And so it begins… First up is Connacht away. There’s been a lot spoken in the pre-season build up about us having to now change our fortunes away from RP, and the obvious one is first up. We haven’t won out in Galway since the inaugural season, and if there’s any hope for us following the words of Turner and the team, we have to win this one…

We’re still hampered by numerous injuries, including Tom Willis who didn’t quite make it for this game. Scrum halves Wayne Evans (knee) and Jon Evans (fractured wrist) are still both out injured, meaning Danny Lee gets his first start since the beginning of the year.

Martyn Thomas (ouch), Toby Falatau, Ash Smith and Mathew Watkins are all still out injured (well, sort of in MJW case).

Matthew Jones steps up to the outside half slot whilst Jason Tovey slots back at 15, whilst Matt Evans isn’t included in the 23 following some unsettled pre-season showings.

The game is being broadcast live in Ireland on TG4 and will no doubt be on Craggy FM amongst the adverts for Mary’s lovely cake shop and Jack O’Donnely’s second hand shovel emporium. The TG4 broadcast is beng stream over the internet – here- but it’s geographically restricted to those with internet access in Ireland . If only there was a way we could pretend we lived in Ireland… if only…

Edit – this may not be the case as I’m currently watching Garfield in Gaelic… guess we’ll have to wait and see – keep an eye on the Connacht thread in chat for more info

So, lets wish the boys luck as they kick off the new campaign. Come on lads, first game up, and away win…

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER, 2010 – Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons 19.30

SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER, 2010 – Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 17.45 (S4C highlights)

SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER, 2010 – Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps 13.00 (S4C Highlights)

SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER, 2010 – London Wasps v Newport Gwent Dragons 13.00 Sky Sports

14 / 15 / 16 JANUARY, 2011 – Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons

21 / 22 / 23 JANUARY, 2011 – 6 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors

So there we have it. Glasgow away is our first game, then we host Toulouse, followed by the double – header against the Waspy things in December. The exact dates/KO times for the last 2 games aren’t normally released til after the 4th round of games – so that the ERC and SKY can arrange for the most appetising games to be broadcast. Looking at it, we aren’t going to be on the telly much boys and girls, so see you at the games!

at Motorpoint. second hand cars at great prices.

i like it, i think.

where’s the tail?

EDIT:

22nd August

Meet the squad, including the new signings, at Motorpoint.

The nearly interesting LV=Cup groups have been announced and are…

Pool 1
Leicester Tigers
London Wasps
Newcastle Falcons
Cardiff Blues

Pool 2
Saracens
London Irish
Leeds Carnegie
Dragons

Pool 3
Northampton Saints
Gloucester Rugby
Sale Sharks
Scarlets

Pool 4
Bath Rugby
Harlequins
Exeter Chiefs
Ospreys

But the LV=Cup format was created by drunken druids back in the Da Vinci Code era, meaning that we are in a group that includes Saracens, London Irish and Leeds. However we don’t ply any of them, we (and everyone in our group) play against the teams in group 3 – Saints, Glaaaawsterr, Sale and the Turks. We do, however, still have to come top of our group table, amonst Sarries, Irish and Leeds, in order to proceed to the knockout stages. Got that?

Pool1 – Cardiff, Northampton, Edinburgh, Castres
Pool2 – Leinster, Clermont, Saracens
Pool3 – Munster, Ospreys, London Irish, Toulon
Pool4 – Biarritz, Bath, Ulster, Aironi
Pool5 – Leicester, Scarlets, Perpignan, Treviso
Pool6 – Toulouse, Wasps, Glasgow, Dragons

The official unofficial clobber of the Newport Gwent Dragons supporter is now up for grabs from the interweb. You too can look dandy and swish on the terraces… terrace… at Dave parade with this elegant and subtle piece of cloth.

The kit is available here

The design can be bought on all number of splendid items of attire, from baby grows to Hoodies, and on a range of different grade t-shirts ranging from £13 upwards. The company that makes them is based in the states, so it may take a bit of time to arrive. We have used an external website that provides a clothing printing service – so we’ve designed the print, but aren’t responsible for the service recieved or quality of the merchandise – obviously, we want the best too, so if anyone has any issues with the service/quality, let us know immediately.

