Leinster v Newport Gwent Dragons (09-09-2011, 19:35 BST)

[TRF_Cymro]

Royal Dublin Society (Friday, 9 September 2011, 7:35pm BST)

Ref: Andy Macpherson (SRU)

Newport Gwent Dragons are without centre Ashley Smith and back-row Tom Brown for Friday's game against Leinster. Smith damaged a hamstring and Brown suffered a dead leg against Munster last week. Jamie Smith, normally a full-back, wing Matthew Pewtner, back-row Lewis Evans, and Pontypridd back-row Darren Waters have been added to the squad.

The Dragons, who have never won in Leinster, have not won in Ireland in 22 attempts since their 32-14 victory over Connacht in Galway in May 2004.

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[DuncTheDoodle]

I could see them breaking their Ireland-induced duck on Friday, to be honest, if Leinster are anything like they were last weekend. Once more, I'm going to say Tovey'll be the difference between winning and losing for the Dragons. He wasn't quite firing on all cylanders lst weekend, if he can sort that out, they should have that win in Dublin.

 

[Logorrhea]

Leinster havent lost in Dublin for a gizzilion years.

Having said that you may well be right. If there was ever a time to play us, now is that time. I'd expect the team to be similar enough to last weeks but the pack will play a totally different game.

Should be close.

 

[big ginger 8]

Fitzy won't play and think we'll want to come out firing ecspecially after last week.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Fionn Carr
13: Brendan Macken
12: Eoin O'Malley
11: David Kearney
10: Ian Madigan
9: Cillian Willis

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Damian Browne
5: Devin Toner
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jack O'Connell / Nathan White
19: Mark Flanagan
20: Leo Auva'a
21: John Cooney
22: Mat Berquist
23: Darren Hudson

Darren Hudson and Nathan White are in line for their debuts.

 

[Conal]

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Fionn Carr
13: Brendan Macken
12: Eoin O'Malley
11: David Kearney
10: Ian Madigan
9: Cillian Willis

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Damian Browne
5: Devin Toner
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jack O'Connell / Nathan White
19: Mark Flanagan
20: Leo Auva'a
21: John Cooney
22: Mat Berquist
23: Darren Hudson

Darren Hudson and Nathan White are in line for their debuts.

willis really????
he was poo for ulster

 

[Peat]

willis really????
he was poo for ulster

They're a little short of options - Reddan and Boss at the World Cup, O'Donohoe moved to Connacht. Willis is retiring, but is putting it off until after the World Cup. Until then, its him and Cooney.

After them, I believe Luke McGrath gets to celebrate leaving school by playing full-pro rugby. No doubt he's a talent, but it might be a little soon for him.

Dragons won't get a better chance to turn Leinster over than this.

 

[Logorrhea]

Big time.

I'm actually surprised he didnt give Cooney another chance, given how poor he was last time.

Maybe its just flat rotation of the half-backs. Did a lot of it last year too.

 

[profitius]

Madigan is also picked ahead of Berquist. How was Berquist last weekend?

 

[Thingimubob]

Madigan is also picked ahead of Berquist. How was Berquist last weekend?

He was quite poor last weekend, kicked pretty much all of the ball in the first away, and they weren't really good kicks either. Struggled to get the back line moving too, they were quite flat and boring in attack tbf.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Madigan is also picked ahead of Berquist. How was Berquist last weekend?

Really, really poor. Kicked poorly, passed poorly, stood too deep in the pocket and didn't control proceedings. It was not a good debut but he was playing outside a bad scrum half, had a winger starting on the other side of him at inside centre and a pack that weren't delivering good ball in front of him.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie Leinster - Newport Gwent Dragons

vBookie added. Enjoy betting lads

 

[munstermuffin]

Would Macken not be the better man for 12 and O'Malley at 13. He's a bigger and heavier guy and I think he'd be better suited to 12 than O'Malley.

Also where has Shaun Berne ended up now?

 

[Me 1]

Also where has Shaun Berne ended up now?

I think he went to Calvisano

 

[Peat]

Would Macken not be the better man for 12 and O'Malley at 13. He's a bigger and heavier guy and I think he'd be better suited to 12 than O'Malley.

Also where has Shaun Berne ended up now?

Depends on whether you want a distributor or a strike runner at 12.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I prefer seeing distributors at 10 and 12 who can open the game up for strike runners at 11, 13, 14 and 15. That's why I think O'Malley at inside centre with Macken outside him brings better balance to the team.

One thing I'll look out for is Macken's defence. He's a good tackler but tends to come inside leaving room to attack on his outside shoulder. Dragons could have a lot of success in the channel between Macken and his winger.

 

[coonor]

I agree with Snoop. I like a 12 to be a distributor. Space is always out wide and its far more effective to have a strong 13 who can hit the channels.

 

[lucky number 7]

I like 12's to be distributors and lads who create space...unfortunately at my club since I moved to 12 I am being used to merely smash it into the 10/12 channel and offload , whearas I always viewed myself as a more creative player hitting it to the gainline drawing 2 men and popping to a guy changing the angle ..any idea how I can try go back to that style of play?

 

[Logorrhea]

Macken played 12, O'Malley played outside him tonight.

 

[Tadginator]

Fionn carr played very well. He's got some pace