Dragons Season Thread - 2019/20 aka Year 1 of the new 5 Year Plan

[Stone Motif]

First topic message reminder :

A good win for Dragons. Wonder if George North might get banned this week for more shethousery. Guy is turning into a dirty get down there.

Wasn’t too convinced by the subs we made, but they turned out to be wise choices. That includes Tovey steadying the ship and kicking the winner and surprisingly Suter being solid in the scrum.

It's an amazing win given the Ospreys dominance. If they'd have made the right calls our luck would have run out I think.

[Stone Motif]

Think Max Williams will come good but that second row...

[Guest]

Decent win. Nice hat-trick (I’ve tried spelling that about 4 times and it just doesn’t look right!) Taine Basham

[Stone Motif]

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/18041550.dragons-beat-castres---boss-ryans-not-content/

Great atuff

[RiscaGame]

Good first half, poor second. They kind of threatened a LBP, which wouldn’t have been deserved. Forwards did pretty well. Hibbard clearly riled by the potential gouge started launching himself into tackles again, Basham continues to show his class. I actually thought Tom Griffiths showed some nice footwork at times too.

Wasn’t overly impressed by Tyler Morgan and I can see why coaches don’t particularly rate Daf Howells other than as a try scorer.

Anyway, realistically I think we were about two scores light of what we should’ve been. Good to see the driving lineout return though.

People are very quick to put the boot into the Dragons, even on here, but if you actually look at even our bad results with some context, you’ll see we have improved. Given it’s early days too. There’s a hell of a lot to like about Dean Ryan.

[RiscaGame]

Can’t even accuse Castres of being disinterested either, given that they kicked a penalty to take the lead. I would’ve put my house on them trying to go for a driving lineout. It was also good to see them take a lineout, rather than taking us on in the scrum (after a not straight lineout by us). Just showed they were getting no change out of us.

[Guest]

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/18041550.dragons-beat-castres---boss-ryans-not-content/

Great atuff

Yes I was reading that earlier. Refreshing to see us not getting carried away with a win and glossing over errors and deficiencies in the performance.

[mikey_dragon]

Think Max Williams will come good but that second row...

?

[mikey_dragon]

Getting a win will be good for the group. Dean Ryan is a realist no doubt, I'm glad I'm not the only one to think we didn't do amazing... not saying that anyone on here necessarily does, but reading the Facebook page sometimes you'd think people get their rugby information off the back of a Penguin bar. Basham is another good find on the open-side and is versatile. That's 3 very good open-sides unearthed within 3 seasons. Hill has to be due back soon, there's no reason for him to still be away. The game next week might be a good time for him to drip back in.

[Stone Motif]

Think Max Williams will come good but that second row...

?

Thought it was a very weak second row to be starting a game against a big French pack...ok not weak so much as inexperienced in MW's case. Can't believe Joe Davies has fifty Dregs games under his belt. Fortunately having some football in the pack snaffled a few tries and put us far enough ahead we got over the line when Castres turned on the power.

[mikey_dragon]

Think Max Williams will come good but that second row...

?

Thought it was a very weak second row to be starting a game against a big French pack...ok not weak so much as inexperienced in MW's case. Can't believe Joe Davies has fifty Dregs games under his belt.  Fortunately having some football in the pack snaffled a few tries and put us far enough ahead we got over the line when Castres turned on the power.

Those were my concerns since two seasons ago. Since Bakkies popularised the enforcer type lock, every team bar us seems to have one. You'd look at Joe Davies and assume he was one, but he really isn't. MW looks like he has some good skills and attributes but most of the time I've seen him play he doesn't really do much apart from run to each ruck and stand around. Screech and Nansen are a good combo, if the latter ever becomes available. No need to drop Taylor but Hill is a good option at lock and blindside.

[Stone Motif]

Think Max Williams will come good but that second row...

?

Thought it was a very weak second row to be starting a game against a big French pack...ok not weak so much as inexperienced in MW's case. Can't believe Joe Davies has fifty Dregs games under his belt.  Fortunately having some football in the pack snaffled a few tries and put us far enough ahead we got over the line when Castres turned on the power.

Those were my concerns since two seasons ago. Since Bakkies popularised the enforcer type lock, every team bar us seems to have one. You'd look at Joe Davies and assume he was one, but he really isn't. MW looks like he has some good skills and attributes but most of the time I've seen him play he doesn't really do much apart from run to each ruck and stand around. Screech and Nansen are a good combo, if the latter ever becomes available. No need to drop Taylor but Hill is a good option at lock and blindside.

Far from every team has an enforcer lock. There are three others in Wales who don't for starters.

