Dragons v Borders - Friday 26th Jan - KO 7.30PM

Hello folks, it's been a while

At first glance this looks like a gimme.

The Dragons - High flying European Challenge Quarter Finalists….recent victors over top of the GP, Bristol and European champions, Munster……. facing the lowly Borders, dead bottom of the Magners League. This is far from a gimme.

Cussiter makes a remarkable recovery after only nine weeks and returns to try and make a last ditch effort to make the Scotland squad and the ever dependable McCrae is in at full-back. Scotland Sevens captain Scott Forrest will be making his first start for the Borders Gregor Townsend will also feature for the Borders tonight in what looks like a decent team – more than capable of a hijack tonight in Gwent.

Dragons have lost…Morgan, Charvis , Cooper and Goughy to the Welsh squad – all massive presences for the team. Brewy is also out with his ankle. It promises to be a very cold night in Gwent with an un-selected Micheal Owen leading the side. This is a very understrength team with only Sid, Emerick, Ringer, Luke, being regular first XV’ers. Aled Thomas is starting for the first time this season and Alex Walker will be his scrum-half partner – players to look out for in the future.

I think the bookies have this wrong and will be awful lot closer than people realise. Borders could even nick it.

Form: Newport Gwent Dragons beat Bayonne 32-15 in France on Friday to secure a home quarter-final against Brive in the European Challenge Cup. The Dragons have won six of their last seven encounters in all competitions, and have not been beaten at Rodney Parade since the Scarlets were the visitors on September 12. Border Reivers have lost their last ten matches in all competitions since the Reivers beat Parma 35-3 at Netherdale on October 20. They have not won outside Scotland since a 32-25 victory in L'Aquila in October 2005. Border Reivers have won just one of the seven previous matches they have played against the Dragons: 43-5 at Netherdale in May 2006.

Dragons: 15 Gareth Wyatt, 14 Gareth Chapman, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Ashley Smith, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Aled Thomas, 9 Alex Walker, 8 Nic Fitisemanu, 7 Jamie Ringer, 6 Michael Owen (c), 5 Peter Sidoli, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Jamie Corsi, 2 Ben Daly, 1 Adam Black Replacements: 16 Richard Wilkes, 17 Gethin Robinson, 18 Andrew Hall, 19 James Harris, 20 Richard Fussell, 21 Phil Dolman, 22 Gareth Baber

Borders: 15 Calum MacRae, 14 Simon Danielli, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Ben MacDougall, 11 Garry Law, 10 Gregor Townsen, 9 Chris Cusiter (c), 8 Scott Forrest, 7 Scott Newlands, 5 Opeta Palepoi, 4 John Dalziel, 3 Bruce Douglas, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant Replacements: 16 Steve Scott, 17 Ed Kalman, 18 Richie Vernon, 19 Roddy Grant, 20 Rob Chrystie, 21 Steve Jones, 22 Dougie Flockhart

Recommendation – Borders + 13 with Stan James