Dragons V Glasgow Warriors URC Round 13

I missed it but apparently the General said, after the Bath match, that the team to face Dragons would be the team that faced Perpignan. That is faced, beat and put 40 points on Perpignan in front of their own crowd.

So,
1. McBeth Bhatti
2. Matthews Fraser
3. Sordoni Berghan
4. Big Richie Squaddie
5. Groot Samuel
6.Ferrie
7. Neild Mullet
8.The Boxer
9. House Elf Kennedy
10. Miotti Meatball
11.Smith
12. Johnson
13. Lord Stafford Of MacDowall
114. Forbes
15. McKay

Now, I'm not one to contradict the General but Bhatti, Richie, Boxer and Stafford are all in the 6 Nations squad and should be attending the weekend training. Perhaps they will be allowed time off for good behaviour. Mind if we end up with Big Shona instead of Boxer at 8 no-one will be complaining. Well, not with a Glasgow accent, South Wales maybe. Also, Miotti came off against Perpignan with an injured back so I wouldn't be surprised if Tom Jordan is in the 23.
Although this Glasgow minus 15 players in the Scotland squad ( except for the ones I mentioned above) it still looks like a pretty good team. It's pretty close to the side which won at the Rec and it should be too strong for the Dragons.
Both back threes have pace to burn and if the ball goes wide we could have a try fest. I thought the Dragons' centres were very ineffectual against the Lions and Johnson and Stafford might be too good for them. The loss of Wainright and Moriarty is a big blow, would be a loss to most teams and I'm not sure you'll be competitive at the breakdown. Glasgow have the quickest ruck ball in the league and Jamie Dobie has on of the quickest and smoothest passes I have seen in a long time. He is also rapid around the fringes if there is no defence posted so the loss of two of your best back rows could be very costly.
I have tickets for this and plan to drive over on Saturday but my car has been taken poorly and won't see the mechanic till Friday morning.

Thank you Jimbo

Bit of a tough one as really not sure who will be given one last run-out before the England game. I would assume Bhatti, Turner, Berghan, R Gray, Dempsey, M Fagerson, Price and Tuipulotu are all going to be held back.

That would leave something like

McBeth - Matthews - Sordoni (Dell - Fraser - ?)
Bean - JPDP (Samuel)
Ferrie - Vailanu - Gordon (Miller)

Dobie - Jordan (Kennedy - Weir)
Johnson - H Jones (McDowall)
Cancelliere - Smith - Forbes

Not a bad side but Dragons have a good shot at us

Smith getting released might give us an indication of Hogg's fitness ahead of the Calcutta Cup match.

Bhatti probably the 3rd choice LH for Scotland, so he may be allowed a bench spot. Stafford, despite playing well, is unlikley to be anywhere near the team, so would expect him to be free as well, maybe partnering Johnson in the centre.

TH much more of an issue, but if Zander is fit, he may need 20 mins off the bench to get back up to speed.

One of the hookers will be free, there are 4 in the Scotland squad, so plenty of options there. most likely Turner.


So maybe

1. McBeth
2, Mathews
3. Sardoni
4. JPDP
5. Bean
6. Ferrie
7. Gordon
8. Vailanu
9. Dobie
10. Jordan
11. Cancelliere
12. Johnson
13. McDowall
14. Forbes
15. Mackay

Subs:

Bhatti
Turner
Fagerson Z
Samuel
Miller
Kennedy
Weir

You are one sub short BG

Neild.

Hazel Sapling wrote:You are one sub short BG

Opps

Struggling to think of another fit player, especially in forwards as Franco always goes 6:2

jimbopip wrote:Neild.

Yes, he would do nicely!

