Dragons 10 - 16 Dragons Premiership XV - Lol

First topic message reminder :

Well.... The Dragons brought a mix and match team of players from their Premiership clubs within their region and the hotch poch team managed to turn the region's team over at home. So well done to the lambs to the slaughter from Cross Keys, Newport and Bedwas, you did your clubs proud.

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons head coach Darren Edwards remains upbeat and praised his teams attitude and commitment. Thank god the professionals didn't win god knows what Edwards might of said!


Dragons team: D Evans, T Prydie, P Leach, J Dixon, M Poole, S Jones, J Evans, A Coundley, H Gustafson, D Way, I Nimmo, A Coombs (capt), J Groves, D Waters, T Brown. Replacements all used: S Parry, N Williams, T Ryan, J Tyler, H Stoddart, I Jones, W Evans, L Robling, W Harries, A Tuilagi.

Dragons scorers: Try – Tom Brown, Conversion – Steffan Jones, Penalty – S Jones.

Gwent Select team: G O’Driscoll, K Baller, A Awcock, R Wardle, E Frewen, R Powell, R Downes, R Cornock, G Price, K Gaye, D Hodge, C Lodge, P Sargent, R Nash (capt), J Thomas. Replacements all used: R Hutchinson, A Lott, M Jones, K Maiden, C Attwell, A Powell, A Quick, D Gunter, A Davies, M John.

Gwent Select scorers: Try – Richard Powell, Conversion – R Powell, Penalties – R Powell.

Referee: Neil Hennessy (WRU)

We have Nimmo in the 2nd row now, should add some much needed grunt, the man is huge

Didn't know how big he was, he's still quite young though isn't he? DO you expect big things of him?

He's funny to follow on twitter if nothing else.

Ha ha, agreed young guns, a Dragons fan on their chat page had said he wasn't aggressive enough so Nimmo was asking how he could join the chat page to have a go at him

On the field I've heard he's a good grafter and does the basics right. He's said himself he doesnt do anything fancy but does the hard work

Singling out our locks as ageing is a tad unfair imo both Sid and Madam put in a hell of a shift last season playing some of there best rugby for a long time. Problem is depth as usual. It all goes to pot once we start shunting the likes of Jevon Groves into second row.

Agreed, they played nearly every game due to our exhaustive injury list

Risca Rev wrote:

munkian wrote:And a hotch potch side beat Dragons at home but Ospreys cant

Got to love a trier though. Thought the Ospreys would have bigger fish to fry than this, like maybe celebrating their 8000 muted season ticket holders more.

CH4MPIONS.....

Yeah well done Ospreys. The only team in world rugby with more trophies than paying fans...

More than 8,000 trophies? Wow, we're so good....

Paying , not freebie takers

Risca Rev wrote:Didn't realise Shifty was Alyn Davies till I saw that Valleys post again. Used to find him a slightly more knowledgable and decent enough poster, before he changed his name. Obviously trying to be clever now, as I'm sure him in his old guise wouldn't be creaming his pants over a friendly, particularly one not involving his region.

Way of the world now I guess. Enjoy slime balling a poor innocent worker the next time you come to RP now, won't you Alyn

I still am the same person, but I am amazed at this home loss, and the attitude that Edwards has regarding this. Clearly you need pre season to build momentum, if the Dragons can't beat a team of semi pros from their feeder clubs then what chance does this squad have of competing for a European place next season?

As for the point of this was a Dragons B team, are you so sure? The likes of Charteris, Brew, Tovey, Burns and Gavin Thomas have all left, so is it really so clear cut who will step into those gaping breaches?

I have ignored a few replies on here because their new posters and am not familiar with them, and don't know how much effort they actually put into going to see their region. But if I was a Dragons fan I'd be very concerned at the moment. I attended quite a few games in the early part of last season and Rodney Parade was like a fortress with players giving 100%. Yet at the moment it seems like the white flag is raised far to easily by some of their players. While others have let their heads drop and their form drop too.

