What is Edwards up too at the Dragons?

Looking at the team sheet for tomorrow I’m wondering how we will do against the Blues. It’s probably safe to assume the season is over for the Dragons and we won’t be participating in the Heineken Cup next season.
But knowing that the season is over I’m totally at a loss for words as to what Edwards is up too.
Ok the backline has been solid all season and he’s gone with familiar faces in 15 Thomas, 14 Harries, 13 Tuilagi, 12 Smith, 11 Brew, 10 Robling, 9 Evans.
The main disappointment here is no spot for Jack Dixon who they probably have released for U20 duty (which is generally is considered less important by the WRU so we could have held on to him).
Now for me the kid looked like a real find. Great hands, eye for a cap & quite bulky for a kid of 17. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t opt to give him game time now given our season is over. As Tovey is leaving I understand why he’s bringing Jones & Robling through.

It’s the pack that bothers me the most though. He’s gone with 1 Williams 2 Jones 3 Buck 4 Groves 5 Sidoli 6 Evans 7 Waters 8 Brown.
I think Buck is worth the investment and he is a mainstay in the team so far this season. He’s only 22 and given that good Tightheads are costly it stands to reason we have to develop our own.
But here is where the problem lies.
Steve Jones – Not a bad hooker a few years ago but he is not the same player he was at 34. Given his contract is up end of this season but he wasn’t released I am guessing they are offering him a new one or he’s packing it in. But why select him? Parry would gain more from the exposure of these matches.

Groves – I’m really disappointed with the general need to move players around into positions which do not suit them. Groves is a backrow player. Keep him there. He’s not tall enough for lock or nearly heavy enough. He has got great hands, good mobility and is a ball carrier. All season long Edwards has used him wrong. To be honest Groves for me looks a good player and should be playing alongside Lydiate & Falatau in the backrow (when they are available). You could move him to Blindside which is his natural position when they are away. I appreciate the Dragons are thin on the ground on Locks but are we saying that in the whole of the Premiership there is not a single descent lock or young lock who would benefit from playing there? Dan Hodge (Crosskeys) looked quite good when we gave him a match this year.

In the backrow Evans has never really impressed me much and neither has Darren Waters (even though people seem to rate them both). Tom Brown has looked useful though. But in my view playing either Evans or Waters is a monumental waste of time with both players being not good enough at this level. Maybe I am being harsh but given that our 2 younger backrowers are already representing Wales its clear they haven’t developed how they should have.

What really worries me though is that we are being linked with players like D. Jones and D. Manu. I really hope this does not turn out to be true because we seem to take other regions cast offs at a whim.
When will we realize in order to change the status we need to develop and find our own talent. People like Dixon need to be played and developed now. I appreciate that our real promising players will always be targets similar to what happens at Newcastle but I would rather see us produce the stars of tomorrow than continue to sign players that nobody wants.
Speaking to a lot of local fans I get the sense they think the experience is needed to bring talent through. My argument tends to be this though. The game is changing and it’s becoming a young man’s sport. Players at the age of 25 are experienced these days so players at 30+ are on the way down in terms of their performances. I think there is an epidemic in the Welsh game at regional level where there are far too many substandard 25y-36y players who are still offered professional rugby contracts. Perfect example would be Parker at the Ospreys. He wasn’t on a small contract over the last 2-3 seasons but he’s done nothing of note in that time. There are dozens of cases similar to his.
I just hope we start adopting the Scarlets approach and focus on development from within. I certainly hope Edwards does not go out and start buying more Foreigners or Ex Welsh Internationals.

BTW I’m not having a go at players who are getting on but only the very best should be retained. Stephen Jones for example should be moved into coaching, mentoring or becoming a development officer for the WRU (spotting talent). He is clearly was a high level player in his pomp and played international rugby for a long time.

Jack is not ready, he was awful in defense for Wales u20 against Italy, how the hell will he cope with fully grown men?

He's about 2 years away from Rabo Direct rugby from what I have seen. He needs to be at Newport or Cross Keys next season, not the Dragons.

alyn i say the second half of the u20 match and didnt see him miss a tackle and he played well when he came on against munster for us so i think hes good enough if dripped in slowly, have to realise ash smith was playing for us at 18 and he doesnt have the size of dixon...

mushroom i agree with your sentiments completely, although in terms of this selection who else could have played at lock? plus i think we will pay a fast paced game tomorrow as we have such a lightweight pack

Dixon looked a class act when he came on against Munster and I don't recall him doing much wrong for the under-20s. He might not be the finished article yet but there's real potential there.

Welshmushroom wrote:I would rather see us produce the stars of tomorrow than continue to sign players that nobody wants.

I couldn't agree more.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Dixon looked a class act when he came on against Munster and I don't recall him doing much wrong for the under-20s. He might not be the finished article yet but there's real potential there.

Potential yes, but I'm not sure he is ready to start games, I think he needs more time.

Welshmushroom wrote:
I would rather see us produce the stars of tomorrow than continue to sign players that nobody wants.


I couldn't agree more.

+1

I certainly hope Edwards does not go out and start buying more Foreigners

This may upset you then, but from Robin Daveys twitter feed;

Dragons want a 10, 15, tight head and lock. They're looking at players in South Africa, Ireland, England and Wales.

I kind of agree with you mostly but I think we have suffered massive injury set backs this year that have hindered us and forced us to use people out of position.

Impossible Standards wrote:I kind of agree with you mostly but I think we have suffered massive injury set backs this year that have hindered us and forced us to use people out of position.

Yes your injuries have been shocking, you've had players coming in from all levels all over Gwent, hell even Pontypool had to lend you a few!