I think (and Dai and the South Wales Argus has hinted at some of this) Dragons will go;

Jordan Williams, Sio Tompkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams, Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Sean Lonsdale, George Nott, Taine Basham

James Benjamin, Rob Evans, Chris Coleman, Huw Taylor, Ben Fry, Lewis Jones, Sam Davies, Max Clark

RiscaGame wrote:I think (and Dai and the South Wales Argus has hinted at some of this) Dragons will go;

Jordan Williams, Sio Tompkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams, Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Sean Lonsdale, George Nott, Taine Basham

James Benjamin, Rob Evans, Chris Coleman, Huw Taylor, Ben Fry, Lewis Jones, Sam Davies, Max Clark

That seems like a half decent side for the Drags. I would imagine they will be fancying this game where Glasgow are vulnerable with so many players away.

Decent starting team, some unexpected selections if true. The bench isn't very good. With Glasgow looking good again I'm not sure if we can take it.

RiscaGame wrote:I think (and Dai and the South Wales Argus has hinted at some of this) Dragons will go;

Jordan Williams, Sio Tompkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams, Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Sean Lonsdale, George Nott, Taine Basham

James Benjamin, Rob Evans, Chris Coleman, Huw Taylor, Ben Fry, Lewis Jones, Sam Davies, Max Clark

I know we're all suffering with the cost of living crisis and the Welsh economy has been depressed for some time, but.... surely you can afford nicknames for your players.

Turk and Dixy in the centre.

mikey_dragon wrote:Turk and Dixy in the centre.

Why?

jimbopip wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Turk and Dixy in the centre.

Why?

Steff Hughes used to play for us, the Scarlets, & Dixy probably doesn't need explaining.

See! I'm old, positively Jurassic, I would have called Dixon Sergeant.
Evening all.

Wasn’t far off then. Should’ve guessed Seuili over Rob Evans really. Nice to see Rosser in.

Dragons by 30

Glasgow side is....

1 Jamie Bhatti (80)
2 Fraser Brown (133)
3 Simon Berghan (23)
4 Lewis Bean (29)
5 JP du Preez (13)
6 Thomas Gordon (59)
7 Sione Vailanu (9)
8 Jack Dempsey (31)

9 Ali Price (121)
10 Duncan Weir (130)
11 Cole Forbes (30)
12 Sam Johnson (97)
13 Stafford McDowall (C) (47)
14 Sebastian Cancelliere (21)
15 Josh McKay (23)

Replacements

16 Johnny Matthews (38)
17 Nathan McBeth (14)
18 Lucio Sordoni (9)
19 Alex Samuel (4)
20 Euan Ferrie (6)
21 Cameron Neild (4)
22 Jamie Dobie (42)
23 Tom Jordan (13)

That is a strong starting XV. The replacement front row is abrasive to say the least. Dobie and Jordan as replacement half backs will certainly up the tempo. Speaking of tempo; Forbes-McKay-Cancelliere is some back three.
his has all the makings of a cracking match. Now let's hope the garage phones to say the car is driveable.

Scotland release players. Wales don’t. Leon Brown and Wainwright could’ve been released. Leon needs minutes and Wainwright probably is a tackle bag holder at best. Shame. I guess Gatland wants to see all his players do CrossFit again, now he has some new squad members.

Bit surprising to see who is in. Does this mean Horne and Ollie Smith are favourites to start next week?

I thought Vailanu was a 6/8 but clearly I was mistaken. Assume him and Gordon are more of a left-right option than a BS/OS.

Our front five looks big and abrasive with plenty to come off the bench. Should be a good game

That's the back 3 I would have chosed for us, would have liked to have seen Clarke at 12 instead though. I feel his ball skills are a lot better. Also think Sio is a better 13 than Hughes.

Hazel Sapling wrote:Bit surprising to see who is in. Does this mean Horne and Ollie Smith are favourites to start next week?

I thought Vailanu was a 6/8 but clearly I was mistaken. Assume him and Gordon are more of a left-right option than a BS/OS.

Our front five looks big and abrasive with plenty to come off the bench. Should be a good game

With Franco, numbers don't seem to mean much either in the centre or back row.

He is South African and probably thinks the OS wears a 6 in any case!