That's not an Ospreys fan being arrogant, that's just a honest assessment of where the Dragons are at the moment. I like the Dragons and want them to do well but the whole bloody set up looks like a shambles.

Stone Motif wrote:Yeah well done Ospreys. The only team in world rugby with more trophies than paying fans...

By hook or by crook were up to 9,000 season ticket holders next season, that's not far off a full Rodney Parade every home game.

So shifty uve just ignored an almost entire thread of comments and r still claimin a practice game result is an indicator of a unsuccesful season. Hmm

Alyn/Shifty,

1. The last time (only other time) we lost to a Gwent premiership XV we finished 4th in the league. So it obviously has no impact or correlation.

2. Why change your name on here?

And why not just admit it was a poor attempt at a wind up ? The 'lol' gave it sway , let alone you not even attempting to comment on the many informed replies.

And Rodney parade certainly wasn't a fortress last season. And you judge the quality of comments by how many posts the author had made ? Worse comeback than Henson

If he's watched the Dragons as much as is claimed he'd know how desperate we are for more depth. Darren is on record saying his primary aim is to sort the depth of the squad and more importantly the development pathways. Dragons b lost to dragons c so what we've increased the playing pool and the gwent clubs all made a few quid. What is so wrong with that. Just another Ospreys fan jumping on the bandwagon of a team that can do what his own can't and get a result at Dave. It eat's them up and I love it. Oh and if 9000 rock up to the library I'll get a tattoo of Tandy on my arse. You better have a shedload of air horns ready.

The games result just shows the potential for depth and a better future at the Dragons.

More positives than negatives.

Of course it would have been preferable if the Dragons had beaten the Gwent XV, that's a given; but if the OP is this distraught by the defeat in a pre-season friendly of a region not his, I'm worried he might throw himself into the Tawe the next time the Ospreys lose a game that actually counts.

Wow you guys are cold, especially Munkian "worse comeback than Henson..."

If he mans up, admits it was a poor WUM I'll happily but him a pint of flat lager next time he's at Dave Parade

I don't think he will. He may ignore the post, like he ignored several of them talking about the game.

Maybe if I get up to 3000 posts he'll accept my invitation ?

Well to be fair here as a Dragons fan (and while I accept this wasnt a good result), dont underestimate the challenge of the opposition here. Firstly they will have been far more motivated. Most of the Gwent Select still want to become Pro rugby players. The other thing to remember is that a couple of them have been training with the Dragons already (last season) and are infact full time players, like O'Driscoll.

Usually the area semi pros struggle to compete is at set piece and upfront. I dont think our front 5 is that strong to be honest and without that you really wont be that competitive. That said I am happy to see props like Buck and Price given a chance as they will improve no end each season.

If we can improve in the tight 5 then I think the rest will take care of itself as we have a seriously rapid back 3 (Chav,Prydie,Evans). At centre we are looking also fairly good with Tuilagi,Hughes & Dixon good options for us. Probably Fly Half is the only area lacking experience but I have faith on them to do a good job.

I dont expect us to be brilliant this season given that the league standards are improving and the best teams have strengthened well again. But as long as we try to play rugby and not any of that 10 man nonsense then im happy. We cant expect miracles after all.

Welshmushroom wrote:Well to be fair here as a Dragons fan (and while I accept this wasnt a good result), dont underestimate the challenge of the opposition here. Firstly they will have been far more motivated. Most of the Gwent Select still want to become Pro rugby players. The other thing to remember is that a couple of them have been training with the Dragons already (last season) and are infact full time players, like O'Driscoll.

Usually the area semi pros struggle to compete is at set piece and upfront. I dont think our front 5 is that strong to be honest and without that you really wont be that competitive. That said I am happy to see props like Buck and Price given a chance as they will improve no end each season.

If we can improve in the tight 5 then I think the rest will take care of itself as we have a seriously rapid back 3 (Chav,Prydie,Evans). At centre we are looking also fairly good with Tuilagi,Hughes & Dixon good options for us. Probably Fly Half is the only area lacking experience but I have faith on them to do a good job.

