Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons - Challenge Cup Semi Final

Thought I'd start this early:

Match Facts

   Saturday's semi-final will be the first meeting between the sides in European competition, however Montpellier did face Newport RFC in the Challenge Cup back in 1997/98, losing home and away.
   Montpellier will be appearing in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup for the first time; they lost both of their previous quarter-final matches before defeating Sale Sharks in the last eight this season.
   The Dragons will be making their third appearance at this stage of the competition; they have never reached the final, conceding 45+ points in both of their previous semi-finals.
   The Dragons have won five of their last six games against TOP 14 opposition in the Challenge Cup, including the last three in a row.
   This will be the fifth time Montpellier have faced Welsh opposition in the Challenge Cup, winning in Round 4 against Cardiff Blues but losing the three before that.
   Montpellier have scored 16 first-half tries this season, more than any other side in the competition.
   The Dragons have won eight turnovers per game on average this season, more than any other team in the competition.
   No player has made more successful lineout throws this season than Elliot Dee who has found the target with 55/60 (92%).
   Akapusi Qera made 12 carries in the quarter-final to take his tally to 77 this season, the most of any player in the tournament.

Match Officials

   Referee Wayne Barnes (England)
   Touch Judge 1 JP Doyle (England)
   Touch Judge 2 Greg Garner (England)
   TMO Rowan Kitt (England)
   Citing Commissioner Alberto Recaldini (Italy

http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/32888.php

Top 14 Orange

1    Clermont Auvergne
2    Montpellier Hérault
3    Toulon
4    Racing 92
5    Stade Toulousain
6    Castres Olympique
7    Bordeaux Begles
8    Brive
9    La Rochelle
10  Grenoble
11  Pau
12  Stade Français Paris
13  Oyonnax
14  Agen

Guinness PRO12

1    Leinster
2    Connacht
3    Glasgow Warriors
4    Ulster
5    Scarlets
6    Edinburgh
7    Munster
8    Cardiff Blues
9    Ospreys
10   Dragons
11   Zebre
12   Benetton Treviso

Come on Dragons!

You can beat that SA franchise...

Aye, come on Dragons, you can do it!

LP, seeing as you're thread master would you mind putting in Montpellier's league positioning and recent form?

Blueschief wrote:Aye, come on Dragons, you can do it!

Yeah, come on Drags and show Moffett that he's talking out of his @rse.

mikey_dragon wrote:LP, seeing as you're thread master would you mind putting in Montpellier's league positioning and recent form?

2nd place in the league and won against Stade Francais in Paris last week. No doubt that the Top14 will be their priority, so they could in fact field a weakened team this weekend. Perfect time for the Drags to pounce, maybe.

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/table/_/league/270559

White's first piece of silverware up for grabs with Montpellier isn't it? Can't see them not taking it seriously. They might rotate, but they're a team with over 30 class players, more than what we have.

mikey_dragon wrote:White's first piece of silverware up for grabs with Montpellier isn't it? Can't see them not taking it seriously. They might rotate, but they're a team with over 30 class players, more than what we have.

Things happen. Toulon v Cardiff final?

Cardiff Dave wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:LP, seeing as you're thread master would you mind putting in Montpellier's league positioning and recent form?

2nd place in the league and won against Stade Francais in Paris last week.

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/table/_/league/270559

Good man.

Montpellier
15. Benjamin Fall; 14. Timoci Nagusa, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. Marvin O'Connor; 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Benoit Paillaugue; 1. Mikheil Nariashvili, 2. Bismarck Du Plessis, 3. Jannie Du Plessis, 4. Robins Tchale Watchou, 5. Paul Willemse, 6. Fulgence Ouedraogo, 7. Akapusi Qera, 8. Pierre Spies
16. Mickael Ivaldi, 17. Yvan Watremez, 18. Davit Kubriashvili, 19. Thibaut Privat, 20. Wiaan Liebenberg, 21. Nic White, 22. Benjamin Lucas, 23. Anthony Tuitavke

Newport Gwent Dragons
15. Carl Meyer; 14. Adam Hughes, 13. Tyler Morgan, 12. Adam Warren, 11. Hallam Amos; 10. Dorian Jones, 9. Sarel Pretorius; 1. Phil Price, 2. Elliot Dee, 3. Brok Harris, 4. Rynard Landman, 5. Nick Crosswell, 6. Lewis Evans, 7. Nic Cudd, 8. Toby Faletau
16. Rhys Buckley, 17. Boris Stankovich, 18. Lloyd Fairbrother, 19. Matthew Screech, 20. Ed Jackson, 21. Charlie Davies, 22. Angus O'Brien, 23. Jack Dixon

Beat me to it ^^. Crikey, that Montpellier team...

