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Page last updated at 06:38 GMT, Friday, 29 May 2009 07:38 UK

Dragons will be too good - Black

HEINEKEN CUP PLAY-OFF
Venue: Centro Sportivo San Michele Date: Friday, 29 May KO: 2000 BST Coverage: Updates on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and online


Departing Dragons will give their all

Prop Adam Black says Calvisano will struggle against Newport Gwent Dragons in the later stages of Friday's Heineken Cup play-off in Italy.

Black is convinced he and six other Dragons who leave the region after the game will enjoy a winning send-off.

"It won't be easy, but we'll... stick to what we're good at and I don't think they'll be able to live with us in the last 20," said Black.

"It's huge for the club, it's the biggest game of the season really."

Black, who has scored 22 tries in 162 appearances since his debut against the Scarlets in 2003, says the players leaving the Dragons are desperately keen to sign off in style.

"It's a tough game. We got a handful of boys who are out of contract the day after the play-off game so you would think that a lot of boys would sit back and go 'this game is irrelevant to me'," he said.

606: DEBATE

"That's certainly not what the players are doing. They are all for this game. Everybody wants to finish on a high and I'm sure we will.

"People play rugby for all different reasons and when you play in a team environment you want the respect from your peers and that's the way you get it - you fight on until the end.

"It would be quite easy to turn around and say 'I don't want to go there' or pick up an injury and not have to travel.

"But the good things is all the boys leaving are desperate to play this game because they want to see the Dragons do so well in the future."

The 34-year-old, who has signed for English Guinness Premiership side Worcester Warriors, says that the Italians will hold few surprises fro the Dragons.

"We know what to expect. It's definitely going to be hard. I'm sure we can go out there and come back with a win," he added.

"The public would expect [the Dragons to win] because not a lot of people know a lot of stuff about Italian teams.

"The analysis that we've done has been quite limited because obviously we haven't got a lot of footage of them."

Gareth Wyatt, Kevin Morgan, Phil Dollman, Andrew Hall, Rhys Thomas and Gareth Maule will join Black in leaving the Dragons.


Calvisano: Luke Mclean; Winston Mafi, Matteo Pratichetti, Gonzalo Garcia, Ludovico Nitoglial; Gerard Fraser, Paul Griffen; Alistair Mckenzie, Leonardo Ghiraldini (capt), Hoani Tui, Peter Sidoli, Cameron Treloar, David Dal Maso, Aaron Persico, Alessandro Zanni.
Replacements: Ben Evans, Tommaso D'Apice, Valerio Bernabo, Nicola Cattina, Pino Patelli, Giovanni Raineri, Paolo Buso.

Dragons: Jason Tovey; Gareth Wyatt, Rory Sidey, Ashley Smith, Richard Fussell; James Arlidge, Wayne Evans; Adam Black, Tom Willis (capt), Rhys Thomas, Hoani MacDonald, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Craig Hill, Lewis Evans.
Replacements: Steve Jones, Nigel Hall, Grant Webb, Andrew Hall, Alex Walker, Aled Brew, Martyn Thomas.



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see also
Calvisano v NG Dragons (Fri)
28 May 09 |  NG Dragons
Two Italian teams to join Magners
26 Mar 09 |  Rugby Union
Dragons face Calvisano play-off
25 May 09 |  NG Dragons
Heineken Cup 2009/10
22 Dec 09 |  Rugby Union
Dragons boss rues play-off fate
15 May 09 |  NG Dragons
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales
Heineken Cup
11 Apr 07 |  Rugby Union
European Challenge Cup
11 Apr 07 |  Rugby Union
RaboDirect Pro12
11 Apr 07 |  Rugby Union
Anglo-Welsh Cup
11 Apr 07 |  Rugby Union


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