[mikey_dragon]

You've not heard of Jake Ball? And that Fijian lock that Scarlets signed also looks good. I agree that Cardiff don't and it's an area where they're really lacking. With Ospreys you could make a case for Beard, although he's kind of regressed. You could make the same case for AWJ, but he's only grown into that sort of role in recent years due to losing some of his other abilities with age. It's probably why he bulked up so he could sort of fit that mould, albeit there hasn't been one like Bakkies Botha since Bakkies Botha.

[Guest]

Does anyone really have an ‘enforcer’ these days apart from SA???

[Guest]

I.e. that nutter who’s been in court recently.

[Guest]

Literally no one has an enforcer, no. You have to be able to do it all in the second row these days. Some are a bit more physical than others, but you dont get players picked who are solely there because theyll cause havoc round the rucks and hurt people.

[Stone Motif]

So, looks like we're hoping the Barbarians turn up to the money spinner half cut and not really in the mood to hurt anyone then.

Congrats to our contingent all the same - try not to get injured fellas...

[RiscaGame]

Happy for the four that were outside the WC squad. But we could definitely do with them for next week, as Zebre would be a game to target.

Guess Basham and Davies aren't travelling to Russia then. Hopefully Jumbo stays fit, or we are feeling the pinch at 7 a fair bit.

[Stone Motif]

Happy for the four that were outside the WC squad. But we could definitely do with them for next week, as Zebre would be a game to target.

Guess Basham and Davies aren't travelling to Russia then. Hopefully Jumbo stays fit, or we are feeling the pinch at 7 a fair bit.

Well they only need four backrowers so unless it's our four we should have one back at least, because yeah I agree we want to be fully loaded for Zebre. Same Davies is the biggest concern, our season hangs on a nothing game as he looks set to play the Baa baas

[mikey_dragon]

SD would be on the replacements bench though I guess, coming on when the opposition tire.

[Stone Motif]

SD would be on the replacements bench though I guess, coming on when the opposition tire.

Dunno he might want to give them a half each, can see him wanting a less conservative ten than Gatland and the two front runners for Wales are facing a spell on the sidelines. Great for Sam, part of the reason he moved I guess but if he gets injured it's the season down the toilet

[mikey_dragon]

Adams is out all season is he?

Anyone know if Moriarty is off to Exeter next season? He isn't worth 450K, but would happily continue that if we can afford to. We haven't seen him and others in this Dean Ryan coached team yet. Brown has already improved and Basham is flourishing, so there is hope.

[Stone Motif]

Adams is out all season is he?

Anyone know if Moriarty is off to Exeter next season? He isn't worth 450K, but would happily continue that if we can afford to. We haven't seen him and others in this Dean Ryan coached team yet. Brown has already improved and Basham is flourishing, so there is hope.

We can only hope. Can't think of a bigger waste of money signing in pro rugby

[mikey_dragon]

It certainly seemed that way last season, probably not entirely his doing as it would have been tough to play for this shower back then. Ross, Wainwright, Hill, Dee, Brown and Griffiths I'd like to see starting for a few games and see how they do then.

Anyone else think that Warren could have filled the void at 13? We don't seem to have any other genuine outside centres playing well in Wales right now.

[Stone Motif]

It certainly seemed that way last season, probably not entirely his doing as it would have been tough to play for this shower back then. Ross, Wainwright, Hill, Dee, Brown and Griffiths I'd like to see starting for a few games and see how they do then.

Anyone else think that Warren could have filled the void at 13? We don't seem to have any other genuine outside centres playing well in Wales right now.

That's the point. You'd only ever see them starting for a few games. Spending a tenth of the budget on a Wales international who plays in a position where half decent players grow on trees is lunacy. We've got a 22 year old whose already better than him.

[mikey_dragon]

Dual Contracts make sense for those reasons, but I thought they were being phased out.

[Stone Motif]

Side on Gulag detail out. Big game for the new half backs. Not sure I like the ability of that bench to turn a close game:

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/18051543.james-benjamin-lead-dragons-russia-dean-ryan-makes-seven-changes/

[RiscaGame]

Seems a bit random to promote Shipp and leave Lawrence as a replacement again. Not sure many of the bench will be utilised, if they can help it. Feel a bit for Taine, having to travel there, then report for Team Wales on Sunday or Monday.

On the upside, at least it can be streamed. Just have to negotiate an early finish tomorrow.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Good win this afternoon. Some of the second-half tries were lovely, and Arwel Robson's touchline conversions were very impressive.

Jordan Williams looked in quite a lot of pain when he came off, so that's a worry.

[RiscaGame]

I only got to watch the first half. They weren’t great for that period . Thankfully they sorted themselves out then.

Hopefully Williams isn't too bad.

[mikey_dragon]

How do we watch it? I'm on the EPCR website and I can't find out how. Are we able to watch Toulon vs Scarlets on there?

[mikey_dragon]

I've found it now, but I don't think this game is on the highlights reel yet so I'll watch a bit of Bristol.

