RaboDirect Pro12: Newport Gwent Dragons host Edinburgh at Rodney Parade
Last Updated: 10/04/14 9:01am
Head coach Alan Solomons is looking for his Edinburgh Rugby side to be more clinical when they take on Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Thursday night.
The game between the eighth and ninth-placed sides in the RaboDirect PRO12 was originally postponed in February due to a waterlogged pitch and has been rearranged to avoid this weekend's Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
Edinburgh are looking to better their recent run of three successive losing bonus points on the road at a ground where they have not tasted success since 2006.
Solomons, whose team went down 20-16 to Treviso in Italy at the weekend, said: "There is no question that this is an important game.
"We're disappointed that we didn't come away with the result at the weekend. We had a number of opportunities to put points on the board and we didn't and that cost us.
"Yes, it is positive that we are getting closer on the road but it's important that we get a result and that we understand the significance of this game.
"We need to make sure that, when we create chances, we finish them.”
Changes
Solomons has made two changes to the side that lost at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo last weekend.
Jack Cuthbert returns to his favoured full-back role at the expense of Carkl Bezuidenhout, while Sam Hidaglo-Clyne gets a start on the wing.
Mike Coman comes in to captain the side from blindside of the back row, meaning Cornell Du Preez starts at openside and Roddy Grant drops to the bench.
Newport coach Lyn Jones is boosted by the return of highly-rated 19-year-old wing Hallam Amos for the visit of Edinburgh on Thursday night.
Amos is joined in the back three alongside fullback Dan Evans and open side wing Tom Prydie, while Jack Dixon comes in at inside centre to partner Pat Leach in place of the injured Ashley Smith.
Jones has once again put his trust in the same front row utilising Phil Price, Wales under 20s star Elliot Dee and experienced prop Duncan Bell after they put in a great performance against Zebre.
They are joined by a second row consisting of skipper Andrew Coombs and Matthew Screech. There are also no changes to the back row as Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd and Taulupe Faletau also retain their places from last weekend.
Newport: 15 D Evans, 14 Prydie, 13 Leach, 12 Dixon, 11 Amos, 10 Tovey, 9 Rees; 1 Price, 2 Dee, 3 Bell, 4 Coombs (c), 5 Screech, 6 L Evans, 7 Cudd, 8 Faletau
Replacements: 16 Parry, 17 O Evans, 18 Douglas, 19 Hill, 20 Groves, 21 W Evans, 22 Wardle, 23 Harries.
Edinburgh: 15 Cuthbert, 14 Hidalgo-Clyne, 13 Scott, 12 Strauss, 11 Brown, 10 Leonard, 9 Hart; 1 Dickinson, 2 Ford, 3 Nel, 4 Gilchrist, 5 Van der Westhuizen, 6 Coman (c), 7 Du Preez, 8 Denton
Replacements: 16 Hilterbrand, 17 Blaauw, 18 Berghan, 19 Atkins, 20 Grant, 21 Kennedy, 22 Bezuidenhout, 23 Beard.