Newport Gwent Dragons v Edinburgh Rugby, 8 May

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Newport Gwent Dragons v Edinburgh Rugby
Friday 8 May 2015
KO: 19:30
Parade of the Dave, Newport

Not on telly, I don't think

Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU, 11th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas, Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

A. Head to Head

23 Played 23
11 Wins 11
11 Losses 11
1 Draws 1
42 Tries 48
27 Conversions 39
52 Penalties 51
3 Drop Goals 0
429 Points 471
23 Avg. Age 25

B. Form

Fri 17 April 2015 - Edinburgh Rugby 45 - 16 Newport Gwent Dragons

Sat 11 Oct 2014 - Edinburgh Rugby 24 - 10 Newport Gwent Dragons

Thu 3 Apr 2014 - Newport Gwent Dragons 19 - 23 Edinburgh Rugby

Fri 13 Sep 2013 - Edinburgh Rugby 16 - 13 Newport Gwent Dragons

C. Teams

Newport Gwent Dragons

Tom Prydie, Ashton Hewitt, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos, Jason Tovey, Luc Jones; Phil Price, T. Rhys Thomas (c), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Lloyd Fairbrother, Dan Way, James Thomas, Ollie Griffiths, Richie Rees, Dorian Jones, Geraint Rhys Jones.

Edinburgh Rugby

15 Jack Cuthbert
14 Dougie Fife
13 Sam Beard
12 Andries Strauss
11 Tim Visser
10 Phil Burleigh
09 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

01 Alasdair Dickinson
02 Ross Ford
03 WP Nel
04 Fraser McKenzie
05 Ben Toolis
06 Stuart McInally (captain)
07 Hamish Watson
08 Cornell Du Preez

16 Neil Cochrane
17 Rory Sutherland
18 John Andress
19 Anton Bresler
20 Roddy Grant
21 Nathan Fowles
22 Tom Heathcote
23 Tom Brown

Denton has been out 4 weeks, which is a worry.  Coman has another head knock too having recently had one.

So no surprises really, a couple of changes but probably not in the places that really need it.  McKenzie and Watson will bring a lot of energy to the team though.

Hopefulyl the Dragons front row are still having nightmares about the one that faced them a few weeks ago - they're going to go through it again!

NG Dragons: Tom Prydie; Ashton Hewitt, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Luc Jones; Phil Price, T. Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Lloyd Fairbrother, Dan Way, James Thomas, Ollie Griffiths, Richie Rees, Dorian Jones, Geraint Rhys Jones.

Words fail me. SHC destroyed us last game and so Lyn's solution is to pick his son against him. Our pack is hopefully more competitive with Hill and Landman in, but I really can't understand the 9 call. Personally, I'm glad to see Tovey at ten though I doubt he'll get much chance to do anything.

Did I pass out and wake up in a parallel universe or has Solomons actually rotated 4 players?

Am home for this one then off to watch the big game of the weekend Ebbw v Keys in the Prem play off on Saturday. Which I guess is my Meyer not in our squad.

George Carlin wrote:Did I pass out and wake up in a parallel universe or has Solomons actually rotated 4 players?

Two are injury enforced to be fair!

Delighted with a McInally/Watson/Du Preez back row - great atheletes, all of them.

Risca Rev wrote:NG Dragons: Tom Prydie; Ashton Hewitt, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Luc Jones; Phil Price, T. Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Lloyd Fairbrother, Dan Way, James Thomas, Ollie Griffiths, Richie Rees, Dorian Jones, Geraint Rhys Jones.

Words fail me. SHC destroyed us last game and so Lyn's solution is to pick his son against him. Our pack is hopefully more competitive with Hill and Landman in, but I really can't understand the 9 call. Personally, I'm glad to see Tovey at ten though I doubt he'll get much chance to do anything.

Having Cudd back could make a big difference, James Benjamin is good with ball in hand but he was knocked off the ball too easily against the Scarlets. It's good to see Ashton Hewitt start too, he's more likely to create something than Prydie is when he's on the wing.

As for Luc Jones, who knows what the thinking is.

Anyone else read the report that Gatland has withdrawn the DC offer to Faletau as he missed the deadline to sign it.

He still has a year left on his current contract so hopefully something can be done in that time however if he has a good WC then his stock will rise even more.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:NG Dragons: Tom Prydie; Ashton Hewitt, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Luc Jones; Phil Price, T. Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Lloyd Fairbrother, Dan Way, James Thomas, Ollie Griffiths, Richie Rees, Dorian Jones, Geraint Rhys Jones.