[Stone Motif]

Sounds like a job well done with something of a scratch side. I know Botica is only there to prove me right and Dowlais wrong these days but pending Sam getting broken in the money spinner we might need a body to stick at ten, so weirdly he's a bigger worry than Williams getting a knock.

[Stone Motif]

Or not. Just a bump. Williams sounds broken:
https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/18055440.dean-ryan-proud-young-dragons-mature-european-display/

[Stone Motif]

Those who saw the game, is that Jordaan at 8 for Enisei worth a punt? I know he'd have to trade the weather of Krasnodar for that of the Kingdom, but is he as much of a beast as the write ups make out?

[RiscaGame]

From what I saw, he wasn’t that good. He skittled Arwel for his try, but I didn’t think he looked like he was conditioned at all. Maybe he really showed up second half, but first was ultimately weak defence letting him run. I guess he’s similar to Robson Blake, where he probably would be a hard man to stop once or twice, but realistically, you couldn’t condition him into a pro.

[Stone Motif]

From what I saw, he wasn’t that good. He skittled Arwel for his try, but I didn’t think he looked like he was conditioned at all. Maybe he really showed up second half, but first was ultimately weak defence letting him run. I guess he’s similar to Robson Blake, where he probably would be a hard man to stop once or twice, but realistically, you couldn’t condition him into a pro.

Yeah I did kinda wonder why he was exiled in Russia when according to the Fail write up he was a clone of Billy V, cheers

[mikey_dragon]

Buttress vs PhilBB . Phil is a muppet beyond belief.

[RiscaGame]

From what I saw, he wasn’t that good. He skittled Arwel for his try, but I didn’t think he looked like he was conditioned at all. Maybe he really showed up second half, but first was ultimately weak defence letting him run. I guess he’s similar to Robson Blake, where he probably would be a hard man to stop once or twice, but realistically, you couldn’t condition him into a pro.

Yeah I did kinda wonder why he was exiled in Russia when according to the Fail write up he was a clone of Billy V, cheers

Well, I’m not one to argue with the national media of Wales, but seeing as they like putting the boot into us, where’s the article of praise. We have to compete with the interest in the Prem now and I totally get that. The game on Friday night was jam packed too.

[Stone Motif]

From what I saw, he wasn’t that good. He skittled Arwel for his try, but I didn’t think he looked like he was conditioned at all. Maybe he really showed up second half, but first was ultimately weak defence letting him run. I guess he’s similar to Robson Blake, where he probably would be a hard man to stop once or twice, but realistically, you couldn’t condition him into a pro.

Yeah I did kinda wonder why he was exiled in Russia when according to the Fail write up he was a clone of Billy V, cheers

Well, I’m not one to argue with the national media of Wales, but seeing as they like putting the boot into us, where’s the article of praise. We have to compete with the interest in the Prem now and I totally get that. The game on Friday night was jam packed too.

Only Welsh region to win one, after all...

[Stone Motif]

Buttress vs PhilBB . Phil is a muppet beyond belief.

Link? Phil's fought the good fight re: WRU shafting of the regions and he's fought it well, but his c*****y regarding the Dregs knows no bounds. Scratching the surface mind, you should see some of the ex NCRFC brains trust over on Gwlad...

[mikey_dragon]

Stone, it's on Twitter if you're on there? Buttress' tweet after the win over Ensei. He just wished Phil a good weekend or something, but it's everything else that followed which got me. I had no idea Phil blocked so many on twitter (including myself).

[mikey_dragon]

Those who saw the game, is that Jordaan at 8 for Enisei worth a punt? I know he'd have to trade the weather of Krasnodar for that of the Kingdom, but is he as much of a beast as the write ups make out?

That type of player will be with a French team soon. They could condition him fairly well and he wouldn't be required to play that much given the squad depth over there.

[Stone Motif]

Stone, it's on Twitter if you're on there? Buttress' tweet after the win over Ensei. He just wished Phil a good weekend or something, but it's everything else that followed which got me. I had no idea Phil blocked so many on twitter (including myself).

Yeah I saw the comment. Don't do social media at all really but CardiffBluesDragonschat seems like good value for a few chuckles

[mikey_dragon]

Yep. Phil used to argue with BJ over petty things too, he's obviously got a few issues.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Stone, it's on Twitter if you're on there? Buttress' tweet after the win over Ensei. He just wished Phil a good weekend or something, but it's everything else that followed which got me. I had no idea Phil blocked so many on twitter (including myself).

And me!

[mikey_dragon]

"Badge of honour" .

[Guest]

I might have posted this before, can't remember. But this is one of my favourite Twitter pages. Right to the point!

https://twitter.com/diddragonslose?lang=en

[Guest]

There's been a few more 'No's recently which is nice to see!

[RiscaGame]

I completely forgot about that. I quite liked that page aye.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

It's nice when we get to retweet it!

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