Gwent Dragons 2013/14 thread

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

A place for general Dragons chat, etc.

After renewing my season ticket recently, and with Lyn Jones being unveiled as the new DoR (yeah I know, some people thinks he's gash, but whatever), plus the training facilities at Ystrad Mynach, I feel a bit of a buzz and optimism around the Dragons. Saying that I do generally get a feeling of optimism pre season every year which usually goes by about mid October!

Just watched the Wales U20's get to the final of the Jnr World Championships and a couple of lads looked really good - Jack Dixon a rock in midfield, Hallam Amos an elusive runner at FB/wing and Ieuan Jones looking like a very good prospect at 8. Will be good to see how the go next season for the Dragons. I think their regional appearances have certainly helped them in this Jnr cup in terms of experience. Looking forward to seeing them play with the likes of Faletau, Coombes, Talei, T Rhys Thomas, etc. next season.

Anyone want to make a stab at our strongest matchday 15/23 for next season? Will have a stab myself after a bit of thought.

[GavinDragon]

dont know but just been told its not him

[richy_l_p]

Jannie Du Plessie haha, Brok Harris :/

[richy_l_p]

Werner Kruger would be the dream.

[GavinDragon]

Dragons to play Saints at EXP in PSF

[Guest]

Happy with that. Should be a good day out.

[GavinDragon]

aye gunna drag a couple of mates out for it

[richy_l_p]

Looks like Brok Harris

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/WP-props-on-the-move-20140618

[dragon4life]

Looks okay

[Jhamer25]

Would be a much better signing. Versatile and he is very highly rate by the stormers

[dragon4life]

Anyone got any info on him? Is he mainly TH?

[dragon4life]

Wouldn't be suprised if Adam Jones goes to Bristol we don't need him now neither do any of the other regions. I doubt given him failing to adapt to the scrum laws that he would get a big contract at a top french or english club and his international career is over.

[Guest]

Haha. Crazy really, given the two names that were banded about. Sounds good, but he does need to be more of a tighthead, I think. Can't see why the WRU would block it, given the number of WQ we play every week and the fact we will struggle without a tidy scrum.

[Stone Motif]

Haha. Crazy really, given the two names that were banded about. Sounds good, but he does need to be more of a tighthead, I think. Can't see why the WRU would block it, given the number of WQ we play every week and the fact we will struggle without a tidy scrum.

For. The. Good of all. Welsh. Rugby

Kirwan suggested the Scarlets have had a signing blocked, any toddler-munching Turks know who that was?

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I assume most Dragons fans have read this already, but I thought I'd put it up for any casual observers and Dragons sympathisers who might not be aware of it:

Newport Gwent Dragons’ injury crisis has deepened ahead of Sunday’s must-win Guinness Pro12 clash with Treviso.

The region had hoped that captain and full-back Lee Byrne (shoulder), fly-half Jason Tovey (calf) and centre Ashley Smith (hamstring) would return at Rodney Parade to spearhead their bid for a first victory of the season.

But those hopes have been dashed and the prognosis is worse than first thought for centres Pat Leach and Tyler Morgan.

Leach, who suffered a knee injury against Northampton in pre-season, will be out for three months rather than four to six weeks while Morgan, who hurt his knee against the Ospreys a fortnight ago, will be out for two months rather than one.

With Jack Dixon out for three months with a wrist injury and Ross Wardle out until the New Year after knee surgery, on-loan Ospreys centre Ben John is the Dragons’ sole senior specialist in midfield and he is not available for European Rugby Challenge Cup fixtures.

The Dragons’ efforts to recruit an overseas centre are hindered by the timing of the injury problems as New Zealand’s ITM Cup and South Africa’s Currie Cup are being played.

Fly-half Dorian Jones slotted in alongside John in Saturday’s 33-13 thumping at the hands of Glasgow with 17-year-old Newport High School student Barney Nightingale making his second cameo of the season off the bench.

Wings Aled Brew or Hallam Amos are other options for midfield against Treviso as Matthew Pewtner is back from Wales sevens duty.

“These are extreme circumstances which don’t come along very often in a coaching career,” said director of rugby Lyn Jones.

“To lose so many players after the Ospreys was a one-off while to have five centres injured has never happened before to me."

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/dragons/11491989.Dragons__injury_woes_worsen/

[George Carlin]

Can I just say that Barney Nightingale is my new favourite player name, ever.

I think my daughter has a stuffed dinosaur with the same name.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

The dinosaur with the lamp.

[bedfordwelsh]

Great news that Smith and Byrne are back for Treviso game.

[Guest]

Ash especially. I am pretty positive that we might play quite well on Sunday now.

I'm pretty happy with the team we have out. I hope Richie Rees is injured though, as it's strange that he isn't in the squad.

[bedfordwelsh]

Seems conflicting reports on Tovey? Website said he's back in the team but other line ups I have seen doesn't even have him in the squad.

[Guest]

He's playing. He even told me himself he was fit

[glamorganalun]

Dragons have to win this game or they be rock bottom|

[George Carlin]

2 tries within 20 minutes. Piece of p!ss, no?

[VinceWLB]

17-3 at half time, scoreline flatter the Dragons as they scored one intercept and Treviso had a perfectly valid try refused.

Treviso are so strange for the 1st 25 minutes they kicked everything and then started playing a bit. They look quite directionless though.

