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Fixture nightmare for Dragons
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| WORRY: The Dragons could face a potential Heineken Cup play-off without Michael Owen |
NEWPORT Gwent Dragons face a further fixture nightmare right up to the end of the season and even beyond, possibly into June.
They have had to manage their squad through the Six Nations Championship with an initial break of three weeks without a game and then, worse still, an absence of four weeks because of the Ospreys' EDF Energy Cup semi-final against Saracens last Saturday.
They have a game at last when they face Glasgow in the Magners League at Rodney Parade on Sunday, but then they are looking at yet another lay-off of three weeks.
That is partly because of the Heineken Cup quarter-finals the weekend after (with no league fixtures scheduled) and then because the Ospreys meet Leicester in the EDF final, so their double-header against the Dragons will both have fallen foul of the fixture pile-up.
Having gone so long without regular matches the Dragons could then face four in no time at all when they have to fit in the two postponed against the Ospreys and the scheduled home and away games against league leaders Leinster, due on the first two weekends in May.
If the two Ospreys games are fitted in during midweek it will give the Dragons huge problems - and then they will face a further three weeks kicking their heels until their likely Heineken Cup play-off.
It is confirmed, with the Borders gone, Edinburgh and Glasgow will automatically play in the Heineken Cup which means that the fourth-placed Welsh region simply need to finish above the lowest placed Irish team to meet the third ranked Italian side in the Heineken play-off.
The Dragons are the likely fourth Welsh team, especially as they have to face Leinster and the Ospreys twice each, and they should finish above Connacht and possibly Ulster as well - they are six points above Connacht with a game in hand.
It would be the third year running for the Dragons to be involved in the play-off - so far they have won one and lost one - and this year the game will be played in Italy on May 31 or June 6.
Not only could that mean a three-week wait without a game for the Dragons, but if it is the latter date they will be without their players who will then be out of contract and gone - Michael Owen, Ceri Sweeney and Richard Mustoe for example.
10:11am Wednesday 26th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Gwent Dragon Fan, Torfaen on 12:29pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Yes there will be a pile up of fixtures towards the end of the season, but at least the dragons have now had plenty of time to regroup, recover from injury (as many as 15) and condition themselves. Yes they have had limited field time, but at least our 'better' players will be back for against leinster and ospreys. A win this weekend against glasgow will most definately define their season. It may give them that little push and belief to ride out the rest of the season. It would be good if mustoe could stay for the play off game (even though he is on loan from the O's), but I understand he signs for the blues at the end of the season.
Yes there will be a pile up of fixtures towards the end of the season, but at least the dragons have now had plenty of time to regroup, recover from injury (as many as 15) and condition themselves. Yes they have had limited field time, but at least our 'better' players will be back for against leinster and ospreys. A win this weekend against glasgow will most definately define their season. It may give them that little push and belief to ride out the rest of the season. It would be good if mustoe could stay for the play off game (even though he is on loan from the O's), but I understand he signs for the blues at the end of the season.
Posted by: DB, N*****t on 12:57pm Wed 26 Mar 08
If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?!
If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?!
Posted by: monte_fisto, Newport on 7:26pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]DB[/bold] wrote:
If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?![/quote] What if the player's had been injured? Have you seen the list they've contended with this season?
But then the full squad could have turned out for your local XV and you still wouldn't be happy, be honest.
DB wrote:
If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?!
What if the player's had been injured? Have you seen the list they've contended with this season?
But then the full squad could have turned out for your local XV and you still wouldn't be happy, be honest.
Posted by: Corpardguy, USA on 7:46pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Potential injuries or not the fact is training ground fit is NOT the same as match fit. The Dragons need to either arrange a showpiece match with a local side or young representative side (Wales U18??) or as suggested loan the guys out to the, region for use against other regions second strings/clubs etc.
Potential injuries or not the fact is training ground fit is NOT the same as match fit. The Dragons need to either arrange a showpiece match with a local side or young representative side (Wales U18??) or as suggested loan the guys out to the, region for use against other regions second strings/clubs etc.
Posted by: jonty on 9:32pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]monte_fisto[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]DB[/bold] wrote: If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?![/quote] What if the player's had been injured? Have you seen the list they've contended with this season? But then the full squad could have turned out for your local XV and you still wouldn't be happy, be honest.[/quote] and there was me thinking they were rugby players perhaps they should not train between maches they could get hurt
mind blowing isn't it
monte_fisto wrote:
DB wrote: If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?!
What if the player's had been injured? Have you seen the list they've contended with this season? But then the full squad could have turned out for your local XV and you still wouldn't be happy, be honest.
and there was me thinking they were rugby players perhaps they should not train between maches they could get hurt
mind blowing isn't it
Posted by: Bela, Llandenny on 12:07am Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]DB[/bold] wrote:
If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?![/quote] In fairness the NGDs do loan out players to the Prem clubs. Aled Thomas and Gareth Wyatt were on opposite sides at Pandy Park last Saturday for example. The Ospreys also loan out players as you say but unless they are development players the clubs pay a fee to have them which does not happen at the NGDs.In any case the system is failing as players were supposed to be developed by the clubs for the regional side but in reality it seems to be the other way around much of the time. Unless major changes are made to the Welsh Prem then this will continue. It needs fewer sides, better funding and marketing.
DB wrote:
If the Dragons were so concerned about their players not getting enough game time, why didn't they loan out some players to the Premiership Clubs like the Ospreys did?? Oh sorry I forgot, it's not a proper region is it!?!
In fairness the NGDs do loan out players to the Prem clubs. Aled Thomas and Gareth Wyatt were on opposite sides at Pandy Park last Saturday for example. The Ospreys also loan out players as you say but unless they are development players the clubs pay a fee to have them which does not happen at the NGDs.In any case the system is failing as players were supposed to be developed by the clubs for the regional side but in reality it seems to be the other way around much of the time. Unless major changes are made to the Welsh Prem then this will continue. It needs fewer sides, better funding and marketing.
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