On Saturday Cardiff Blues make their first trip to Parc y Scarlets with both sides looking to move away from the bottom end of the table. The Scarlets are looking to end a wretched period which has seen only one win in their last seven starts, while in contrast the Blues have lost only one of their last nine - although in ten previous meetings between the sides the away team has won only once.
ROUND 6 (DELAYED) FIXTURES
Friday 19 December
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS v OSPREYS
At Rodney Parade, 7.35pm. Live on Setanta Sports and BBC Sport Wales
Referee: Peter Allan (SRU, 23rd League game). Assistant Referees: Gwyn Morris (WRU), Steve Edwards (WRU).
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU).
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HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
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Date |
Venue |
N |
O |
Newport Gwent Dragons scorers |
Ospreys scorers |
|
Tue 13 Sep 05 |
Liberty Stadium |
9 |
15 |
Craig Warlow(3P) |
Aled Brew(T) Penalty Try(T) Matthew Jones(C/P) |
|
Sun 1 Jan 06 |
Rodney Parade |
24 |
14 |
Ian Gough(T) Michael Owen(T) Gareth Chapman(T) Ceri Sweeney(2C) Craig Warlow(C/P) |
Shaun Connor(T) Adrian Cashmore(3P) |
|
Sun 31 Dec 06 |
Liberty Stadium |
6 |
12 |
Ceri Sweeney(2P) |
James Hook(3P) Gavin Henson(P) |
|
Tue 8 May 07 |
Rodney Parade |
13 |
27 |
Gareth Maule(T) Aled Thomas(C/2P) |
James Hook(2C) Filo Tiatia(T) Shane Williams(2T) Shaun Connor(P) Andy Lloyd(T) |
|
Fri 25 Apr 08 |
Liberty Stadium |
3 |
16 |
Jason Tovey(P) |
Aled Brew(T) James Hook(C/2P) Justin Marshall(D) |
|
Tue 6 May 08 |
Rodney Parade |
18 |
10 |
Ceri Sweeney(C/2P) Colin Charvis(T) Kevin Morgan(T) |
Shaun Connor(T/C/P) |
Newport Gwent Dragons have lost their last six matches in all competitions since their 32-22 victory over Glasgow Warriors in the European Cup on 11 October.
Dragons did win their last game at Rodney Parade in the Magners League: 11-9 over Edinburgh on 26 September.
Ospreys have won their last two games - home and away to Treviso, whilst in the Magners League their last three encounters have all been won by the home side on the day. Ospreys have won three of their last four matches against fellow Welsh regions.
The Dragons took this equivalent fixture last season, whilst Ospreys have won just once in five previous visits to Rodney Parade: 27-13 on 8 May 2007.
Should he play, Gareth Wyatt is poised to become the first player in league history to start 100 matches.
Saturday 20 December
SCARLETS v CARDIFF BLUES
At Parc y Scarlets, 5.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports and S4/C
Referee: Tim Hayes (WRU, 22nd League game). Assistant Referees: Phil Fear (WRU), Huw Griffiths (WRU).
TMO: Tony Rowlands (WRU).
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HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
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Date |
Venue |
S |
C |
Scarlets scorers |
Cardiff Blues scorers |
|
Wed 14 Sep 05 |
Arms Park |
16 |
20 |
Paul Mackey(T) Lee Byrne(T) Mike Hercus(P) Gareth Bowen(P) |
Mike Phillips(T) Andrew Powell(T) Nick Robinson(2C/D/P) |
|
Mon 2 Jan 06 |
Stradey Park |
32 |
13 |
Martyn Madden(T) Mark Jones(T) Regan King(T) Matthew Watkins(T) Dwayne Peel(T) Gareth Bowen(2C/P) |
Martyn Williams(T) Roger Warren(C/2P) |
|
Mon 1 Jan 07 |
Arms Park |
10 |
29 |
Penalty Try(T) Ceiron Thomas(C/P) |
Ben Blair(3C/P) Chris Czekaj(T) Tom James(T) Scott Morgan(T) Penalty Try(T) |
|
Sat 5 May 07 |
Stradey Park |
38 |
10 |
Barry Davies(2T) Matthew Watkins(2T) Stephen Jones(3C/4P) |
Nick Robinson(C/P) Xavier Rush(T) |
|
Fri 21 Mar 08 |
Stradey Park |
35 |
17 |
Gavin Evans(T) Dwayne Peel(T) Iestyn Thomas(T) Dafydd James(T) Stephen Jones(3C/3P) |
Ben Blair(2C/P) Scott Morgan(T) Jamie Roberts(T) |
|
Fri 11 Apr 08 |
Arms Park |
26 |
35 |
Jonathan Davies(T) Mark Jones(T) Dwayne Peel(T) Morgan Stoddart(T) Stephen Jones(3C) |
Ben Blair(T/3C/2P) Tom James(T) Nick Robinson(T/D) Marc Stcherbina(T) |
Scarlets have won just one of their last seven fixtures: 27-0 over Bristol in the EDF Energy Cup at the old Stradey Park on 24 October. The West Walians are yet to open their winning account of the brand new Parc y Scarlets, having lost there to Munster and drew with Ulster.
Cardiff Blues' only defeat in their last nine games was 0-28 at Glasgow in their most recent Magners League encounter on 28 November. The Blues' last five Magners League games have been won by the home side on the day. Cardiff Blues have not beaten a fellow Welsh region away from home since their trip to the Dragons on 7 September 2007.
The two sides have met on ten previous occasions with the away side triumphant just once: Scarlets 6-0 at the Arms Park on 13 March 2004.
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