Gwent Dragons 14/15

We've kept our best player and got a feeling this season is going to be better (although we say that every year) and we have a lot of u20 so will be interesting to see how they progress especially in back row and centre. Our pack will have bulked up a lot so hopefully will get front foot ball.

In: Boris Stankovich (Leicster), Rhys Buckley (Mosley), Dave Young (Jersey), Llyod Fairbrother (Exeter/Plymouth), Brok Harris (Stormers), Rynard Landman (Cheetahs), Ian Gough (London Irish), Andy Powell (Wigan Warriors), Aled Brew (Biarittz), Lee Byrne (Clermont), J Thomas (Bedwas)

Out: Steffan Jones-loan (Bedford), Darren Waters (London Welsh), Rob Sidoli (retired), Will Harries (released), Sam Parry (Ospreys), Dan Evans (Ospreys), Duncan Bell (retired), Lewis Robling (Jersey), Tetaz Chapparo (Argentina club), Ieuan Jones (Blues), Nathan Buck (Released), Kris Burton (released), W Evans (coventry)

Squad:
LH:Stankovich, O Evans, P Price, Gustafson
HK:TR Thomas, Dee, Buckley
TH:Brok Harris, Fairbrother, Dave Young, Dan Way
LK4:Landman, Coombs, J Davies
LK5:Gough, Screech, C Hill
Flankers:Talei, Cudd, L Evans, S Matthews, J Benjamin
NO8: Falateu, Powell, J Thomas
SH:R Rees, J Evans, L Jones
FH:Tovey, D Jones, Angus Obrien
Centres:Smith, Dixon, Wardle, Leach, T Morgan
Wings:Brew, Prydie, Pewtner, Hewitt
FB: Byrne, Amos

Stankovich
TRT
Brock Harris (if the WRU pull their finger out)
Coombes
Landman
Powell
Evans
Faletau

Rees
Tovey
Brew
Dixon
Morgan
Amos
Byrne

We can be competitive this season with those signings

Same starting 15 as me. On the bench id have Dee, O Evans, Fairbrother, Gough, Talei (as impact sub rather than cudd), J Evans, Smith, Prydie

Anybody know what improvements we are meant to be making to the Parade? Can't wait for the Bristol trip and the Ebbw Vale day out too.

I assumed stuff like improving toliets and stuff like that. Making the hazell stand more modern facility wise?

Yeah, I thought. I hope they don't make the Hazell too posh though. I like roughing it

Am really looking forward to Dixon and Morgan playing this season, added to the return of Brewwwwwwww and the signing of Byrne if we can get parity (at least) up front then our backs look dangerous.

I think the Dixon and Morgan center partnership will be introduced more towards the second half of season just because there not experienced, so I think Leach will start. But I think it could be a future Wales partnership.

I think Dixons progression has plateaued at the moment, looked a bit slugggsh at JWC be interesting to see how he goes

I think Leach/Ash are always likely to be one of the starting centres, for their organisational skills if nothing else.

Smith, for me has always been our lynch pin but when was last time he went a season without injury?

Wardle was good at 13 early season

Angus Obrien signed 4 year deal with Dragons/Cross Keys I have been told

"The only offer in Wales I had was from the Dragons"

Charteris speaks about his reasoning for Racing Move

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/11308034.Luke_Charteris__Timing_was_wrong_for_return_to_Wales/?ref=var_0

We probably offered half of what racing did

its not that he rejected us for French money, it is that he would have gone elsewhere in Wales when he said he would always be a Dragon etc

Imagine our team if we could have kept our best players

Have the league fixtures been announced yet?

Don't think so

Anybody know what improvements we are meant to be making to the Parade?

I couldn't see any obvious ones when I was there the other week getting my ST. I heard they are doing renovations but i'm guessing it's repainting the toilets black and things like that.

Smith, for me has always been our lynch pin but when was last time he went a season without injury?

I thought Smith was excellent for us last season. I was worried Lyn was going to release him. For me he is our no.1 centre. Dixon is still young and needs to work on his distribution. I am looking forward to seeing Morgan in the centre though... that guy looks class!

GavinDragon wrote:"The only offer in Wales I had was from the Dragons"

Charteris speaks about his reasoning for Racing Move

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/11308034.Luke_Charteris__Timing_was_wrong_for_return_to_Wales/?ref=var_0

So no WRU offer of a CC?

I was at ystrad mynach (or however its spelt) and i was watching all the players train the other day whilst dropping my son off at a rugby camp for dragons 16s. I noticed Matthew Screech had a lot mpre bulk on him than last year. Also Dave Young the new TH was massive as was Fairbrother who is only about 5ft 9 very small but must have been 20st plus. My point from this is it looks like our players are finally starting to get bigger muscle wise. Also no sign of the south african second row but all the other new signings were there.

Dragons squad v Bristol: L Byrne, R Jones, A Hewitt, T Prydie, P Leach, J Dixon, A Brew, M Pewtner, J Tovey, A O'Brien, J Evans, R Rees; B Stankovich, O Evans, R Thomas, E Dee, L Fairbrother, D Way, M Screech, I Gough, R Landman, C Hill, A Coombs, J Thomas, N Cudd, L Evans, A Powell.

Pretty good squad. I'm interested if David Young is injured, as I'd rather see him over Dan Way. Guess Coombsy and/or James Thomas are going to get a run in the back row at some point.