Words fail me. SHC destroyed us last game and so Lyn's solution is to pick his son against him. Our pack is hopefully more competitive with Hill and Landman in, but I really can't understand the 9 call. Personally, I'm glad to see Tovey at ten though I doubt he'll get much chance to do anything.

Having Cudd back could make a big difference, James Benjamin is good with ball in hand but he was knocked off the ball too easily against the Scarlets. It's good to see Ashton Hewitt start too, he's more likely to create something than Prydie is when he's on the wing.

As for Luc Jones, who knows what the thinking is.

Well said LP. I remember getting mugged off on here a few weeks ago for suggesting that about Benjamin.

The starting team is pretty good (bar No.9 I guess). Good options in Thomas, Griffiths and Rees on the bench. GR Jones is actually the one son that I rate. The rest are below standard and how Dan Way still has a contract I'll never know.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Anyone else read the report that Gatland has withdrawn the DC offer to Faletau as he missed the deadline to sign it.

He still has a year left on his current contract so hopefully something can be done in that time however if he has a good WC then his stock will rise even more.

Smart move from Toby. And the fact that he can play whenever he wants for another year was also a factor.

Any thoughts on McInally being captain and not Ford?

Nematode wrote:Any thoughts on McInally being captain and not Ford?

I'm glad of it. Ford is the only captain in history to be marched back 10m speaking to the ref!

McInally deals with refs a lot better whenever he's taken over captaincy.

I think McInally, unlike Ford is a natural leader. It was telling earlier in the season when he was just coming back into the team but was already the one talking to the players.

I can't believe Solomons rotated, in Bressler case this is totally justified he was awful last week and i would have even dropped him from the squad and bring Atkins in instead.

Denton's non inclusion is a worry, is there something we are not aware and he could be off at the end of the season? Can't remember the last time i have seen a player sidelined for so long because of a head knock.

4 weeks is still a reasonable time for head knock recovery. Everyone is different.

If he doesn't play against Leinster then we can maybe start getting worried.

Also just seen on Twitter that Bresler got a bad cut above his eye last weekend - that might have been a contributing factor. He's maybe not been able to train all week.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Also just seen on Twitter that Bresler got a bad cut above his eye last weekend - that might have been a contributing factor. He's maybe not been able to train all week.

Yeah that must explain the rest lol, Solomons doesn't know what rotating means. I remember they made a big fuss last year about Du Preez being rotated (which means on the bench) but still had to came on after 10 odds minute to replace a lock

VinceWLB wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Also just seen on Twitter that Bresler got a bad cut above his eye last weekend - that might have been a contributing factor. He's maybe not been able to train all week.

Yeah that must explain the rest lol, Solomons doesn't know what rotating means. I remember they made a big fuss last year about Du Preez being rotated (which means on the bench) but still had to came on after 10 odds minute to replace a lock

Was anyone else annoyed by Mark Robson pronouncing it 'Du Pray' during the Challenge Cup final?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Also just seen on Twitter that Bresler got a bad cut above his eye last weekend - that might have been a contributing factor. He's maybe not been able to train all week.

Yeah that must explain the rest lol, Solomons doesn't know what rotating means. I remember they made a big fuss last year about Du Preez being rotated (which means on the bench) but still had to came on after 10 odds minute to replace a lock

Was anyone else annoyed by Mark Robson pronouncing it 'Du Pray' during the Challenge Cup final?

Not as bad as almost every commentator pronouncing Tuilagi "Tuilangi" or Natoga "Natonga"!

Natonga is apparently correct pronunciation. Unbelievable I know. I got picked up on it on the official youtube channel when I also moaned about people calling Tovey, Toevey.

Mark Robson is a general irritant anyway.

You have to hand it to Solomons, if medals were to be handed out for consistency of selections he'd have a bunch!

Pleased McKenzie is getting a start, but annoyed Strauss is in. Is Tonks injured? I'd have liked him back at 10 with Burleigh at 12.

Have we just given up on moving McInally to hooker?

Tonks aggrevated his recent hammy injury.

With Denton, Coman and LeonardI out McInally is the next in line!

Should we give Solomons the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his lack of rotation? Maybe Dickinson and Ford are feeling fit and fresh. Nel also had breaks during the 6N. So do they really need rotated?

Let's face it, most AP clubs rarely rotate their English players and they seems to cope OK.

His chance to rotate was against Zebre. Given how awful they were with hindsight I think the opportunity really should have been taken.