I dont expect us to be brilliant this season given that the league standards are improving and the best teams have strengthened well again. But as long as we try to play rugby and not any of that 10 man nonsense then im happy. We cant expect miracles after all.

That's ok then is it?

Who said it was ok dave? What we are saying is that it isn't the end of the world like some are implying...

Morgannwg wrote:Who said it was ok dave? What we are saying is that it isn't the end of the world like some are implying...

Excellent. I got a reaction.
You are correct, nobody did say it was ok, but it has been suggested that the N*****t Gwent Dragons were less motivated. Why is that?

What, you were looking for a reaction? Im sorry. I thought you were after a discussion. Did you have a nice holiday? I notice you haven't been around to whinge for a few weeks; I guess you are back just in time for the new season though, on top form too .

Have you read the whole thread? The Prem won near the end via an intercept try. They were two evenly matched teams. Dragons will be a lot stronger once they get their best players back and decide whether Prydie, evans, Nimmo, etc.. are good enough for first team rugby. If not, the Regions has some decent replacements to call upon in the Premiership (Keys, Bedwas and Newport). To answer your other moan, Newport hasn't been chanted for years at Dragons games. The supporters are past all that now, apart from you right?

Morgannwg wrote:What, you were looking for a reaction? Im sorry. I thought you were after a discussion. Did you have a nice holiday? I notice you haven't been around to whinge for a few weeks; I guess you are back just in time for the new season though, on top form too .

Have you read the whole thread? The Prem won near the end via an intercept try. They were two evenly matched teams. Dragons will be a lot stronger once they get their best players back and decide whether Prydie, evans, Nimmo, etc.. are good enough for first team rugby. If not, the Regions has some decent replacements to call upon in the Premiership (Keys, Bedwas and Newport). To answer your other moan, Newport hasn't been chanted for years at Dragons games. The supporters are past all that now, apart from you right?

Well yeah I did and Newport GD still lost. I read it again and the result was the same.
"Newport hasn't been chanted for years", correct. It's about time that changed.

"Well yeah I did and Newport GD still lost. I read it again and the result was the same." OK, now I'm not sure where you are going with this?

"Newport hasn't been chanted for years", correct. It's about time that changed.

The guy is an A-star whinger stuck in timewarp; i:e, living in the 90s. I wouldn't bother trying to reason with that.

They STILL chant Kerrrdiifff at Blues matches, all four fans in the home crowd.

Stone Motif wrote:If he's watched the Dragons as much as is claimed he'd know how desperate we are for more depth. Darren is on record saying his primary aim is to sort the depth of the squad and more importantly the development pathways. Dragons b lost to dragons c so what we've increased the playing pool and the gwent clubs all made a few quid. What is so wrong with that. Just another Ospreys fan jumping on the bandwagon of a team that can do what his own can't and get a result at Dave. It eat's them up and I love it. Oh and if 9000 rock up to the library I'll get a tattoo of Tandy on my arse. You better have a shedload of air horns ready.

Eats them up? Its a pain why our record is tomkite at RP but its not a job for the samaritans.

Btw...its those cardboard folded up clappy things, not airhorns. Those are reserved for the Wales games at the MS..

Like I have already asked, why do the Ospreys "supporters" (and you have to use the term loosely) worry themselves about small fry like us? Breadvan's Champions (though I don't know why he wrote it in textish talk?) comment proves my point about the type of support you attract. I'd rather watch my region lose every week at home, with a good backing than go to that Library again and see 8000 or whatever they will allegedly get, supposedly back their team by sitting on their hands, in case they get thrown out for being too vocal.

Shifty/Alyn, like I say, you used to be a better poster than this. Name change won't hide who you were, so don't try to be a wum. If you Ospreys were the big deal you pretend to be, your biggest rivals would be the Scarlets (local derby) or a big European team. Good to know you guys still consider yourself small fry.

This is starting to get like an Irish thread.