[dragon4life]

Good to get 5 points but kicking away possession when we had overlaps and poor game managment. Good to have Smith back

[bedfordwelsh]

I thought Smith looked good, lets wrap him in cotton wool between each game please. Amos is impressing me as well so far this season was a little unsure about him if honest but has done bit of strength work and goes looking for work around the park to.

Powell was very lucky not to see red.

[glamorganalun]

Good result today with the bonus point, a reasonable scrum, on to next week away against the Scarlets.

They need to hold the Scarlets for 60mins and they will fall appart going by previous games.

[Seagultaf]

How did Powell get away with a yellow, he absolutely clothes lined that guy! What you you have to do on a rugby field to see red? Very lucky not to be down to 14 men.

[LordDowlais]

How did Powell get away with a yellow, he absolutely clothes lined that guy! What you you have to do on a rugby field to see red? Very lucky not to be down to 14 men.

Those were my thoughts as well, although, I still think the dragons would have won, but I had to laugh at Andy Powells's face though when they were looking at the replays with the TMO, and then the relief on his face when it was just a yellow.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Good to get 5 points but kicking away possession when we had overlaps and poor game managment. Good to have Smith back

Exactly this. We looked best when we kept it in hand and passed out of the tackle or picked and drove. There was far too much kicking, and bad kicking at that, which would have cost us against better teams. If we give Liam Williams those opportunities to run it back, it'll be beef curtains for us.

But we're up and running.

[bedfordwelsh]

Hope the coaches dont feel need to make too many changes for Scarlets game, I would be tempted to put Rees at 9 but not many more.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I'd have Pewtner in for Prydie.

[bedfordwelsh]

LP,

Fair one would be happy with that to I image Brew might start though he's not hit ground running like most thought.

Amos has impressed me early on.

[The Saint]

Anyone know the story with Talei?

[glamorganalun]

Dragons must hang on and hope the Scarlets fall apart again in the last 20mins

[glamorganalun]

Preistland on form again two missed penalties to touch now being dragged off no doubt Gatland will ignore his poor play.

[The Saint]

Biggar and Patchell are the way to go, with Owen Williams also in the mix.

[The Saint]

Well, just watched Scrum V and have to say I'm pretty surprised at the amount of bias that the Scarlets were being afforded. Trying to put gloss on a very poor season and also their scrum, which considering some of the forwards they had start was very hit and miss. Phil Davies is still a genius

[bedfordwelsh]

I must admit the observation of the scrum was unbelievably biased and one sided given were our scrum was last year and we had a push over try.

But it was their scrum that they highlighted as being the strongest go figure

[GavinDragon]

their observation of the scrum was just plain incorrect! a 34 year old stankovich got the better of samson lee today

and considering how poor we were the Scarlets should be worried going into europe

[Guest]

What did they say about the Hallam Amos challenge? I thought that it was fair, but some Turks are claiming it should've been a yellow because he jumped late. To me, it doesn't matter when he jumps especially when his eyes were only on the ball and he doesn't try to like grab Williams or anything.

Can't believe our scrum is pretty good and yet we are not benefitting from it. I would be disappointed if I was Gatland watching Samson today. Also, I am very disappointed in Brew's attempt at tackling Scott Williams for their first try and his stupidity when he was in front of the kick through in not retreating. Even if he didn't hear Clancy shout twice, he should've known.

[bedfordwelsh]

For me Amos' challenge was fair he just got out jumped and it looked worse than what it was, Brew has been poor since returning.

As you say Rev our weak points from previous seasons are now solid enough but we not benefiting from him.

[Cardiff Dave]

[glamorganalun]

There was nothing wrong with the Amos collision he was going for the ball, Radio Wales, S4C and the ref were correct. In fairness Williams made no issue of the clash.

Brew was rubbish as was the game. Lyn Jones had his head in his hand most of the match says it all.

[Seagultaf]

For me Amos' challenge was fair he just got out jumped and it looked worse than what it was, Brew has been poor since returning.

As you say Rev our weak points from previous seasons are now solid enough but we not benefiting from him.

Amos is a great player and I think the ref probably got it right but we have all seen challenges like that carded. Unlike others I thought Preisstand was looking good until the last few minutes he was on the pitch when he seemed to tire and made mistakes. The Scarlets backs outside him were poor, apart from the Williams boys the others aren't up to this level, they just haven't replaced North JD2 and Lamont.

As far as the scrum is concerned, I havent a clue what's going on this season. If the scrum wheels the team going forward is getting pinged, what's that all about?

[VinceWLB]

Scarlet's scrum seems to have badly gone backward, they got pretty easily dominated by Edinburgh last week and they had Samson Lee too.
This is strange as last season it was quite fearful, other teams catching up or have they really declined?

[bedfordwelsh]

Scarlet's scrum seems to have badly gone backward, they got pretty easily dominated by Edinburgh last week and they had Samson Lee too.
This is strange as last season it was quite fearful, other teams catching up or have they really declined?

Not according to Phil (biased) Davies on Scrum V, it was one of the main strengths yesterday, even given fact they conceded a push over try!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Saint]

So where's Brok Harris?

[Guest]

He was never due till November anyway.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Coombs is back now, which is welcome good news. I hope Aled Brew is dropped for the Edinburgh game, he needs to know that performance wasn't good enough. We have Pewtner and Ashton Hewitt, I'd play either of them over Brew. Actually I'd have them both and drop Prydie too, he's done next to nothing so far.

[dragon4life]

Pewtner at 13?

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