RDW_Scotland wrote:
His chance to rotate was against Zebre.  Given how awful they were with hindsight I think the opportunity really should have been taken.

Solomons hinted in the Scotsman that they were using the Zebre match as training game and trying things for the Final. He wanted to try things out in the forwards so was always going to pick that team and wasn't about the backs getting attacking ball.

cp10 wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:
His chance to rotate was against Zebre.  Given how awful they were with hindsight I think the opportunity really should have been taken.

Solomons hinted in the Scotsman that they were using the Zebre match as training game and trying things for the Final. He wanted to try things out in the forwards so was always going to pick that team and wasn't about the backs getting attacking ball.

Well our driven maul got us nowhere against Gloucester, we didn't do any fancy lineout moves and we did one backs move all game, so you wonder if the 'training match' was really that useful!

RDW_Scotland wrote:

cp10 wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:
His chance to rotate was against Zebre.  Given how awful they were with hindsight I think the opportunity really should have been taken.

Solomons hinted in the Scotsman that they were using the Zebre match as training game and trying things for the Final. He wanted to try things out in the forwards so was always going to pick that team and wasn't about the backs getting attacking ball.

Well our driven maul got us nowhere against Gloucester, we didn't do any fancy lineout moves and we did one backs move all game, so you wonder if the 'training match' was really that useful!

Hindsights great

I think poor execution cost us in the final, imo we were a bit let down by some players as playing in a final clearly got to them. Maybe they were thinking it was the only final they will ever play!

Dragons only by 42 now that team has been picked. Luc Jones hat trick.

I've already lumped the mortgage on it.

Agree with Vince - the execution in the final was poor, and Andries Strauss really needed to make that tackle on Jonny May to prevent the first try. If you are going to offer nothing in attack be a "defensive 12", you really do need to defend. The other big issue for me was Burleigh at 10. I really rate him as a 12, and he had made a very good fist of being a 10 in the prior two games, but he really struggled under the pressure of the final and his touch finders were all over the place. I would move him back to 12 immediately.

We have to really attack the set piece against the Dragons - that's going to be our strength, and I suspect the reason for our first choice front row starting the game.

In what has been a regular occurrence for Edinburgh this season, a late change sees Atkins replace Grant on the bench.

That means our only backrow option is moving McKenzie back from 2nd row.

Lots of scrum penalties against Edinburgh - whats going on??

RDW_Scotland wrote:Lots of scrum penalties against Edinburgh - whats going on??

To be fair the drags scrum isn't that bad but they were playing with a back row in the 2nd row and props out of position in the semi final.

just seen Dragons has brought in Stankovich, here is the difference..

We've given a lot of penalties away so far.

9-0 Dragons HT.

Sounds like we very much need to pull the finger out.

16- 0 dragons, Nel yellow.

Baws.

Yellow for scrum infringements - what the hell?:

Boris must have been a late addition to the team? I didn't think he was even in the squad in the first place. That's why our scrum is doing well.

Edinburgh Twitter feed suggesting a dodgy ref, but they would say that!

Turns out it is the same ref as the Connacht game where Edinburgh formally complained about his handling of the scrum.

Consolation score. Edinburgh handling skills have by all accounts been awful once again. We really need a specialist backs coach.

I'm sure dragons fans would be complaining if we were losing. 'Tis the way of fans! Everything's rosy when you're winning!

FT 19-5

Sounds like one of our worst performances of the season.

I think we'd be better off finishing 8th now - there's no way we'll beat Gloucester away and our players are completely puggled given Solomons' lack of rotation.

Heathcote misses the conversion. What have we done to that young lad?? He's almost as bad as Weir now!!

Well a playoff could be used for experience, and give the likes of Sutherland, McKenzie, Watson and Hidalgo-Clyne a game. Won't happen though. If we make it Nel, Bresler, Strauss et al will be called upon once more.

This is the Dragons front 5 that dominated Ulster earlier this season.

Edinburgh paying the price for lack of rotation, imo.

Also paying the price (again) for not having a plan B if the forwards don't dominate.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Also paying the price (again) for not having a plan B if the forwards don't dominate.

They were probably like Matawalu under a high ball: headless chickens. Strauss really shouldn't have played tonight after his "performance" last week.

Problem is if Strauss didn't play then Heathcoat would have had to!

Solomons brought all the subs on early for once so he maybe admitted defeat early and decided to focus on next week

I'd take Heathcote over Strauss.

I'd take Te Rure over Strauss.

I'd take the hair from Uncle Dougie's nostrils over Strauss.