Ah well Ospreys and Scarlets lost too, doom and gloom all round

Jeez Risca, if you can't take it, don't dish it out! I didn't know Alyn changed his name to shifty tbh. I assumed a dragons fan wrote this article. I saw a criticism of the O's and just responded. No malice intended. The Ch4mpions thing is what the club are doing, its not text speak. Please don't tar all us O's fans with some brush as some of the on here. They emmbarrass me too sometimes. We're not all plastic fans jumping on the bandwagon either. We have to put up with the stewards at the Lib every game. They're like that with everyone.

munkian wrote:This is starting to get like an Irish thread.

Ah well Ospreys and Scarlets lost too, doom and gloom all round

That is sinful, if they can't win a pre-season game in france, against weakened opposition, then they may as well just pull out of the HEC right now. Absolute disgrace and should be ashamed of themselves.

It's all the fault of the Super Clubs we need to get back to a 9 team premiership

munkian wrote:If he mans up, admits it was a poor WUM I'll happily but him a pint of flat lager next time he's at Dave Parade

It really wasn't intended as a wum, the LOL was the scoreline and more importantly the way Edwards has made this into a positive. I honestly expected the Dragons fans to be chewing on barbed wire over this loss and really do think it's staggering so many of you simply shrug your shoulders at it.

I don't actually drink Munkian, but if you at the Hazell stand end then I'll buy you a drink next time I go there. I'm normally in the club house before games also with the old men sat in the corner by the captains name board.

Risca Rev wrote:Shifty/Alyn, like I say, you used to be a better poster than this. Name change won't hide who you were, so don't try to be a wum. If you Ospreys were the big deal you pretend to be, your biggest rivals would be the Scarlets (local derby) or a big European team. Good to know you guys still consider yourself small fry.

To be fair I've always had pretty cordial relations with Dragons posters but as I say above I am genuinely amazed that the Dragons fans aren't concerned by a loss in this manner. I really find it difficult to believe that a Dragons team went down to basically a Premiership side. In other words the Ospreys losing to a team combined from Bridgend and Swansea. It would really rankle with most Ospreys fans.

The name change was simply aligning my forum names with other forums to make it easier for me to log in.

Our biggest rival is the Blues, their the biggest region in Wales and the one we want to beat more than any other.

I'm not sure what side we put out, but I am a lot more concerned about us just losing 40-3 to Biarritz. If you see previous postings you'll see why the fixture in your OP is not so much of a concern.

I also don't see Edwards comments as that bad. He probably doesn't care about the result either, there were more important things to ponder (like his squad and first XV for the forthcoming season). Anything said was probably to give the players a boost incase they were down and out.

Morgannwg wrote:I'm not sure what side we put out, but I am a lot more concerned about us just losing 40-3 to Biarritz. If you see previous postings you'll see why the fixture in your OP is not so much of a concern.

I also don't see Edwards comments as that bad. He probably doesn't care about the result either, there were more important things to ponder (like his squad and first XV for the forthcoming season). Anything said was probably to give the players a boost incase they were down and out.

I've seen highlights from the Biarritz game and their tries seem far too easy as well. But in the grand scheme of things, these friendlies don't mean diddly.

That said, we clearly aren't suited to playing in that heat like they are.

Morgannwg wrote:I'm not sure what side we put out, but I am a lot more concerned about us just losing 40-3 to Biarritz. If you see previous postings you'll see why the fixture in your OP is not so much of a concern.

I also don't see Edwards comments as that bad. He probably doesn't care about the result either, there were more important things to ponder (like his squad and first XV for the forthcoming season). Anything said was probably to give the players a boost incase they were down and out.

Morg:

Agree with your comments, the worrying aspect is no tries, where are they coming from this season? Reading that Brew scored two tries I thought, did the Dragons boys give him the ball by mistake as the Dragons seemed to revolve around Brew in attack. The Dragons need a good start in the RABO or it could be a long season.

