Roberts and Holmes set for Dragons debuts against much-changed Bristol
Wales international pair Jamie Roberts and Jonah Holmes will make their Dragons debuts against a much-changed Bristol in Friday night’s Challenge Cup quarter-finals at Ashton Gate. Vastly experienced centre Roberts will link-up with Nick Tompkins in midfield while Holmes will add to the firepower out wide.
Dragons boss Dean Ryan has also handed a return to action to full-back Jordan Williams, one of seven changes from the side that last featured in the Guinness PRO14 last month. The No15 will return to his former club for the European showdown as he makes his first appearance since November last year.
Wales international Leon Brown and Brok Harris are named upfront to scrum down alongside hooker Elliot Dee, Ross Moriarty is back in the pack while a back row reshuffle will see Aaron Wainwright operate at blindside flanker and Harrison Keddie move to openside.
The final change to the Challenge Cup starting line-up is a recall for Dragons lock Joe Davies who will partner Matthew Screech in the second row. There is also a welcome return for fly-half Josh Lewis who could make his first appearance for Dragons since April 2019 after being named among the replacements.
“We’re all really looking forward to the quarter-final and we’re going to give it everything we have got,” said Ryan. “We have worked hard over the last few weeks, and across our final two league games, to ensure we got the right 15 out on the field.
"We are one of the lowest budgets in the PRO14 and they are one of the biggest in the Premiership and that is a great narrative in itself"
– Dean Ryan sets the scene with @chrisjonespress ahead of Dragons' Euro trip next week to big-spending Bristol ??? https://t.co/NLZrERMhKM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 11, 2020
“We have had to make some calls on the selection and the players we feel can make an impact. There is real excitement in the squad and we have some big games players who are determined to make an impression in this game.”
Pat Lam, meanwhile, has made 14 changes to his Bristol team from the side that lost at Wasps last Sunday. Bears include nine internationals in a starting line-up that Steven Luatua will skipper the from the back row. Harry Randall returns from a laceration injury to be included in the replacements.
BRISTOL: 15. Charles Piutau; 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Semi Radradra, 12. Piers O’Conor, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Andy Uren; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Dave Attwood, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Steven Luatua (c), 7. Ben Earl, 8. Nathan Hughes. Reps: 16. Will Capon, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. John Afoa, 19. Joe Joyce, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Harry Randall, 22. Max Malins, 23. Alapati Leiua.
DRAGONS: 15. Jordan Williams, 14. Jonah Holmes, 13. Nick Tompkins, 12. Jamie Roberts, 11. Ashton Hewitt; 10 Sam Davies, 9. Rhodri Williams (capt); 1. Brok Harris, 2. Elliot Dee, 3. Leon Brown, 4. Joe Davies, 5. Matthew Screech, 6. Aaron Wainwright, 7. Harrison Keddie, 8. Ross Moriarty. Reps: 16. Richard Hibbard, 17. Josh Reynolds, 18. Lloyd Fairbrother, 19. Joe Maksymiw, 20. Taine Basham, 21. Luke Baldwin, 22. Josh Lewis, 23. Adam Warren.
Comments on RugbyPass
The best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
4 Go to comments