The Mullet is an out and out 7. Big Shona has mainly been 7 recently but I'd suggest that was down to Darge and Mullet being injured. Shona gives us a good ball carrier at 6.
Coghland makes his first team debut against a front row who could all be in the 23 at Twickers. It'll be a learning curve for him methinks.

It’s obvious Dragons are trying to be physical, but hope they don’t cross the line like they did v Cardiff.

I agree on Sio, Mikey. But he did blow his chance a little in the Pau home game and then another game around that period.

Ryan Wilson doing commentary on the Drags v Glasgow game.

He perhaps was not the best person to be asking to comment on the Rufus Mclean situation and he clearly wanted to move it on as soon as possible!

That was a pretty good start, Glasgow at their flowing best

7-0 Glasgow

Goodness three Drags penalties allow Glasgow to go from their own line to the Drags 5m and then they go over from the lineout maul.

That was way to easy.

14-0 Glasgow

Excellent sustained pressure from Drags and they get over the line, v ery entertaining game so far

14-7 Glasgow

Ouch a telegraphed interception gets picked off and Drags score under the posts

14 all

Game on

Another 5m maul and another try for Glasgow

A long tv look at it but finally given

21-14 Glasgow

Drags hooker gets a YC for a stupid shoulder charge on Ali Price

Well Duncy redeems himself for a few earlier mistakes with a try in the corner on the stroke of half time

BP for Glasgow

28-14 Glasgow at HT

Lewis Bean saunters through a ruck and touches down but disallowed

Ali Price gets hooked at 45 mins

maybe he is benching next week?

Big Stafford straight through from a lightening Dobie pass, another good try

35-14 Glasgow

No let up from the Warriors

Drags get one back from a 5m lineout, Basham fights his way over.

35-21 Glasgow

Cancilliere picks off a pass and goes the length. Wrong guy to pass to unfortunately

That will be the game now

42-21 Glasgow

Dobie show how good he is off a Vailanu break

Fabulous dummy and goes under the posts

Worthy of a try but gets chalked off as well, Vailanu picks up offside

Fraser Brown MoM

Another who might have played himself into the Scotland team

BigGee wrote:Ali Price gets hooked at 45 mins

maybe he is benching next week?

At least if he’s on the bench he can’t do anything to jeopardise the game. Though the fear will be strong if he comes off the bench for the last 15 mins

Drags get the final score and a BP

I don't imagine they will be happy with that though, they were always chasing the game.

42-28 Glasgow FT - The Warriors will be very happy with that especially with the depleted side they had out.

Good win for Glasgow but Murphy is a poor ref but I won't grumble too much as his first half decisions certainly favoured Glasgow

Oooft. I don't think shanklin thinks much of bantsman.

Him and many others!

BigGee wrote:Another 5m maul and another try for Glasgow

A long tv look at it but finally given

21-14 Glasgow

m

Obviously got well dicked, but didn’t think that was fair

Murphy missed so much. Even our yellow.

Soo poor to lose like that at home.

Morning peeps, I should be posting about what a great game it was and how much I enjoyed an evening in Newport singing Goldie Looking Chain songs. Alas.

Car died on the way and at kick off time we were discussing astronomical figures with the nice RAC man.
got home safely so no real damage done.

Watched the match on the box this morning. Every time the camera gave a shot of the Compeed stand and the three empty seats I had paid for I died a little.

Unlike recent Drags matches your boys were never in a position to win, actually after five minutes it was all over. Straight from the off your line speed and physical intent was impressive but once Glasgow went 14 up there was no way back.

I thought young Stafford had an excellent game and had your 13 in his pocket by the midway through the second half. Stafford's try was excellently taken. Young Dobie was excellent when he came on and should be in the running for a Scotland call up asap.

When the Drags go to Scotstoun for the Diddy Cup match I wonder if Jones, Steyn and Smith will get a run against that defence.

p.s. meatball being given the ball in space with 20 metres to go and looking for support he hasn't sprinted since 2019.

I felt for meatball.

I haven’t sprinted since 2009. It was the last time the ice cream can went by!