Dragons v Gloucester - Teams
Newport will put their unbeaten home record in the EDF Energy Cup on the line on Friday.
By Phil Jackson
Last Updated: 29/11/07 2:04pm
The Newport-Gwent Dragons will put their unbeaten home record in the EDF Energy Cup on the line against the Guinness Premiership leaders.
Wales international Ceri Sweeney will captain the side after missing the defeat at Munster at the weekend, but neither side can still qualify for the semi-finals of the Anglo-Welsh cup.
Fly-half Sweeney will skipper the club for the first time in a competitive fixture and he is eager to make the most of his opportunity.
Honour
Sweeney said: "I was surprised to be handed the captaincy for Friday night's game but it is a huge honour to captain the region and one I am looking forward to.
"Gloucester are top of the Premiership and have a big squad with experience and quality throughout.
"They play a good style of rugby which is exciting to watch and it should be a good game all round for spectators and players alike and will hopefully end with us winning."
Have not won since their 19-13 victory at Edinburgh in the Magners League on October 12 though, and the sides have never met in a competitive fixture before.
Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan has made a number of changes for the dead rubber on Friday night.
Former Australia hooker Jeremy Paul is back from a hamstring injury and he will line up alongside Alasdair Dickinson and Jack Forster in the front row.
Fringe players Ali James, fly-half Willie Walker and wingers James Bailey and Mark Foster also make the first XV, but there is also a blend of experience up front.
Will James partners skipper Marco Bortolami in the second row, Alasdair Strokosch and Andy Hazell are the flankers, while Gareth Delve continues at number eight.
Motivation
Gloucester have lost just one of their last 13 matches against Welsh opponents since 1996 and Ryan expects nothing but the best from his team.
He said: "These players are representing Gloucester and everything that stands for within our group, that is tremendous motivation for anyone, regardless of the nature of this game.
"Some of our players have been involved in a series of high-intensity games and we have back-to-back Heineken Cup matches coming up so we have selected a team that gives players the opportunity to expand our core group.
"For that reason, there is plenty in the game that is important for us. Rodney Parade will be a vibrant, passionate environment and we need to be ready for that, it is a contest we are really looking forward to."
Dragons: 15 Martyn Thomas, 14 Richard Fussell, 13 Rhodri Gomer Davies, 12 Gareth Maule, 11 Richard Mustoe, 10 Ceri Sweeney (captain), 9 Andy Williams, 8 Nic Fitisemanu, 7 Jamie Ringer, 6 Joe Bearman, 5 Peter Sidoli, 4 Adam Jones, 3 Gethin Robinson, 2 Ben Daly, 1 Adam Black.
Replacements: 16 Steve Jones, 17 Hugh Gustafson, 18 Andrew Hall, 19 Lewis Evans, 20 Paul Emerick, 21 Aled Thomas, 22 Wayne Evans.
Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 James Bailey, 13 Leon Lloyd, 12 Ali James, 11 Mark Foster, 10 Willie Walker, 9 Mike Prendergast, 8 Gareth Delve, 7 Andy Hazell, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Marco Bortolami (c), 4 Will James, 3 Jack Forster, 2 Jeremy Paul, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 Andy Titterrell, 17 Christian Califano, 18 Alex Brown, 19 Luke Narraway, 20 Gareth Cooper, 21 Chris Paterson, 22 James Simpson-Daniel.