Dragons_look_to_powerhouse_wingers

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/latest/9166781.Dragons_look_to_powerhouse_wingers/


NEWPORT Gwent Dragons are poised to unleash a pair of bruise brothers on the wings at the start of the season.

The region may be short of numbers out wide but they insist they will still be packing a punch in the shape of a former cage fighter and an imposing 20-year-old with stats to rival those of Wales flyer George North.

Mike Poole and Matthew Pewtner have both impressed in the colours of Newport in the Premiership.

The former has a strike rate of 47 tries in 102 games for the Black and Ambers while the latter, who has made four regional appearances, crossed the whitewash 12 times last season.

They have caught the eyes of the Dragons coaching staff in pre-season training and, with Aled Brew a World Cup possible and Will Harries sidelined with a knee injury, they are set to get a chance to showcase their talent on the regional stage.

And skills coach Shaun Connor is backing them to make a big impact in more ways that one.

He said: “There are not many runners like Shane Williams or Will Harries these days, it’s all about power and these two certainly have that – both of them run their weight.

“Matthew is a big, powerful man who could be for us what Tommy Bowe and Nikki Walker are for the Ospreys.

“He is seriously rapid – 4.6 seconds for 40 metres – and is well over 6ft and close to 100 kilos.

“He is as quick as anything in Wales and we would love him to take the bull by the horns and do what he has done with Newport.

“The same goes for Pooley, he is a hard man and always impressed me when I played with him at Newport.

“He is a clever player and runs great lines but his biggest attribute is his hunger for the game – I don’t think he knows the meaning of defeat.

“He probably thought that his chance to play for the Dragons had gone but he has fought back from a serious injury (he ruptured knee ligaments last summer) and is set to get his reward.”

Other alternatives would be playing centre Adam Hughes or full-backs Martyn Thomas and Jamie Smith out of position.

Meanwhile Connor, who is still going to don the boots for Pontypool in the Premiership this season at the age of 35, believes the early signs are promising for a good campaign at the Parade.

The Dragons return to training on Monday after a week off as they begin to work towards their Pro12 opener against Munster.

“This has been one of the best pre-seasons I have been involved with,” said the former Ospreys fly-half.

“The beauty of this group of players is that there are no egos and they are all very keen to learn.

“The spirit in the camp is second to none and we can’t wait to get back on Monday and work towards that first game.”

Been waiting to see Mike Poole in a Dragons shirt for ages...I guess these guys will get their chance at the start of the season!

Impossible Standards wrote:Been waiting to see Mike Poole in a Dragons shirt for ages...I guess these guys will get their chance at the start of the season!

You've seen him play then ? Not just hype ?

Pewter had a couple of games the season before last, but if I'm right, he's been unlucky with injuries. If your good enough. You know Darren Edwards will give you a chance. Expect the dragons to blood a lot of young talent next term.

Let's hope the Dragons live up to all this hype that's being spouted by Dragons fans, nobody would know that they were the 4th placed Welsh region if all they knew about them was what they read on here.

I've seen Pewtner and this couldn't be further from the truth. And if you call the height/build of Dan Biggar a big powerhouse then I don't know what else to say on the matter. Haven't seen Poole, would like to see him get an opportunity though if that's his strike rate.

<"Matthew is a big, powerful man who could be for us what Tommy Bowe and Nikki Walker are for the Ospreys. "> Useless, you mean? Why on earth would you want a player whose style and ability can be compared to Nikki Walker?

InjuredYetAgain wrote:<"Matthew is a big, powerful man who could be for us what Tommy Bowe and Nikki Walker are for the Ospreys. "> Useless, you mean? Why on earth would you want a player whose style and ability can be compared to Nikki Walker?

Tommy Bowe's useless?

Tirkster. Us dragons fans are just happy to be supporting a region that regularly fields 15 welsh players. I think we're all pretty realistic and we'll all take 3rd welsh region next year.

No, I didn't mean that but I couldn't find a coherent way to say that my sarcasm related only to Nikki Walker. Who is totally humpty and useless. I sometimes wonder if he was involved in an accident in a saw mill which cut off both his hands but the surgeon was so drunk that he sewed them back on the "wrong" arms

manofgwent wrote:Tirkster. Us dragons fans are just happy to be supporting a region that regularly fields 15 welsh players. I think we're all pretty realistic and we'll all take 3rd welsh region next year.

yeah, it was a light hearted dig, no more.

Turkster. The battle for HC places next season should be fascinating viewing.

