THE Six Nations trophy will be at Rodney Parade tomorrow night when Newport Gwent Dragons face Irish aces Munster in a crucial Celtic League game. If the Dragons win they will hand the title to Welsh rivals Neath Swansea Ospreys before they even take the field against Edinburgh on Saturday night at the Gnoll. The Wales management and the WRU pledged to take the trophy around the regions to share in last weekend's magnificent Grand Slam triumph and, the way the fixtures have fallen, Newport will be the first ground to benefit. Gareth Cooper and Hal Luscombe, who can't play tomorrow, will take the trophy on to the pitch at half-time and after the match Wales captain Michael Owen will take it into the Rodney Hall for the fans and say a few words. Owen and Kevin Morgan will both be back on duty for the Dragons against a Munster side preparing for their Heineken Cup quarter-final in Biarritz next week. Both have been adjusting to life back with their regions. "It takes a bit of getting used to after eight weeks away, we're on a high and it's going to be hard coming down from that," said Morgan. "I was in Pontypridd this morning and loads of people congratulated me and the team. Everyone is so pleased with the team winning the Grand Slam, it's been fantastic and we're just hoping to keep it going.
"Scoring tries is about being in the right place at the right time, I've been playing so long now I know how to sniff a try out. Whether the try clinched the game I don't know, we'd won it anyway, but it was a team performance.
"When I scored everyone knew the game was won, you could see the elation on people's faces. There's not much that can top that."
Owen admitted, "It still hasn't all sunk in yet, but I've got very proud memories of the whole championship.
"In the future when you get the chance to look back you'll think this was pretty special. It's been lovely and I'm really chuffed, the fans want to say 'well done' which is nice.
"But I really enjoy it with the Dragons, it was a bit of a struggle re-learning the calls and I was in a bit of a daze at first, but I'm OK now.
"I did feel tired, it was a massive occasion on Saturday and people don't realise how it hits you. It was a massive effort physically and mentally," he said after playing in all five Six Nations games in seven weeks.
"The way everyone stayed at the ground, nobody moved, was incredible and the troops watching it on TV in Iraq was awesome, it was brilliant to give them a lift."
But it will be another huge game tomorrow against a Munster side full of internationals.
"They've been one of the top sides in Europe for the last five or six years, so it's going to be a big challenge," said Owen.
"It's a massive game, it's what the Celtic League is all about, but it'll be brilliant for Welsh rugby if the Ospreys win the league, they've probably been the best team and will deserve the title if they get it."
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