Ponty... who?

Kidding

Impossible Standards wrote:Ponty... who?

Kidding

Gloat all you like, you gave them a good going over at Rodney Parade I was there to see it, it was the best game of rugby I have seen this season!

I'll be there tonight, not expecting a win but want us to coniue to play like we played for 60 mins against Munster.

Also hoping for a good crowd

munkian wrote:I'll be there tonight, not expecting a win but want us to coniue to play like we played for 60 mins against Munster.

Also hoping for a good crowd

I really hope we win

You'll get your good crowd wish though, by the sounds.

Risca Rev wrote:

munkian wrote:I'll be there tonight, not expecting a win but want us to coniue to play like we played for 60 mins against Munster.

Also hoping for a good crowd

I really hope we win

You'll get your good crowd wish though, by the sounds.

Wasn't it a sell out when it should have been played? I assume most folk will have kept their tickets and should turn up.

Yeah it was SS. They said the other day that a few people have returned their tickets, but I suspect they'll be snapped up too.

Risca - with the feel good factor from the internationals, and the amount of non-rugby fans who all of a sudden are big rugby fans, I assume those tickets will be gone pretty damn quick

There were only a hundred or so tickets left for the north terrace thats was on tuesday. I think it will be all sold out by now.

Really need a win tonight and will be interesting to see how robbling gets on with the intensity the east wales derby provides. Still think the blues will nick it ...

It should be an interesting match from a nuetral point of view (well as nuetral as possible in Wales), as both teams really do have incentive to win this match, and it could well be an important match for both sides.

Seems almost a full house tho mistakes from both sides. Getting pretty cold so may need another pint. At least its not raining...

sounds a good atmosphere Priest. Two easy leaked tries so far though. C'mon the Drags!

That's two Parks has missed. Blues should win this one if they can tidy up possession.

Parks place kicking isn't doing well - his other kicking is working though, some beautiful up and unders.

Is it me or is this game rubbish reffed by a rubbish ref!

interesting point from Edwards about the scrums being set too far apart. Certainly would go some way to explain why they keep collapsing. Not had one proper one yet!

oof that was a great break by McCauley Cook.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/player/emp/2_0_29/popout/pop.stm

i am enjoying the game, though we always complain about reffs

I think man of the match has already been decided as D Waters! He is a good 7 great import from the local regional club Ponty.

this game is horrendous, both front rows are spoiling it and the ref doesn't seem to warn anyone

Certainly he's showing up well today alun.

Ha, Dragons crowd really starting to make themselves heard (including one very irate woman in the crowd!)

What a throw in.

Also, no matter how bad a ref is, i don't agree with chanting 'cheat' at him.

The ref seems to have no clue - about either team

glamorganalun wrote:What a throw in.

gcBlues wrote:Also, no matter how bad a ref is, i don't agree with chanting 'cheat' at him.

I think the fans just get sick of constant penalties for everything and many are against the home team.

wales606 wrote:

glamorganalun wrote:What a throw in.

iffy-arm-icitus!

All Welsh hookers have it

i know, but calling him a cheat is harsh. Just boo him and chant that he only has one arm ¬_¬

Dreamer:

He has been playing very well for a few years, I thought the Blues should have picked him up 2 years ago instead of signing M Williams again. Instead the Dragons picked him up but for me it is annoying that he plays for Newport most of the time hence my dig about the region.

Ulster and Glasgow will be licking their lips if the score stays this way

Theres some poor skills on display, it has lead to a few breaks but is still poor. Good atmosphere tho.from where im sat parks' up and unders havent gone very far and been poor.

Hope the dragons cut out a few of their mistakes this half ads whoever does will win easy

glamorganalun wrote:Dreamer:

He has been playing very well for a few years, I thought the Blues should have picked him up 2 years ago instead of signing M Williams again. Instead the Dragons picked him up but for me it is annoying that he plays for Newport most of the time hence my dig about the region.

Sure but then he'd be competeing up against Warbs and Navidi too, at least this way he's getting more regional game time

He has been our best player this year - but Paterson is having a mare.

That right there is why Brew isn't in the wales team, how dreadful attempt at a tackle was that?

For me the OP has no idea of the sport, what it takes to be a player, or what constitutes a proffesional player!!

I can tell you Dixon is a monster... FOR HIS AGE GRADE! He is far from ready for senior rugby at this level, and if he is rushed through risk of injury would be high, and any injury would be a big one.

RE Waters and Lewis Evans, what are you talking about. I know both and they are excellent talents, the test very highly and are very proffesional!!

All players develop at different rates, especially tight 5 and half backs, you look at the best in the world and they are around the 30 mark. Some players get more rugby and gain experience earlier, Warburton for example has been thrown into int rugby and come up swimming, but for evey Warbs there are 5 that sink!

Dragons are really holding on for dear life - the blues errors are helping them

Blair on to take the kicks now though.

Lucky that was forward then from a dragons perspective

Blair for the kick to take the lead (which should be enough to win the game the way this is going) 68mins

Blair is my favourite place kicker - he never misses.

curses! Dragons have not helped themselves at all this 2nd half, Blues deserving the lead, still want the Dragons to win though, hoppe they manage to offer something more now in this alst 10 mins.

No one deserves to win this. should be a draw. No chance of that though.

Chavanga!! great regather to score!

Go Chav Anger

Shocking performance from both teams at the moment.

Blues have been dreadful - ill still take a win and forget about it though.

18 - 14

Come on Blues, pick it up.

3 turnover in about 30 seconds - laughable by the Blues