The Manner of Defeat - Dragons

OK not many of us were expecting to come away from the CCS with much, some (me included) thought we might have got a LBP but again I thought the overall performance was poor and we got what we deserevd - Nothing.

Most of us were happy that Edwards was given the reigns but a few seasons back, even if we lost games we still played good rugby and scored some very good tries, our defence was usually quite solid to, we have alwasy struggled up front but we supplied 5 players for the WC squad have two class back rowers in Danny and Toby and other players who are hoping to gain International honours.

I was at the Exeter game last week and will be at the Scarlets game next week but talking to guys last week and posters on here we just seem to be missing something.

I have always said Smith is vital to us but one man doesn't make a team and lets be honest he misses more games than he plays, I think its great we re-developed the ground where it is as opposed to going to a bigger stadium because it still does have that atmosphere but how long will that atmosphere remain if the product on the pitch is poor.

Right then guys there are obviously posters on here that go regularly down to Dave so what is missing? Or are we just in a bad patch, if so can we get out of it as we need to start pretty sharpish. I have always said the Amlin is our correct level in Europe but propping up te table or there abouts is not just good enough IMO.

I think the way the game was reffereed was unfair on the dragons. He favoured the blues. Sweeney and Rees should have seen cards for poor and cynical defence when under pressure.

That would have let dragons back into the game.

Seriously missing Luke.Nobody appears to be Captain.Aimless effort just isnt good enough.Homer ref shock!

3 shoulder charges and no yellow cards? Mulitple penalties against the blues and a warning to tito then 20 minutes later with more multiple penalties in the blues 22 still no yellow cards? That officiating spoilt what should have been a good game of CONTESTED rugby!

This is not an excuse BTW, congratulations to the Blues on the win you did deserve it. 1/2 pence and Faletaeu, were by far the 2 best players out there tonight.

Ok I know the ref was poor but it just seems our approach to games at the moment is missing something.

Like I said for the past few seasons we have played good attractive rugby and seemd to know when it was or wasn't on to run the ball, thatseems to have gone for some reason and thats not the refs fault.

Dragons are missing a good inside center and Wayne Evans isnt playing well. The front five need a better coach, they are good players but need to be wiser, particularly the front row...

morning mm and Happy Crimbo and all that

The front five as a Unit are not going well admittedly but our Adam Jones has had a very good season and with current 2nd row injuries I would go as afar as to say he is in with a chance of a squad training spot for 6 Nations.

Even the old ice cream man is playing well and supplying us with decent share of line out ball.

I thought before hand the Dragons were in for a hard afternoon and I was proved correct, the biggest problem with the Dragons is they are a "home" side, as soon as their on the road they go to pieces, they simply don't front up away from home and compete.

Their biggest problem is they have a couple of above average players (Charteris and Brew), 3-4 future potential stars (Faletau, Lydiate, Tovey, Steffan Jones) and a squad full of very average players. Robert Sidoli and Gavin Thomas have long since past their peaks.

It's simply asking too much of 21 year old Faletau and 23 year old Lydiate to inspire the Dragons away from home.

The Blues biggest problem is they aren't consistent, almost all their games this season have been scorching wins, or crushing defeats, they don't seem to have a lot of middle ground.

My gut instinct was the Blues would have too much in the front 5, and their backs would make good use of the extra ball.

Sat proudly in the Canton stand amongst all the Blues fans in my yellow Dragons top, nothing I saw in the game suprised me..
Apart from the camera man zooming in on me when the Dragons kicked their first 3 points. (I was the guy who looks like Gimli the Dwarf from Lord in the Rings, according to my partner anyway!)

I said the Dragons would lose heavily and they did and no one should be suprised based on the comparative talent levels in the respecting squads and the fact the Dragons were away.

We started off well , put some balls into it. Tovey has apologised on Twitter for another loss

Alyn I re watched the game this morning. There wasn't much between the 2 sides. The Dragons played some excellent offloading rugby, unfortuately they aren't playing it in the right areas. The lineouts were even and the scrum was about even, the Blues were just very clinical and took the 3 chances well. 1/2 P could have got another from the high ball but it was all a bit of a mess in the end. The second half was played at a good pace.

Impossible Standards wrote:Alyn I re watched the game this morning. There wasn't much between the 2 sides. The Dragons played some excellent offloading rugby, unfortuately they aren't playing it in the right areas. The lineouts were even and the scrum was about even, the Blues were just very clinical and took the 3 chances well. 1/2 P could have got another from the high ball but it was all a bit of a mess in the end. The second half was played at a good pace.

I agree with your assessment entirely, the difference was the Blues took their chances, but the Dragons didn't really make too many of their own, even when they did make line breaks there always seemed to be 3 Blues players ahead of them to snuff out the attack.
The key issue though is the Dragons don;t quite stand up away from home as they do in front of the Hazzell stand and that's the biggest issue they have in my opinion. When their away from home, I never expect them to get any result, even at places like Connacht, Aironi and Treviso.

The key issue though is the Dragons don;t quite stand up away from home as they do in front of the Hazzell stand and that's the biggest issue they have in my opinion. When their away from home, I never expect them to get any result, even at places like Connacht, Aironi and Treviso..

Something that's frustrated me and probably many other Dragons fans for years now.

Impossible Standards wrote:Alyn I re watched the game this morning. There wasn't much between the 2 sides. The Dragons played some excellent offloading rugby, unfortuately they aren't playing it in the right areas. The lineouts were even and the scrum was about even, the Blues were just very clinical and took the 3 chances well. 1/2 P could have got another from the high ball but it was all a bit of a mess in the end. The second half was played at a good pace.

Blues were cynical, not clinical. A decent ref would have had 3 in the bin.


Ignoring that Blues killed the game off well. Dragons not good enough, despite some great individual performances.

My favourite Welsh team BTW.

i remember thinking we'd been let off the hook once or twice. we were lucky not to see cards. at least once i though a yellow was a cert.

unlucky drags. you play an exciting brand and faletau is a stand out player in that brand. there were other good performances too.

not sure the dragons are missing anything in particular. keep to the game plan and things will start going their way. i think the dragons will grow and could easily become the top region. i am extremely envious of the dave, an excelent rugby ground. the best in wales.