Dragons will suffer away from home I bet, going to Paris and Exeter aren't they? I can't see them turning around their horrible away form in just half the season. I hope they keep up their exciting attacking brand of play too.

No. They're going to Exeter, Perpignan and Florence. Tough group, but you would think that Perpignan will concentrate on top 14 and Exeter will be battling in the aviva. Personally I can't see us progressing and it would be a massive achievement if we do.

As a remote Dragons fan I must say that I love the style of play and team spirit.We are the poor relation but they are often the most interesting with the right values.
I applaud what is going on at Dave Parade.After an early visit for a match against Ulster I was enraged by the Nooooport chants but those days happily appear to be behind us.
Dragons,keep up the good work.

The Newport chants disappeared about 4 years ago. The vast majority wish that we were just called the dragons. The Newport gwent dragons i's a Poopie name for a team! The dragons. Simples!

I agree with manofgwent. The Nooport chants went a long time ago after individuals were given dirty looks and booed after shouting it.

I want Newport gone from the title too (and I'm from Newport before anyone asks!), but I think that ALL teams need some sort of location identifier so would be happy for 'Gwent' to remain in the title, even if Gwent is now a defunct title for the former county. Just Dragons on it's own doesn't tell anyone where we're from and could be confused with other Dragons teams such as Glamorgan Dragons in Cricket, 2 in League, etc. If a team is representative of a town or city, as in the English premiership and Scottish pro teams, or of a an area or region as in Ireland and Wales, then you need to say where that area/place is IMO! Gwent is the closest we have to best describe the 5 county boroughs that the Dragons cover, so let's keep it!

Seems ironic that whilst the regions were supposed to be for the development of Welsh players...the big ones looked after themselves...and its the Dragons thats actually doing the development....

The Sad thing is it reminds me very much of Newcastle where we spend the time to develope the players yet the bigger clubs just come and take them off us.....

GeordieFalcon wrote:Seems ironic that whilst the regions were supposed to be for the development of Welsh players...the big ones looked after themselves...and its the Dragons thats actually doing the development....

The Sad thing is it reminds me very much of Newcastle where we spend the time to develope the players yet the bigger clubs just come and take them off us.....

the Dragons have just gone and poached 2 youngsters from the Scarlets, looks like they're not the only ones looking after themselves, the Ospreys have developed more players for Wales than any other region, the Scarlets are developing lots of talent too, it's really only Cardiff letting the country down at the moment.

Well good on the Dragons

GeordieFalcon wrote:Well good on the Dragons

doesn't really fit in with your rosy view of them though eh?

Ha ha...nah mate...it just shows the very limited knowledge i have on welsh regional rugby....

Turkster wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:Seems ironic that whilst the regions were supposed to be for the development of Welsh players...the big ones looked after themselves...and its the Dragons thats actually doing the development....

The Sad thing is it reminds me very much of Newcastle where we spend the time to develope the players yet the bigger clubs just come and take them off us.....

the Dragons have just gone and poached 2 youngsters from the Scarlets, looks like they're not the only ones looking after themselves, the Ospreys have developed more players for Wales than any other region, the Scarlets are developing lots of talent too, it's really only Cardiff letting the country down at the moment.

Gareth Maule and a useless prop ring any bells?

I wouldn't call the dragons taking 2 very young players poaching. The scarlets wouldn't have let them go if they didn't want to. The dragons hardly have the cash to go poaching players. We've also had gustaffson and Martyn Thomas from the scarlets, but they've taken Kim royle. Sorry Rhys Thomas, maule, James corsi. Every region has taken players from their rivals. It doesn't matter, as long as these players are being given the chance to play. That's what counts and the more welsh players taking the field for out regions, the better it i's for the national team.
It may appear that the blues are maybe not producing as many young welsh players, but you may see a change in that with the new coaching team and with the blues not bringing anyone in. It happens every year. There'll be players who'll be pushing for the national team this time next year, that a lot of us wouldn't have heard about eg George north.
My only gripe is when welsh talent isn't given a chance and where a certain region likes to stock pile players. This is the same region that mythically produce the most welsh talent. This region produced just 4 players for wales' last 6n's game. This i's also the same region that tried to POACH faletau and steffan Thomas. So pleased they saw the light and decided to play regional rugby, rather than running out for Neath.

manofgwent wrote: Every region has taken players from their rivals. It doesn't matter, as long as these players are being given the chance to play. That's what counts and the more welsh players taking the field for out regions, the better it i's for the national team.

exactly as I was pointing out to Geordiefalcon because of his rose tinted view of the Dragons, jeez you people are touchy.

