Newport Gwent Dragons will be aiming to end their 2006/07 season on a high on Tuesday and have the added incentive of stopping local rivals Cardiff Blues from clinching the Magners League title.
The Dragons go into the game on the back of four losses but with three Magners League games left are targeting three wins and looking to end their season on a positive note. Meanwhile the Blues are three points behind league leaders Leinster and just one point behind second placed Ospreys. A win on Tuesday would put the Blues top of the table as the race for league champions really hots up.
Looking ahead to the Welsh derby clash Head Coach Paul Turner said, "We are aiming to end our season on a high. We have three games left, two against fellow Welsh regions and if we could clinch results against our nearest rivals then that would give us a real boost at the end of what has been a long season. Both the Blues and the Ospreys are going for the Magners League title and have performed consistently over the course of the season. Last time out against Munster we again had opportunities to win the game but frustratingly some of our processes in that game weren't quite on the button. However, we have the chance to put that right on Tuesday night. Earlier in the season we ground out a famous win at Rodney Parade over our local rivals and while it will be difficult going down there and playing them in front of their home supporters we are confident that if we do our basics right and perform to the level we know we can then we can spoil the Blues party."
The Dragons have made seven changes to the side that lost in Musgrave Park on the weekend. Kevin Morgan returns at fullback in place of Martin Thomas who moves to the replacements bench. Gareth Wyatt comes back in on the right wing with Richard Fussell moving to the left wing in place of the injured Aled Brew who is suffering with a bad back. Gareth Maule comes in at outside centre for Paul Emerick who has picked up a knee injury. Ceri Sweeney and Gareth Cooper take over the half back partnership from Aled Thomas and Alex Walker respectively. In the front row Dai Maddocks makes his second start of the season at loose head prop with Adam Black moving to the replacements bench. The other change among the forwards sees Luke Charteris take over from Peter Sidoli who has a broken bone in his hand.
Among the replacements academy member Dan Lydiatt provides the back row cover. He was an ever-present member of the Wales U20 back row during their Six Nations campaign.
Skipper Kevin Morgan said, "We would like nothing better than to put one over our rivals the Blues especially as they are going for the title. It is important that we end our season on a positive note. There are already a number of positives we can take from our campaign, we have beaten Bristol, Munster, Northampton and the Blues at Rodney Parade, reached the semi finals of the European Challenge Cup competition and seen a number of youngsters develop through our academy system and stand up to the tests of senior professional rugby. It is important that our season doesn't just drift off but in our remaining three league games we get something from each. Apart from two early away Magners League victories we have not won on the road in the league but Tuesday night against the Blues provides us with the last chance to achieve that and it would be great as a squad if we could secure an away win."
Dragons Team
15. Kevin Morgan (c)
14. Gareth Wyatt
13. Gareth Maule
12. Phil Dollman
11. Richard Fussell
10. Ceri Sweeney
9. Gareth Cooper
1. Dai Maddocks
2. Ben Daly
3. Rhys Thomas
4. Andrew Hall
5. Luke Charteris
6. Joe Bearman
7. Jamie Ringer
8. Michael Owen
Replacements
16. Steve Jones
17. Adam Black
18. Ian Gough
19. Dan Lydiatt
20. Martin Thomas
21. Aled Thomas
22. Alex Walker
