Turner: Next two league games to define season

Feb 29 2008 by Gareth Griffiths, South Wales Echo

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coach Paul Turner believes the next two Magners League games will define his region’s season.

The Dragons are searching for Heineken Cup qualification and need to either be in the top three Welsh regions to go through automatically or finish above the lowest-ranked Irish side to go through to a play-off against an Italian side.

Turner’s men face Edinburgh at Rodney Parade this evening before meeting Ulster at the end of March.

“These two games will define our season,” said Turner.

“Eight or 10 points would put us up there in the mix, but if we don’t get them we’ll know where we are.

“It’s important we try to win these two games, we could do with two on the trot now.”

Captain Colin Charvis is still missing with a knee injury but Wales full-back Kevin Morgan returns to lead the side.

Ceri Sweeney, whose departure from Rodney Parade at the end of the season was confirmed this week, starts at fly-half for the Dragons.

Edinburgh are missing six players who are rested ahead of Scotland’s next Six Nations game against England next weekend.

Dragons: K Morgan (capt); M Thomas, R Gomer Davies, A Smith, R Fussell; C Sweeney, A Williams; H Gustafson, B Daly, L Harrison, A Hall, P Sidoli, J Bearman, R Parks, M Owen.

Reps: S Jones, G Robinson, A Jones, J Ringer, P Emerick, A Thomas, W Evans.

Edinburgh: C MacRae; A Turnbull, B Cairns (capt), N De Luca, R Reid; P Godman, B Meyer; A Allori, A Kelly, C Smith, M Mustchin, B Gissing, A MacDonald, R Rennie, D Callam.

Reps: S Lawrie, G Kerr, C Hamilton, S Cross, G Laidlaw, J Houston, M Dey.