Not touchy. Just clearing up the poaching comment.

manofgwent wrote:Not touchy. Just clearing up the poaching comment.

what would you call it then? you seemed happy enough to call Rhys Thomas and Gareth Maule poaches and I never even mentioned Gustaffsen, Martin Thomas, Wayne Evans, Adam Jones and Gavin Thomas.

Read what i said. You didnt poach maule or corsi. The dragons didn't want those players, but we did want to keep fatty Thomas. You can't seriously tell me that the dragons poached Adam jones. We picked up a player that the scarlets no longer needed. The same with Gavin Thomas. When you offer a player ridiculous money( £540,000 over 3 years) and a player who has played international rugby. That is a great example of poaching. The dragons couldn't compete with that sort of money and wouldn't have wanted to lose a key player. If the dragons came in with an offer of £600,000 over 3 years to sign Tavis knoyle. That is poaching. The scarlets would lose one of their top players to a rival who could simply afford more money. When you picked up knoyle from the ospreys. Great. You picked up a promising talent and turned him into a welsh international and gave a player top level rugby.
When players move from region to region, it isn't always poaching. Look at the dragons. We released a host of players this season. When they sign for new teams, they haven't been poached.
If the ospreys signed faletau. A player we've produced and is going to be a top player for us. That would have been poaching.
Now I hope you understand.

yep, I read what you said,

Gareth Maule and a useless prop ring any bells?

Taffineastbourne wrote that. Not me. Although, you can't argue with him for calling the smoking, binge drinking, quaver eating waster a useless prop! Very accurate. You can by a lot of quavers for £180,000 a year and it looks like he enjoys them too!!!

apologies, mistaken identity, what you write about Rhys Thomas is quite correct, not all Scarlets fans were happy to see him come here, luckily for him he did improve towards the end of the season, but I can't see his contract being renewed unless he become world class all of a sudden, we've 2 up and coming tightheads, Peter Edwards and Simon Gardiner plus Deacon Manu, who can cover tighthead and loosehead, so unless he improves dramatically he'll probably end up in semi-pro or even in England.

Fair play to him. He did play well towards the end of the season and is great in the loose. I've wondered what will happen to him. He may stay on. But obviously not on those wages. He should be challenging for a welsh spot, but he just doesn't seem to have the dedication and I think after a few off the field incidents has fallen out of favour with gatland. Dragons fans don't mean any harm when we criticise him. Its the same with ceri Sweeney. It's just a bit of a laugh.

[quote="Turkster"]yep, I read what you said,

Gareth Maule and a useless prop ring any bells?

[/quote
That was me and I stand by it.Do not take the moral high ground when it comes to "poaching",it is not a good look.
Players become surpluss requirements and get offloaded.It happens.Self righteousness is pretty nausea-inducing.

[quote="Taffineastbourne"]

Turkster wrote:yep, I read what you said,

Gareth Maule and a useless prop ring any bells?

[/quote
That was me and I stand by it.Do not take the moral high ground when it comes to "poaching",it is not a good look.
Players become surpluss requirements and get offloaded.It happens.Self righteousness is pretty nausea-inducing.

stand by it all you like, I couldn't give a toss about you or your views, at least you made me laugh though, trouble is it was at you not with you.

Pewtner just doesn't cut the mustard at regional level as far as i am concerned. Might be a big fish in the premiership but for the Dragons he isn't even a fish.

I have never seen Poole play so i couldn't possibly comment but i doubt he will start against Munster.

[quote="Turkster"]

Taffineastbourne wrote:

Turkster wrote:yep, I read what you said,

Gareth Maule and a useless prop ring any bells?

[/quote
That was me and I stand by it.Do not take the moral high ground when it comes to "poaching",it is not a good look.
Players become surpluss requirements and get offloaded.It happens.Self righteousness is pretty nausea-inducing.

stand by it all you like, I couldn't give a toss about you or your views, at least you made me laugh though, trouble is it was at you not with you.

Pure class.Is there much lead in the pipes down your way?

rhino-dragon wrote:Pewtner just doesn't cut the mustard at regional level as far as i am concerned. Might be a big fish in the premiership but for the Dragons he isn't even a fish.

I have never seen Poole play so i couldn't possibly comment but i doubt he will start against Munster.

Agree about Pewtner. I've not been overly impressed by his appearances for us.

So you both agree with me then?