Shifty wrote:

munkian wrote:If he mans up, admits it was a poor WUM I'll happily but him a pint of flat lager next time he's at Dave Parade

It really wasn't intended as a wum, the LOL was the scoreline and more importantly the way Edwards has made this into a positive. I honestly expected the Dragons fans to be chewing on barbed wire over this loss and really do think it's staggering so many of you simply shrug your shoulders at it.

I don't actually drink Munkian, but if you at the Hazell stand end then I'll buy you a drink next time I go there. I'm normally in the club house before games also with the old men sat in the corner by the captains name board.

Risca Rev wrote:Shifty/Alyn, like I say, you used to be a better poster than this. Name change won't hide who you were, so don't try to be a wum. If you Ospreys were the big deal you pretend to be, your biggest rivals would be the Scarlets (local derby) or a big European team. Good to know you guys still consider yourself small fry.

To be fair I've always had pretty cordial relations with Dragons posters but as I say above I am genuinely amazed that the Dragons fans aren't concerned by a loss in this manner. I really find it difficult to believe that a Dragons team went down to basically a Premiership side. In other words the Ospreys losing to a team combined from Bridgend and Swansea. It would really rankle with most Ospreys fans.

The name change was simply aligning my forum names with other forums to make it easier for me to log in.

Our biggest rival is the Blues, their the biggest region in Wales and the one we want to beat more than any other.

Are you really persisting in this wind up? Why start a thread if you aren't going to read what is written on it? No-one is shrugging their shoulders and if a scratch side of fringe Ospreys and those coming back from injury lost to a combined Swansea/Bridgend side, the best of whom are likely loaned out from the region anyway, no-one would bat an eyelid. Read my lips a DRAGONS B TEAM LOST TO A DRAGONS C TEAM BIG DEAL.

Shifty wrote: I honestly expected the Dragons fans to be chewing on barbed wire over this loss

And yet you still thought 'LOL' was appropriate? How can you be surprised that people thought you were on the WUM?

Alyn;

I am glad you changed your name on here it saves confusion.

I share your concern regarding the result there should be no way the Dragons A or B side should lose to any combination of three premiership teams playing at Rodney Parade. There is a positive spin. i.e., the Prem players are as good as the Dragons B side, if this is the case the B side should take a pay cut and become semi-pro as there is no benefit to the Dragons. Another spin is the Dragons have no strength in depth and need to bring in some of the Prem players and ditch the under performers including coaches. I suspect the problem is in the front row, we are not blessed with strength in depth in the regions with the exception of the Ospreys.

glamorganalun wrote:Alyn;

I am glad you changed your name on here it saves confusion.

I share your concern regarding the result there should be no way the Dragons A or B side should lose to any combination of three premiership teams playing at Rodney Parade. There is a positive spin. i.e., the Prem players are as good as the Dragons B side, if this is the case the B side should take a pay cut and become semi-pro as there is no benefit to the Dragons. Another spin is the Dragons have no strength in depth and need to bring in some of the Prem players and ditch the under performers including coaches. I suspect the problem is in the front row, we are not blessed with strength in depth in the regions with the exception of the Ospreys.

You share his appetite for the wind up more like. There is no way the Dragons firsts should lose this fixture, I agree. But saying there is no way the Dragons B should is absurd. As ardent Dragons supporters who have watched the region play many times, you will both have noticed that we call upon our club players with great regularity to supplement our squad depth, which is poor. You will also be aware that many of the Dragons B did indeed play at semi-pro level for the majority of last season, if they played much at all. Indeed - and at the risk of banging my head against a brick wall here - Darren Edwards has been coaching 12 of the 'Gwent Select' full time with the region over the summer, including some who have already been capped by the Dragons at senior level. Are facts on the menu today I wonder?

You're a better man than me Stone. I haven't got the patience to deal with this guff anymore.

Risca Rev wrote:You're a better man than me Stone. I haven't got the patience to deal with this guff anymore.

I'm half a valley boy mate stick me in a room on my own and I'd start a fight with myself...