Saturday, March 5
Musgrove Park – 7.30pm ko
After a heart breaking last gasp try from Glasgow Warriors last weekend prevented the Men of Gwent from leaving Scotland with a victory, the Dragons travel to Munster in search of maximum points to keep their playoff hopes alive.
But having not lost in the league at home since April of last year and currently topping the table, Munster will go into the game as favourites – though the Men of Gwent have the confidence of knowing they have beaten the 2009 Magners League champions twice in their last two matches and are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions.
The Dragons welcome back Toby Faletau into the back row after withdrawing from the Welsh Six Nations squad with an ankle injury, while other changes for the travelling side sees wing Matthew Pewtner earn his first start since September after some good Premiership form, and Steve Jones leads the side in the absence of the rested Luke Charteris.
Meanwhile the Welsh duo of Jason Tovey and Aled Brew – who will become the region’s record try scorer overtaking Gareth Wyatt with his next touchdown – again look to push their international claims with a view to snatching a last gasp place on the summer tour and ultimately the World Cup squad.
Currently trailing the Scarlets who occupy fourth spot by 13-points, the Dragons have two games in hand and know they can’t afford to drop many more points if they are to keep alive any dreams of qualifying for the play-offs.
Captain for the day Jones is brimming with zeal ahead of Saturday’s clash at Musgrave Park. He said: “We’ve got the (LV Cup) semi final after the Munster game and hopefully with a good run-in we can push for a top four place in the Magners if results go our way.
“Obviously we want to be playing in the Heineken Cup and we need to be in the top three teams to do that but the playoffs are where you want to be at the end of the season and we’re straining to be there too.
“We always beat Munster at home and we’ve won once over there when Mike Ruddock was coach. Some people say it is a daunting place to play, but it’s great with an electric atmosphere in the ground. It’s an honour to play over there and hopefully we can come away with something.
“But we know we will have to get our set-piece right and be solid. You can’t be giving any penalties away and you have to get the basics right. You can’t give them a sniff. You’ve got to play them at their own game.”
The Munster squad has been ravaged by international call ups and will particularly miss the influential second row partnership of captain Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan, especially given Newport’s success is in the forwards during their 20-6 victory in November at Rodney Parade. But the Munsterman are used to these problems, and are still able to call upon a number of hugely experienced internationals such as Denis Leamy, All Black Doug Howlett and Peter Stringer who could make his 100th Magners League appearance if he takes to the field off the bench this weekend.
Another of the key battle grounds could be in the midfield. If Australian Paul Warwick and Lifeimi Mafi are given space and time their potent attacking play and natural instincts with the ball in hand could make it a long afternoon for the Welshmen.
Munster:
15. J Murphy, 14. D Howlett, 13. L Mafi, 12. P Warwick, 11. S Zebo, 10. D Cusack, 9. C Murray
1. M Horan, 2. D Fogarty, 3. S Archer; 4. I Nagle, 5. M O’Driscoll (Capt.), 6. D Ryan, 7. J Coughlan, 8. D Leamy.
Replacements
D Varley, W du Preez, T Buckley, A Quinlan, T O’Donnell, P Stringer, S Tuitupou, D Barnes
Dragons
15. W Harries, 14. A Hughes, 13. T Riley, 12. P Leach, 11. M Pewtner, 10. J Tovey; 9. W Evans
1. H Gustafson, 2. S Jones (Capt.), 3. B Castle, 4. S Morgan, 5. R Sidoli, 6. A Coombs, 7. T Faletau, 8. J Bearman,
Replacements
16. L Burns, 17. P Palmer, 18. P Price, 19. A Jones, 20. L Evans, 21. A Smith, 22. J Evans, 23. M Jones
Musgrove Park – 7.30pm ko
After a heart breaking last gasp try from Glasgow Warriors last weekend prevented the Men of Gwent from leaving Scotland with a victory, the Dragons travel to Munster in search of maximum points to keep their playoff hopes alive.
But having not lost in the league at home since April of last year and currently topping the table, Munster will go into the game as favourites – though the Men of Gwent have the confidence of knowing they have beaten the 2009 Magners League champions twice in their last two matches and are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions.
The Dragons welcome back Toby Faletau into the back row after withdrawing from the Welsh Six Nations squad with an ankle injury, while other changes for the travelling side sees wing Matthew Pewtner earn his first start since September after some good Premiership form, and Steve Jones leads the side in the absence of the rested Luke Charteris.
Meanwhile the Welsh duo of Jason Tovey and Aled Brew – who will become the region’s record try scorer overtaking Gareth Wyatt with his next touchdown – again look to push their international claims with a view to snatching a last gasp place on the summer tour and ultimately the World Cup squad.
Currently trailing the Scarlets who occupy fourth spot by 13-points, the Dragons have two games in hand and know they can’t afford to drop many more points if they are to keep alive any dreams of qualifying for the play-offs.
Captain for the day Jones is brimming with zeal ahead of Saturday’s clash at Musgrave Park. He said: “We’ve got the (LV Cup) semi final after the Munster game and hopefully with a good run-in we can push for a top four place in the Magners if results go our way.
“Obviously we want to be playing in the Heineken Cup and we need to be in the top three teams to do that but the playoffs are where you want to be at the end of the season and we’re straining to be there too.
“We always beat Munster at home and we’ve won once over there when Mike Ruddock was coach. Some people say it is a daunting place to play, but it’s great with an electric atmosphere in the ground. It’s an honour to play over there and hopefully we can come away with something.
“But we know we will have to get our set-piece right and be solid. You can’t be giving any penalties away and you have to get the basics right. You can’t give them a sniff. You’ve got to play them at their own game.”
The Munster squad has been ravaged by international call ups and will particularly miss the influential second row partnership of captain Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan, especially given Newport’s success is in the forwards during their 20-6 victory in November at Rodney Parade. But the Munsterman are used to these problems, and are still able to call upon a number of hugely experienced internationals such as Denis Leamy, All Black Doug Howlett and Peter Stringer who could make his 100th Magners League appearance if he takes to the field off the bench this weekend.
Another of the key battle grounds could be in the midfield. If Australian Paul Warwick and Lifeimi Mafi are given space and time their potent attacking play and natural instincts with the ball in hand could make it a long afternoon for the Welshmen.
Munster:
15. J Murphy, 14. D Howlett, 13. L Mafi, 12. P Warwick, 11. S Zebo, 10. D Cusack, 9. C Murray
1. M Horan, 2. D Fogarty, 3. S Archer; 4. I Nagle, 5. M O’Driscoll (Capt.), 6. D Ryan, 7. J Coughlan, 8. D Leamy.
Replacements
D Varley, W du Preez, T Buckley, A Quinlan, T O’Donnell, P Stringer, S Tuitupou, D Barnes
Dragons
15. W Harries, 14. A Hughes, 13. T Riley, 12. P Leach, 11. M Pewtner, 10. J Tovey; 9. W Evans
1. H Gustafson, 2. S Jones (Capt.), 3. B Castle, 4. S Morgan, 5. R Sidoli, 6. A Coombs, 7. T Faletau, 8. J Bearman,
Replacements
16. L Burns, 17. P Palmer, 18. P Price, 19. A Jones, 20. L Evans, 21. A Smith, 22. J Evans, 23. M Jones
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