The coaches must see something in Way as they gave him a contract extension but imo he's been awful every time ive seen him play hope he proves everyone wrong

I know aye. The thing that annoys me is Buck was the nearest thing (other than Bell obviously) we had to a scrummaging prop last season particularly v Blouse at Christmas, yet he has seemingly gone (or as good as?). I have high hopes for Fairbrother though, for some reason. I can't wait till tomorrow.

Bucky has gone to Ealing Trailfinders RR - Tom Browne is skipper there

That's it aye. I did think he had gone, but didn't really know for sure. I knew Brown was there after reading the Argus online today. Thought he was loving life in Jersey though

Fairbrother looks like the prop we need

I watched a bit of western province vs bulls and Harris came of the bench, solid scrummager nothing special amd good workrate in the loose

Fairbrother and boris apparently starting today. Good news. Coombs starting 6, Hewitt on wing (and Brewy) and Landman also starting.

Team is

Byrne
Ashton
Leach
Dixon
Brew
Tovey
Jon Evans

Boris
Dee
Fairbrother
Landman
Screech
Coombs
Cudd
Powell

The scrum will depend on how fairbrother does wish i could be there to see it. Ive been told Ashton Hewitt is training with the dragons 4 times a week, so basically full time looks a good player

Boris just walked past. Looking mean

Ive seen the score but how are we playing? Scrum good?

Penalty try against us first half but don't know what for,possibly collapsing a maul? no mention anywhere of scrum good or bad

34-19 Dragons on 72 mins!

We got a win at least, only welsh region to win this weekend. Although Bristol didn't have Ryan Jones, Perensie, Morgan, Robinson, Lam but still had a good team on paper

dragon999 wrote:Penalty try against us first half but don't know what for,possibly collapsing a maul? no mention anywhere of scrum good or bad

That was very soft in my opinion. It was for collapsing a driving lineout.

Scrum was solid enough (in my opinion). Certainly didn't go backwards at all.

Also, judging by how prickly Sean Holley was to a bit of banter off a pretty drunk Drags fan, they were gutted to lose that.

27-25 Dragons

Powell was excellent. All the u20's ooze class. A full strength saints side. Scrum creaked a tiny bit against 2/3rds Lions front row and a crowd of almost 3k with many locals in attendance

Start of a new dawn for the Gwent Region

Great performance, some of the hits in the second half hits were massive

Powell was unreal. Landman carried well too. Scrum solid considering.

As I said elsewhere, it does highlight the advantages Rodney Parade has over EXP, with regards to access and more covered terracing, but it was a worthwhile trip.

Chris Kirwan writing it was a poor turnout was pretty unnecessary. On the bank there seemed to be a lot more Valleys accents around me, rather than clart ones, so I think it was pretty well supported given the weather etc.

I actually think it was a bit more than 2700 odd though.

Yes my thoughts exactly rev. I had all locals around me many local clubs like nantyglo and beafort tops

The train line is being extended to the town centre (confirmed - just need to hook it up with newport and we would be laughing) and I agree there is no comparison in terms of stadia but there is potential there in the amount of space to develop it - i understand EVRFC's chairman is involved with this new race track so may have some money sloshing around you never know, put a roof over the terrace and it would be a massive iimprovement

I just said on the Argus that it is a handy ground to use. Not many teams would fancy it really, given the fancy stadia most are used to playing in now

The train line is good news. Pretty handy parking there too, with the Civic Centre recommended by Ebbw's twitter account very handy.

yea just read, i think we will be seeing more games up there = just a feeling

I'd be happy for us to have more games up there. It was a bit of a trek and I'd have been lost without sat nav, but why shouldn't I have to travel from Newport when some have to travel to Newport every home game. I agree with the comment about local spectators too, I only heard a couple of Newport accents. We'd be stupid not to build on this and tap into that potential support base.

Just read back and saw comments about Jack Dixon - it does seem like he hasn't quite clicked at regional level yet, all the potential in the world but it hasn't happened for him yet. Maybe it won't. Tyler Morgan looks class though and Barney Nightingale could be some player in midfield too. The best news is that it looks like the backs will have a decent platform to play off at long last.

Yes Dixon seems to be suffering a bit, and he wasnt a stand out player in the recent u20 world cup.

His size when he burst onto the scene was a big positive, however seems to have slowed in his pace since then....saying that be interesting to see what a run of games does for him and he has played a great deal of senior rugby for a 20 year old

As an Ebbw boy born and bred I made the trip home this weekend for the game and glad I did. Was a great game, said all along Powell could be a handy signing and if continues like that could be a very very handy signing, especially with Talei out injured.

Scrum was solid for most of game which is a big bonus, Tyler Morgan is class and hope Dixon gets some form back andthen there is Brewwwwwww just a cult hero.

The crowd was quoated at 3000 but not quite that I think but good turn out for a pre season friendly and I even persuaded some anti Dragons friend and families to come along, though fact that first round was one me might have had something to do with it.

I know some will crtiticise the old ground and access etc but its not worst ground I have been to and things are looking to be done there with access extending train link up to town (though Ebbw can make them put straight link into Newport).

With KJ as an Ebbw boy as well I hope now they will look at maybe increasing games season on season maybe an LV game or a 'lesser' Pro12 game, there are few pubs near who would like the extra business to.

Well done Dragons