By Chris Chaplin
December 11 2003

This week’s combatants in the second pool game of this year’s Heineken European Cup could not have had more different starts to their 2003/4 season as they meet on Sunday afternoon.

On the one hand are the latest aberration of that confused and introverted monolith that is Welsh rugby, Gwent Dragons. Financially crippled they may be but on the field they sit in third place in Celtic League with just the big beasts of Ulster and Llanelli Scarlets above them, the latter besting them by a bare three points. They also got their HEC campaign off to a spectacular start with a 24 – 15 victory over Celtic League table toppers Ulster so perhaps they are an hitherto hidden European force.

On the other hand there is the wounded beast that is Leicester Tigers. Financially secure, this biggest of beasts limps along having the worst start to a season since the start of professional rugby. Dumped out of the Powergen Cup at the first hurdle and if the points deduction malarkey is disregarded, as it must when looking at playing performance, languishing one from bottom in the Premiership with fellow strugglers Saracens. Just the presence of the still pointless Premiership new-boys, Rotherham Titans, providing the plug at the bottom of the league which prevents either Sarries or Tigers from the threat of being sucked downwards.

As far as the HEC is concerned Tigers have made a similarly and singularly inauspicious start to the competition with a 26 – 15 loss in Paris to Stade Francais and this in spite of all but one of their World Cup heroes being on parade. Tigers continue to crouch threateningly and indeed some aspects of their performance in Paris suggest they may even be about to spring into the attack.

The reality is, I believe, that if Tigers do not register a maximum point win over Gwent at Welford Road on Sunday the Welford Road club will not progress beyond the pool stages.

What do we know of Gwent Dragons then (aka Newport/Ebbw Vale).

Well I think that it’s fair to say that given their victory over Ulster, Head Coach Mike Ruddock is unlikely to change much, injuries permitting of course, against the Tigers.

Adam Black, Steve Jones and Chris Anthony formed the front row last weekend at Rodney Parade when Dragons maintained their 100% home record. These three form a strong, technically sound unit with Jones providing a high degree of accuracy in his throwing in while sixteen time capped Chris Anthony is noted as a strong scrummager in the best Welsh tradition however I somehow think that Black may lose his starting place to Canadian World Cup player Rod Snow who came on against Ulster when things looked a bit tricky for a while.

In the second row a famous name appears, Sidoli, however this is not THE Sidoli but Wales Under 16 and Under 21 player Peter Sidoli. By all accounts this youngster is a Ben Kay type of player in the loose and safe in the set pieces. Sidoli was partnered by Welsh international Ian Gough against the Irishmen and who, as his twenty caps for his country show, is a fine player in the lineout and with Sidoli provides a very dangerous attacking combination as well as fearsome defensive capabilities.

The back-row trio is not one to be trifled with either containing as it does Welsh international Jamie Ringer, sevens player Jason Forster on the open side and newly returned World Cup participant Scottish international Ross Beattie, who many will remember from his time at Newcastle where he made 42 premiership appearances before moving to Bristol for whom he played a dozen times before their departure to National One.

This is a defensively strong and very quick back-row with Jason Forster possessing the kind of pace that we see from Gloucester’s Forrester, effectively providing another back.

They will also have a player I personally rate in reserve, another Welsh international Michael Owen.

All in all the Dragons’ pack looks a strong, experienced scrummaging unit with a high degree of mobility and a sound line out. Well the fact that they could lend us the excellent Jim Richards says it all really!

Gareth Baber got the nod against Ulster and has something of a reputation down Newport way for his darting runs from the set piece. He will need careful policing if he is not to get the dangerous Lee Jarvis into play.

Ex Neath player Jarvis has one of the most lethal kicking capabilities in the Welsh game and has been capped for his country. When I’ve seen him play I’ve also admired his abilities as a play-maker and it will be absolutely essential for Tigers to maintain discipline if he is not to be given the chance to punish them with his boot.

Fleet-footed Wales A player Steve Winn was paired with youngster Hal Luscombe in the centre against Ulster, with that fine Welsh international Andy Marinos relegated to the bench.

Marinos is returning from a bad injury sustained last season and will be keen to claim a regular starting spot for the new Provincial team and go on and add to the seven caps that he’s already won for his country. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him start on Sunday.

