we open up a bit of a gap on the Blues, which would be awesome.

Close result I reckon.

Dragons by 5.

Final score prediction: Dragons 22 - 17 Blues, 1 try each.

Agree 100%, I think the return fixture will be just as close if the first game goes ahead, the Dragons should have enough time to prepare for the weather.

The Christmas/New Year games are meant to be the pinnacle, the real crowd pullers. But unfortunately, with the weather as it is of late, the games are often either cancelled or spoiled. The dragons have had 2 derbies cancelled in recent years (snow and flooding, separately). We've had to move grounds twice to fulfil European fixtures or face a fine - once to Parc y Scarlets and once to CCS, thus negating any home advantage in cup competition. It's frustrating.

Last year's game at the arms park was completely spoiled by the mud. So much so that it led to the Blues installing a new all weather pitch.

I should be looking forward to the festive games but instead I dread what will be served up, if anything is served up at all.

Not to worry anyone but friend of mine works at Cardiff Airport and he seen the boys getting of the flight yesterday after the Connacht game and Coombsy and Toby seemed to be limping quite badly.

They both played full games, so they should be ok. Probably limping due to the state of the plane they flew on (if it was the same as the one they flew out on) and lack of leg room.

Think we'll be ok. It's a lot harder to get a pitch ready for soccer.

Sorry for the moan lads! I'm just not a winter person. And I wrote that as I was getting ready to go to the pub in yet another down pour. Rain sucks

It's forecast dry on Boxing Day, so I think they'll be able to get pitch playable. Plus, we've only had one game off for rain and that was a freak flash flood where the ground staff had no chance to react.

They'll want this game on.

Dragons Team to face Cardiff Blues

Daniel Evans, Will Harries, Pat Leach, Ashley Smith, Hallam Amos, Jason Tovey, Wayne Evans; Owen Evans, T. Rhys Thomas, Nathan Buck, Andrew Coombs (c), Cory Hill, Netani Talei, Lewis Evans, Toby Faletau.

Replacements

Sam Parry, Aaron Coundley, Francisco Chaparro, Rob Sidoli, Nic Cudd, Richie Rees, Steffan Jones, Ross Wardle.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Gavin Evans, 12 Dafydd Hewitt, 11 Dan Fish, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Sam Hobbs (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Benoit Bourrust, 4 Chris Dicomidis, 5 Filo Paulo, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Navidi, 8 Robin Copeland.

Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Ellis Jenkins, 20 Rory Watts-Jones, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Richard Smith

Bit surprised Chaparro and Rees not starting but Evans is top player and will want to get back to regular first choice.

SOme good match ups to look forward to, will be very interested in seeing Tovey and Patchell go head to head along with the back row battle.

Good to see a Pontypridd stalwart (relatively; he's only 28) like Dicomidis following the development pathway to pro regional rugby with the Blues.

Game on. Buzzing. Hope it's better than last year. Hopefully we'll turn in another Scarlets performance.

BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!

Sun shining and cold. Perfect.
Give it to Sweeeeeeeeney!!!!

Could see 3 regions, all on 21 points after today.

Hope the game is half as good as the Scarlets v Ospreys then we are in for a good game. This one is very close to call but I go for a Dragons by 3 win, can't wait.

Blues need to improve a fair bit in the second half, lucky to be 10 - 10 at HT

Is it still 16-13

22-16

5 mins left, scrum to Dragons

Dragons are definitely my favourite region.

Congrats.

Good performance. They deserved it. Thought Cardiff were poor at times mind but take nothing away from Newport

Dragons are going to qualify for the Heineken Cup the year it all grinds to a halt.

Steffan wrote:Good performance. They deserved it. Thought Cardiff were poor at times mind but take nothing away from Newport

Yyyyyaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnn,

Thought you might have had a new record for Xmas Steffan but still see your using the same old broken one.

They qualified before.

Blues were awful, just awful

We need a new backs coach asap, and some fit centres (I have no idea why Richard Smith didn't start)

wales606 wrote:They qualified before.

Blues were awful,  just awful

We need a new backs coach asap, and some fit centres (I have no idea why Richard Smith didn't start)

606,

Wasn't Ringo supposed to be doing some work there or did I read it wromg?

He was doing some. We were supposed to have a new backs coach by the new yeae (ive heard Ringo is not doing a good job, and the players are not happy)

Well Ringo def not everyones cup of tea and he certainly not a yes but done a good job with Keys at that level. Who else is a bout at the moment and like players who would come there with all the uncertainty.

