Gwent Dragons 2015/16 thread

[dragon4life]

First topic message reminder :

3 in Wales squad that would have been 4 if tyler was fit

[Stone Motif]

'Its more grimmer'?

Ole!
The point is though, what's the best way forward for Newport Gwent Dragons?

To merge with Cardiff and become an East Wales region that we can all support

As much as I might as well shout it down the toilet

YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO PRO RUGBY YOU SCROUNGING VALLEY HERBERT

I'm sure if the Newpeeeeert chavs are entitled to pro rugby us Valleys types are

Accept we can pay for it, like

Expecting something for nothing is the worst of Welsh diseases

[Steffan]

Expecting something for nothing is the worst of Welsh diseases

Yeah you know all about that at Newport

Accept WRU money but give sod all players back to the national team

How many Dragons players will be in the starting lineup for the world cup

A couple of token players in a second string side for world cup warm up games hardly make you viable as a "region"

The Paul Gallaghers of Welsh rugby I tell ya

[Stone Motif]

Expecting something for nothing is the worst of Welsh diseases

Yeah you know all about that at Newport

Accept WRU money but give sod all players back to the national team

How many Dragons players will be in the starting lineup for the world cup

A couple of token players in a second string side for world cup warm up games hardly make you viable as a "region"

The Paul Gallaghers of Welsh rugby I tell ya

Cretinous, even by your standards.

Ten years of not going bust is what makes you viable. You know, like Ponty spectacularly failed to do even before the Warriors debacle.

Oh, and the vast majority of the money is generated by TV contracts so ours fair and square. You need to spend less time trying to be 6O'6's version of Roger Lewis and start trying to understand this is a business, not a visit to the giropractor down Sardis for the latest tips on how to beat the bedroom tax.

'Paul Gallaghers' of Welsh Rugby would be shamelessly taking hundreds of thousands of pounds in charity player salaries from your sworn rivals Cardiff Blues then having the dishonour to not even thank them for it when it wins you your tin pot league.

[Steffan]

Cretinous, even by your standards.

Ten years of not going bust is what makes you viable.  You know, like Ponty spectacularly failed to do even before the Warriors debacle.

Oh, and the vast majority of the money is generated by TV contracts so ours fair and square.  You need to spend less time trying to be 6O'6's version of Roger Lewis and start trying to understand this is a business, not a visit to the giropractor down Sardis for the latest tips on how to beat the bedroom tax.  

'Paul Gallaghers' of Welsh Rugby would be shamelessly taking hundreds of thousands of pounds in charity player salaries from your sworn rivals Cardiff Blues then having the dishonour to not even thank them for it when it wins you your tin pot league

Hook, line and sinker

Promise me you will never get banned on here

You're one hell of a troll but you keep me entertained

Here's hoping you lot get to keep Faletau for another season as you strive to finish above the lower end of your non-tinpot league for a change. Go Newport...I mean Gwent...I mean the Dragons...ah you know what I mean

[Luckless Pedestrian]

'Its more grimmer'?

Ole!
The point is though, what's the best way forward for Newport Gwent Dragons?

I don't believe making the Dragons just a Newport side would get more people through the turnstiles - everyone in Newport already knows the Dragons exist and I doubt many are being put off by Gwent being in the title. (I don't deny there are some.) The current name is a mouthful, hence most people drop the 'Newport' bit, and if it was up to me I'd make that abbreviation official.

As merely an observer from afar, I sense there is a concerted effort to encourage the Drags to be more Newport and celebrate/embrace the same history of a famous club. I sense nothing much from the opposite direction other than what is suggested from a few on here.

That's how things seem to be going at the Blues, but I don't get that sense at all at the Dragons. I know there's this AGM and some want a standalone club in the Pro12, but I don't see anything coming of it. Newport RFC has a proud history, but so do Neath and Swansea.

If anything, I'd say the push was in the opposite direction. I know it's not up to him, but the impression I get is that Stuart Davies sees the Dragons as a Gwent side, not a Newport side.