Jack Dixon on the bench - good to see.

Proper mountain to climb for dragons. Good Luck.
Nice to see a French side* taking the competition seriously for a change...

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Jack Dixon on the bench - good to see.

Yes good for him and good for me that GR isn't on there.

Think I might have had to have picked Screech for this, to have an out and out row in the boiler house. Suspect we might be underpowered anyway, but every little helps.

Glad Tyler is fit. I had no doubts Taulupe would be.

Venez vous dragons.Remember Agincourt,Trafalgar and Waterloo!! Good luck boys.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:LP, seeing as you're thread master would you mind putting in Montpellier's league positioning and recent form?

2nd place in the league and won against Stade Francais in Paris last week. No doubt that the Top14 will be their priority, so they could in fact field a weakened team this weekend. Perfect time for the Drags to pounce, maybe.

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/table/_/league/270559

Montpellier
15. Benjamin Fall; 14. Timoci Nagusa, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. Marvin O'Connor; 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Benoit Paillaugue; 1. Mikheil Nariashvili, 2. Bismarck Du Plessis, 3. Jannie Du Plessis, 4. Robins Tchale Watchou, 5. Paul Willemse, 6. Fulgence Ouedraogo, 7. Akapusi Qera, 8. Pierre Spies
16. Mickael Ivaldi, 17. Yvan Watremez, 18. Davit Kubriashvili, 19. Thibaut Privat, 20. Wiaan Liebenberg, 21. Nic White, 22. Benjamin Lucas, 23. Anthony Tuitavke

So much for that idea then.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:LP, seeing as you're thread master would you mind putting in Montpellier's league positioning and recent form?

2nd place in the league and won against Stade Francais in Paris last week. No doubt that the Top14 will be their priority, so they could in fact field a weakened team this weekend. Perfect time for the Drags to pounce, maybe.

http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/table/_/league/270559

Montpellier
15. Benjamin Fall; 14. Timoci Nagusa, 13. Robert Ebersohn, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. Marvin O'Connor; 10. Demetri Catrakilis, 9. Benoit Paillaugue; 1. Mikheil Nariashvili, 2. Bismarck Du Plessis, 3. Jannie Du Plessis, 4. Robins Tchale Watchou, 5. Paul Willemse, 6. Fulgence Ouedraogo, 7. Akapusi Qera, 8. Pierre Spies
16. Mickael Ivaldi, 17. Yvan Watremez, 18. Davit Kubriashvili, 19. Thibaut Privat, 20. Wiaan Liebenberg, 21. Nic White, 22. Benjamin Lucas, 23. Anthony Tuitavke

So much for that idea then.

Looks weak to me.
Anyway, what's more important is that the Drags beat the Turks next week and Cardiff hump the Os.

Cudd is having a cracking game.

He's been ok, but the pack are being demolished!

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cudd is having a cracking game.

As always. Some folk won't like it either.

I thouroughly dislike watching French rugby, it's so boring!!!

This game may end without a try.

mikey_dragon wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cudd is having a cracking game.

As always. Some folk won't like it either.

Who wouldn't like a young Welsh player playing well?

mikey_dragon wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cudd is having a cracking game.

As always. Some folk won't like it either.

haters will always hate Mikey, mind you if he was in a Scarlets or Ospreys shirt he be outstanding

Catch and drive, try time...

Fanster wrote:He's been ok, but the pack are being demolished!

Even more reason to admire how he is playing given how poor our pack is.

Huge shock...

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Fanster wrote:He's been ok, but the pack are being demolished!

Even more reason to admire how he is playing given how poor our pack is.

He is part of that pack though. The tight 5 for the Dragons is dire, they desperately need investment and strengthening there!

Dragons back row need to adjust their game to aid the tight 5 a bit more, Toby looks a little half hearted

There has to be a better fullback / kicking option at the Dragons too!!!