Weve been linked with a few. Apparently it wont be Ringo or iestyn harris

Would Harris really be the answer anyway, I was bit shocked when read that.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Would Harris really be the answer anyway, I was bit shocked when read that.

Done a good job at Wigan

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Yyyyyaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnn,

Thought you might have had a new record for Xmas Steffan but still see your using the same old broken one.

Well observed sir   

wales606 wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Would Harris really be the answer anyway, I was bit shocked when read that.

Done a good job at Wigan

Not so much with the RL at the moment and thats in his 'natural environment' so to speak. Its not a dig at him or the Blues just always find it a shame if we cant find any good Union coaches etc.

Ive played under ringo at a much lower level. I think he belongs to a bygone age and his thoughts/ideas are far too different from the reality of top level rugby today.

The things he would try and teach us seemed genius on the paddock and im sure in his days when defences werent as goood would work and come of but in the harsh reality of todays game just wouldnt work so i am not surprised to here things are not going well....also it doesnt seem keys have been tooo affected by his departure....

anyway as for today I thought we deserved the win, the blues were ferocious at the breakdown (no doubt chief's influence) but they didnt really threaten our line with any sustained pressure (other than the excellent line cut by Dacey who I felt had a great game)....the blues ill discipline also let them down.

However I thought we played very well, played heads up rugby, attacked from turnover ball and tried to offload out of the tackle.

One very happy Dragons supporter here!

Coombes, Evans (altough he is still 7th in line), Tovey and Amos should all be in contention for the 6n IMO

Bring on new years day!   

Coombs will be involved he seems to be part of the squad now, I have always said Evans should have been given a shot especially ahead of Turnbull and McCusker (I quite like Shingler).

Tovey should at least be given a crack and had the upper hand ovr Patchell today.

Amos still lacks something for me but if there is any thought of moving North to the centre then we will need another wing and he will come into the reckoning.

I heard the problems with Ringo was his old fashioned technique

wales606 wrote:I heard the problems with Ringo was his old fashioned technique

What 10 pints and a fag after training lol

he certainly is that 606 some of his ideas/moves were very 70's/80's with pivots and more etc. (and he did like a fag after training and before games but as we were all students it didnt really matter - although we did almost get relegated that season- in the 5 years since then the team has gone to the top of the BUCS league)

I think Evans is banging on the door but would you put him in front of the following:

Lydiate, Warburton, Tupuric, Ryan Jones, Faletau, Shingler?

Probably not

GD,

I think he's there or there abouts with Shingler but not up with others, Jones has the experience and versatility to still make him a great asset to Wales.

yes id agree with that Bedford,

what this space!

Best team won, so no complaints there.
Drags were living on the edge of the offside line and Cardiff didn't adapt well enough to the rush defence although Patch did try a few chips over the top.
Who was it that was asleep which allowed Faletau a waltz to the line?

I do think we were offside a couple of times, but the ref let a fair amount go on both sides

Cardiff Dave wrote:Best team won, so no complaints there.
Drags were living on the edge of the offside line and Cardiff didn't adapt well enough to the rush defence although Patch did try a few chips over the top.
Who was it that was asleep which allowed Faletau a waltz to the line?

The referee certainly kept Cardiff in the game. Constant fouling at ruck time (off their feet and in at the side). Patchell should've been binned for taking Tovey out, he allowed Cardiff to reset after an early scrum push and then pinged us for it on the reset and allowed a blatant cross by Patchell (I think). It also appeared that the Blues were standing up a few times at scrumtime.

Still, if you allow the best Welsh ref to ref at Sardis today, you're probably not going to get a good official otherwise.

Good win, good atmosphere. Very happy. (8500 my butt ).

GavinDragon wrote:I do think we were offside a couple of times, but the ref let a fair amount go on both sides

I did too, but there again teams have to play the ref, so still no complaints from me.

i was surprised by that, what is RP capacity?

Risca Rev wrote:

Good win, good atmosphere. Very happy. (8500 my butt ).

More than that surely.

GavinDragon wrote:i was surprised by that, what is RP capacity?

11,676 i think.

GavinDragon wrote:i was surprised by that, what is RP capacity?

11676 according to wiki and the place looked full up today;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Parade

hhhhm 8500 looks unlikely then