Dragons hunting for elusive derby win
FOR Richard Hibbard today’s derby clash between the Dragons and the Ospreys will be very much a case of the old and the new.
The hooker came through the ranks at the Liberty Stadium, but now plays his rugby at Rodney Parade.
Facing the Ospreys will always hold special resonance for the 2013 British & Irish Lion, but not many of his former colleagues still wear black.
“I’ve only played the Ospreys once since leaving them, and it is always exciting to play against your old team,” Hibbard said.
“I have lots of good memories from my time there, but they are a different side now with just a few old faces there. They are a formidable team with their front line boys out.
“Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric are worldclass players. They are finding some form, so they are going to be a tough challenge.
“I was proud of our performance at Cardiff Blues. When you think we played most of the game with 14 men and still had the opportunity to win it at the end, that’s massive.
“To lose it like we did was gutting, but it’s about taking that performance into the Ospreys.”
Hibbard has to be content with a place on the bench while his fellow front rower and another ex-Osprey Aaron Jarvis returns to start against his former side.
Jarvis replaces the banned Lloyd Fairbrother in the only Dragons change after he was sent off in defeat to the Blues.
The Dragons have lost their last 23 matches to Welsh regions and Hibbard said: “The derbies are always great games. They are huge for our fans and we really want to get a win for them.”
Allen Clarke’s Ospreys are unchanged for their trip to Newport after beating the Scarlets before Christmas.
They are fully loaded with Wales stars Jones, Tipuric, Scott Williams and George North all starting.
Fly-half Sam Davies was man of the match against the Scarlets and said: “That win means nothing if we don’t back it up at the Dragons.
“The games come very quickly at this time of year and the boys are very happy at the moment.
“We’ve had a bit more time off this Christmas this year which has been nice, but we’re out of holiday mode now. The Dragons will be firing on all cylinders, but we desperately need another win.
“The atmosphere at the Dragons always makes it tough, but if we stick to our processes then we have a good chance of coming out on top.”