UPDATE: Several members have recieved their clobber, and I’m happy to report (as i sit here typing this out in my Clarta T-shirt) that the quality of the T-shirt (the default one , rather than the cheaper options) is good – decent heavy grade cotton and the print itself is of a tidy quality and seems substantial.

Disclaimer: Dragged up are not responsible for the printing or quality of the apparel, and are not liable in any way for the services provided by the company that produce the items. We have provided the design for the clothing, but anyone purchasing from zazzle.co.uk do so on their own behest. We are not responsible for the quality of the clothing, the delivery or payment contract with zazzle.co.uk.

NOTE: There has been one instance of a Dragged up member having to pay import duty on the clothing – but the rest of us haven’t had any problems. The website says that if the duty has to be paid, they will reimburse you for the cost. We will report back as to how this pans out.

There’s still a few terrace tickets for tonight. You’ll all have heard the comments from players and coaches over the past few weeks about how much difference WE make when we’re in full voice. This is our chance to go out with a bang at home – if we make the play offs it will be an away semi, so get your throats well lubricated for tonight. if you haven’t got a ticket, ring the ticket office cos there won’t be much in the way of walk ups available. This is our last chance this season, and lets face it there would be nothing sweeter than sending cardiff bloos home with their tails between their legs, their ears ringing from the noise.
be under no illusions, this will be the toughest match of the season and there’s no guarantee we’ll win. if we’re not at the top of our game we’ll get a shock. Help the team – SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT.

It’s also a chance to say farewell and thanks to a player or two. Hoani Macdonald is off to the new Melbourne Rebels team next season, so it’s tara and thanks for all the fish to the Purple Helmet. Richard Fussell will be off to warm the bench for the ‘sprays, when he’s picked at all. Come on Rich, ask to be loaned back – we appreciate you a damn sight more than the sprays will. There’ll be one or two others, i should think, an all, who’ll be appearing for the last time in drags colours at RP. show them some love. SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT.

We’ll be saying hello to a familiar face as well; Mr Sweeney. I’m sure we all remember how he feels about us. let him know we’re still here. SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT.

right – the teams:

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As you can see, there’s a few faces missing, there. Luke hasn’t properly recovered from his neck injury up in Glasgow. Jason is still concussed. It looks like Joe wasn’t ready last week, after all. Aled, Patsy Palmer, Danny, Adam are still carrying injuries and we won’t see them again this season, it looks like. We’l;l miss them, but not too much, i hope.
The blues are resting Gethin Jenkins, Martyn Williams and Laulala for next weeks amlin semifinal.

right, that’s it. Get on the phone NOW, get your terraceticket, come down and SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT.

One hell of a match coming up tomorrow, boys. The Ospreys have named pretty much the strongest team they can field, and will be all out for a bonus point win over us. It’s really important we give them a big old Rodney Parade welcome. There’s been a lot of stuff in the papers this week from the ‘sprays about how they’re better than us, and they love a bit of banter. don’t believe a word of it. With the pressure on they have folded time and again to worse teams on paper than us – the Saracens in the HEC being an example.
If you were wondering whether you could be bothered, STOP. get down to RP tomorrow. Take a mate. take the family. take your beer money. AND SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT.

“But do the team even notice?” yes they do. when we get in full voice the players love it. Even the “men of gwent” song..!

SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT. let them know we love ‘em.

and the opposition hate it. I’ve often had opposition supporters say to me how much they love Newport before and after a match, but how hostile it is when the rugby is on, and their players feel the same.

SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT. put their players off their game.

we may win. we may lose. but make them go home DEAF.

anyone who was at the munster match will tell you, if you weren’t there, there is nothing like watchingYOUR team beat highly favoured opposition on a saturday night. It’s a feeling that’ll be keeping you warm on monday morning. not just next monday morning, but mondays next month, hell, next year an all.

so get down to RP tomorrow afternoon, anyway you can. be thirsty. be loud.

SHOUT YOUR GUTS OUT.

GO DRAGS!

Ravenhill: 1905 K.O – Live on BBC2 Wales