Why did Tovey leave for Edinburgh?

Been a bad day with the boot. Dorian has crumbled - do you think the rugby geniuses are still claiming we're better off without Tovey?

Faletau is better than Vunipola, isn't he.

Fanster wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cudd is having a cracking game.

As always. Some folk won't like it either.

Who wouldn't like a young Welsh player playing well?

He isn't as young as we'd expect. And read BFs post - it's those sets of fans who don't like to see him play well, and they especially don't like people highlighting the fact he's playing well.

mikey_dragon wrote:Been a bad day with the boot. Dorian has crumbled - do you think the rugby geniuses are still claiming we're better off without Tovey?

Sure some will.

Dorian must be bad today, if his own father hooked him.

We let Tovey go, as he dared to question things Lyn did. Funnily enough since, Lyp has left and we can barely kick our goals. Absolute shambles.

mikey_dragon wrote:

Fanster wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cudd is having a cracking game.

As always. Some folk won't like it either.

Who wouldn't like a young Welsh player playing well?

He isn't as young as we'd expect. And read BFs post - it's those sets of fans who don't like to see him play well, and they especially don't like people highlighting the fact he's playing well.

He's only about 25/26 isn't he?

Rugby Fan wrote:Faletau is better than Vunipola, isn't he.

Nah mate. This is one Lions' player who needs to go to world class Bath RFC where he can improve his game, thus developing into the worlds best player official.

Fanster wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Fanster wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Cudd is having a cracking game.

As always. Some folk won't like it either.

Who wouldn't like a young Welsh player playing well?

He isn't as young as we'd expect. And read BFs post - it's those sets of fans who don't like to see him play well, and they especially don't like people highlighting the fact he's playing well.

He's only about 25/26 isn't he?

27 actually, but I originally thought it was 29...

That was a good consolation try by Carl PhilBB Meyer.

Anyone know if there's a bigger pack in Europe? I think sky had them down as weighing 912kg...

Well that was closer that I expected or anticipated. Pack just couldn't compete in the end, the difference in squads and resources available is just insurmountable.

It would have helped if the Dragons had gone with a proper 2nd row instead of Crosswell who is a good player but not a lock.

That game just sums up the new restructure of european rugby, simply a waste of time putting in any effort for Pro 12 teams, it might as well be used to developed youngsters like the BI cup.

VinceWLB wrote:It would have helped if the Dragons had gone with a proper 2nd row instead of Crosswell who is a good player but not a lock.

I did fear as much.

Fanster wrote:That game just sums up the new restructure of european rugby, simply a waste of time putting in any effort for Pro 12 teams, it might as well be used to developed youngsters like the BI cup.

Montpellier looked quite ordinary for a team with a playing squad being 4 times more expensive than that of the Dragons.

Interested to understand how the restructure has affected Dragons. Have they ever been in anything other than the second tier competition?

I would have thought that performances in recent weeks in tricky away ties would give them some confidence.

VinceWLB wrote:

Fanster wrote:That game just sums up the new restructure of european rugby, simply a waste of time putting in any effort for Pro 12 teams, it might as well be used to developed youngsters like the BI cup.

Montpellier looked quite ordinary for a team with a playing squad being 4 times more expensive than that of the Dragons.

They played just like South Africa tbh.

LondonTiger wrote:Interested to understand how the restructure has affected Dragons. Have they ever been in anything other than the second tier competition?

I would have thought that performances in recent weeks in tricky away ties would give them some confidence.

2010-2011 Season was our last time in the main Competition

LondonTiger wrote:Interested to understand how the restructure has affected Dragons. Have they ever been in anything other than the second tier competition?

I would have thought that performances in recent weeks in tricky away ties would give them some confidence.

We've been in the Heinken cup a number of times. Never very successful but won a few games each time. I think we were whitewashed one HC year though

mikey_dragon wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:

Fanster wrote:That game just sums up the new restructure of european rugby, simply a waste of time putting in any effort for Pro 12 teams, it might as well be used to developed youngsters like the BI cup.

Montpellier looked quite ordinary for a team with a playing squad being 4 times more expensive than that of the Dragons.

They played just like South Africa tbh.

It wasn't to far off was it, physical up front, played tight and used the boot to good effect.