Emerick confident history won’t be repeated

May 17 2007 by Gareth Griffiths, South Wales Echo

A LOT is made in sport of irony and coincidences.

Something that you could not script or some anomaly that pops up.

Last week you had controversial Argentinean star Carlos Tevez scoring the goals that kept West Ham in the Premiership.

And Wigan’s David Unsworth condemning Sheffield United – the club he left earlier in the season – to the Championship with a spot-kick after missing a crucial penalty for the Blades earlier in the season.

But these scenarios you could not make up are not just consigned to the beautiful game.

Because tomorrow night Dragons centre Paul Emerick will be presented with his own unique situation when he runs out for the Gwent region at Rodney Parade in their Heineken Cup play-off against Calvisano.

Emerick broke the region’s hearts 12 months ago when he was part of the Parma side who pipped the Dragons to the final.

The American Eagles international scored the try for the Italian outfit which hammered the final nail in the Dragons’ coffin and signalled the death of their Heineken Cup ambitions for this season.

But having dealt the mortal blow the American chose not to take his place in Europe’s premier club competition with the Italian club.

Instead, he chose to actually link up with the Dragons and play in the Challenge Cup and the Magners League.

And despite missing out on the chance of Heineken Cup rugby this season, the midfield man has no qualms about his decision to move to Wales.

“I have no regrets about the move,” said the 27-year-old.

“The Celtic League is a much better league than the Italian domestic scene.

“When I was playing for Parma the move to the Dragons was not actually sorted out although I had talks with Paul Turner.

“All I could do was do my best for the team I was playing for at the time which was Parma.”

Having been part of an Italian side which has won at Rodney Parade in a one-off European Cup play-off game, Emerick is all too wary of another unlikely Italian Job in Newport tomorrow evening.

“Last year Parma came here not expecting to win and we were so chuffed to actually win the game,” he said.

“Maybe Calvisano will take inspiration from Parma winning here last season and think they can do the same.

“But saying that, I think the Dragons last season were a lot more depleted when we faced them.

“We are confident we can do well tomorrow evening and I want to be playing in the Heineken Cup next season with the Dragons.”

But tomorrow night’s game will not signal the end of the season for Emerick.

Like the Dragons’ Wales contingent who will fly out to Australia to link up with Gareth Jenkins’ squad, Emerick will be on international duty with the Eagles in the Churchill Cup before starting preparation for the World Cup.

“There has been a lot of rugby this season and there is more to come,” he added.

“I have played around 27 games this season and that is not something I am used to.

“But I am enjoying it at the moment and hope it continues.”

gareth.griffiths@wme.co.uk