Injuries may douse the Dragons’ fire
Coach Paul Turner has named a 27-man squad for Saturday’s game at Rodney Parade, including Lions Gareth Cooper and Michael Owen as well as Wales centre Ceri Sweeney.
However, he also immediately ruled out three of those players through injury. Wales Grand Slam stars Kevin Morgan (ankle) and Hal Luscombe (broken thumb) are both unlikely to play this week while captain Jason Forster is struggling to shake off a groin injury. That follows the loss of Gareth Wyatt with a dislocated elbow.
However, the cup tie is still expected to be a sellout with the Dragons having already sold 7,000 tickets, including 3,000 to a huge travelling contingent from Munster.
And Turner is hoping home advantage could prove crucial in this must-win game for his team.
“It’s a big game for us all but we’re up for it and determined to put on a good performance for the thousands of fans who will be at Rodney Parade,” said Turner. “At one point it looked as if we might be over-run by Munster fans but I’m sure it’s going to be a tremendous atmosphere.
“It’s a tough challenge for the entire squad to take on Munster in back-to-back games, especially with the amount of injuries we have.
“However, we have just got to get on with it and back ourselves. Whatever happens is still in our own hands.”
Turner has been able to include locks Peter Sidoli, the younger brother of Wales star Robert, and 6ft 9in Luke Charteris in his squad after both missed last Saturday’s win over Worcester with flu and a calf strain respectively. Along with Wales veteran Ian Gough, Turner reckons the second row will face a huge challenge.
“They are just as strong as ever and probably have the best line-out in the Celtic League,” he said. “Munster have a real edge about them and have shown exactly how to put sides away. That is something we need to learn.
“With Ronan O’Gara they have a number ten who can put his foot on the ball and control the game. He puts them in all the right areas. They have also signed well and even though will miss the cutting edge of Christian Cullen, they have a powerful runner in Trevor Halstead.”
Meanwhile second row Ian Gough, after a national team comeback in the Autumn International series, can’t wait for the Munster challenge.
Last month the Dragons lock faced formidable South African duo Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield and Australian giant Nathan Sharpe after a dramatic recall to the Welsh team.
But Gough now has Irish pair Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll in his sights, players he holds high regard.
“O’Callaghan and O’Driscoll are great players and we’re definitely in for a line-out battle, and around the field so we’ve got to be on the edge. Matfield, Sharpe and now the Irish boys - it doesn’t get any easier.”
A month ago Gough was no more than a Welsh squad member with Brent Cockbain and Robert Sidoli the established pairing and even Dragons teammate Luke Charteris ahead of him in the pecking order.
However injuries to Cockbain and Charteris meant a late call-up against South Africa and Gough seized his chance, retaining his place against Australia and now in pole position for his first Six Nations start for nearly four years.
“Apart from a bit part against Italy last season I’d been the bridesmaid and it seemed I’d never get back in,” admitted Gough.
“It’s funny how your career goes with all the highs and lows, it’s surreal really. When I didn’t play against Fiji last month I was down on my luck, but two or three days later I was riding high.
“It was such a turnaround it was unbelievable. It was just a case of biding your time, hoping you’d get the chance and then taking it. It was brilliant when I was included, something really special.”
Gough feels his side will need a mammoth performance to beat second-placed Munster.
“They’re a really good side, we’ve looked at them this week and we’ll need to up our performance level tenfold,” he said.
“If you play Munster with a full strength side you’re in for a hell of a game, a real battle. We’ve got a few out, but the boys coming in will relish the chance and won’t lie down.”
Gough has even been inundated with ticket requests for the return leg in Limerick next week - from Munster fans! “Some are staying at Llanyravon where my dad runs a pub and they’re after tickets back home,” said Gough.
“It’s a hotbed of Irish rugby, I know thousands are coming over and it’ll be a cracking atmosphere on Saturday. It’ll be very passionate, it’s just what you want.”
: K Morgan, A Thomas, L Hinton, G Chapman, S Tuipulotu, H Luscombe, J Bryant, C Sweeney, R Fussell, B Breeze, C Warlow, G Cooper, G Baber; A Black, D Maddocks, S Jones, A Brown, R Thomas, G Robinson, I Gough, P Sidoli, L Charteris, A Hall, R Bryan, M Owen (capt), J Ringer, J Forster.
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