On the wings we’ll probably see the terrifically fast ex Saracens Nairobian born player Gerald Arasa, who made twenty premiership appearances for the Watford based side and scored eight tries in the process, partnering Ben Breeze who is another very quick player and rather strangely has represented both Wales and England in the shortened version of the game.

Finally – he’s back girls! The blond bombshell that is Springbok Percy Montgomery is back from suspension. Capped 55 times for South Africa the ex Stormers player has been poor value for Newport and now Dragons with his extended exclusion from the game. Mind you pushing a match official – whatever next? You’d not see that kind of thing at Tigers – would you?

Pretty much faultless on his day. Safe under the high ball, dynamic in attack and if in the mood can be a decent defender but without doubt he is at his best coming forward as his try against Ulster testified.

So added to a highly competent and experienced pack we have a tricky scrum half, a fly-half who’s a peerless kicker and play-maker, a strong centre pairing and a very quick back three. Don’t sound like pushovers do they? In that case we, and hopefully Tigers, won’t be caught on the hop and in anyway underestimate the task on Sunday.

As I said earlier this Sunday could well be a seminal moment for all sorts of reasons and if hopes of progress from the pool stages are not to be dashed then a win and a good convincing win is essential.

I am painfully aware that my previews have been somewhat downbeat of late but in my defence I’ve not really been able to find much to be upbeat about.

I was not in Paris last weekend to witness Tigers’ eighth loss of the season, this time against French Champions Stade Francais.

I’ve read the reports and watched the highlights and it is true that Tigers’ did not get the rub of the green from the usually excellent referee Lewis who was hampered by his hapless linesmen and frankly I thought it yet another fixture that we should and indeed could have won, but as is sadly the case in this saddest of seasons Tigers did not prevail.

So reasons to be cheerful?

Well the pack scrummaged well enough against a powerful Stade set up. The line out again didn’t work. Why, oh why, oh why, do Tigers’ keep throwing to the back of the line – it doesn’t work. It’s a risky tactic for sides on top of their game and full of confidence and these are not advantages that Tigers’ currently enjoy. I hope that Ben Kay is fit to start with Johnno on Saturday and that as much as I like Jim Richards if he’s fit (and there is some doubt about this) surely Dorian West must start. It may have escaped Dean Richards’ notice but these three together with Martin Corry have been practising line out drills together for years at Tigers and since June for England and it may just be possible that they know what they’re doing so why not leave them to it?

I hope that coach Richards finds it himself to abandon the hubris to which he seems hostage and finally start the “World Cup Seven” (injuries permitting of course)

I know that there is a debate in some quarters as to whether Corry should start at 6 or 8. For my money it’s Back at openside, Moody at blindside and Corry at 8. That’s a back-row of sheer unadulterated class, for heaven’s sake let’s play it from the start and not only bring it together to play catch up.

Speaking of class, it was good to see Healey at last restored to his rightful and what could have been his world class position of scrum half. Better, quicker service saw the confidence levels of Pez lift with his try just lovely. The Italy fly-half may have his detractors (of which I am not one) but there’s no arguing with the fact that he’s Tigers’ top points scorer by a country mile this season with his fast approaching the century mark already being in the high eighties in a season when points have been a rare commodity.

As usual Gibson played a robust defensive game and how good it was to see him in a bit of space with the passage of play leading to Vesty’s try being redolent of days of yore. How encouraging to see the ball being kept alive. The benefit of quick ball put Daryl clear, then a little show and an inch perfect pass to Ollie who put Sam in with a pass oozing with class.

Holtby had a bit of an indifferent game and his mistake which led to Lebenberg’s try was horrid while Baxter looked as quick as ever.

Vesty seemed sound enough at full-back and I was left to wonder why he had not been played there for these many weeks since Stimmo stopped playing. In any event we should see our new-boy Jaco deW. this weekend and his match up against Montgomery could be interesting.

So will Tigers’ clear the first hurdle in rescuing their season?

Well on paper of course they should. The Dragons are without doubt peppered with talent but are not possessed of seven World Cup winners in their pack. England internationals elsewhere, British Lions, an All Black and a Springbok (OK they’ve got one of those) and are away from home.

There were some encouraging signs in Paris and if Richards starts with his strongest team playing in their best positions then I reckon Tigers can do it.

If not I see big trouble ahead.