[GavinDragon]

The only way you will stop the infighting is either fully representative regions or clubs where the wru award franchises based in business plan and facilities etc which allow all clubs the opportunity to reach the pro level

[Steffan]

The only way you will stop the infighting is either fully representative regions or clubs where the wru award franchises based in business plan and facilities etc which allow all clubs the opportunity to reach the pro level

The first option will never happen. Too many money men with lots of power in Wales to let that be an option. People like the Pieman will never concede any ground and allow proper regions. The whole franchise thing is more realistic and given the way the Blues and Dragons are going I think there is a big possibility this will eventually happen

[GavinDragon]

I don't think the blues or the small faction of dragons fans who want a return to newport are acting in a way that suggests they would be happy with franchises...

Plus if that option was taken, there are not enough investors with deep enough pockets to take any other club and drag them up to the level required

[Stone Motif]

The only way you will stop the infighting is either fully representative regions or clubs where the wru award franchises based in business plan and facilities etc which allow all clubs the opportunity to reach the pro level

The first option will never happen. Too many money men with lots of power in Wales to let that be an option. People like the Pieman will never concede any ground and allow proper regions. The whole franchise thing is more realistic and given the way the Blues and Dragons are going I think there is a big possibility this will eventually happen

Fantasist

[Stone Motif]

I don't think the blues or the small faction of dragons fans who want a return to newport are acting in a way that suggests they would be happy with franchises...

Plus if that option was taken, there are not enough investors with deep enough pockets to take any other club and drag them up to the level required

This

Nice to see a dose of realism on this forum for a change

[Steffan]

Fantasist

Is that being an advocate or follower of fascism?

[Cardiff Dave]

'Its more grimmer'?

Ole!
The point is though, what's the best way forward for Newport Gwent Dragons?

I don't believe making the Dragons just a Newport side would get more people through the turnstiles - everyone in Newport already knows the Dragons exist and I doubt many are being put off by Gwent being in the title. (I don't deny there are some.) The current name is a mouthful, hence most people drop the 'Newport' bit, and if it was up to me I'd make that abbreviation official.

As merely an observer from afar, I sense there is a concerted effort to encourage the Drags to be more Newport and celebrate/embrace the same history of a famous club. I sense nothing much from the opposite direction other than what is suggested from a few on here.

That's how things seem to be going at the Blues, but I don't get that sense at all at the Dragons. I know there's this AGM and some want a standalone club in the Pro12, but I don't see anything coming of it. Newport RFC has a proud history, but so do Neath and Swansea.

If anything, I'd say the push was in the opposite direction. I know it's not up to him, but the impression I get is that Stuart Davies sees the Dragons as a Gwent side, not a Newport side.

Never mind them. What's best for the Dave Parade club is the question.
As for chief execs; take what they say with a big pinch of salt.

[Cardiff Dave]

The only way you will stop the infighting is either fully representative regions or clubs where the wru award franchises based in business plan and facilities etc which allow all clubs the opportunity to reach the pro level

Wos one of them and what other clubs are interested in going fully pro?

[GavinDragon]

Been on holiday Dave? Been slow to respond with your usual pro club opinion

[mikey_dragon]

Dave had an epic time in Portcawl. I hear it's wifi free zone.

[LordDowlais]

Any news on what happened at the Newport AGM then?

Next Wednesday mun...

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/latest/13527687.Newport_supporters_vow_to_address_Dragons_branding/

Sorry I have had a lot of catching up to do. But this looks as though they might have been reading what I have been saying on here, time to ditch the old club colours and names and move forward. Next for the Cardiff Blues to change.

[GavinDragon]

Judging by some of the newport ultras tweets. Last night didn't go to plan for them

[mikey_dragon]

Any news on what happened at the Newport AGM then?

Next Wednesday mun...

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/latest/13527687.Newport_supporters_vow_to_address_Dragons_branding/

Sorry I have had a lot of catching up to do. But this looks as though they might have been reading what I have been saying on here, time to ditch the old club colours and names and move forward. Next for the Cardiff Blues to change.

Dragons be ditching the black of Cross Keys and Bedwas is it? Okay!

[munkian]

Dixon has been dropped from RWC squad - we now have plenty of depth at center until Doc gets cropped.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Judging by some of the newport ultras tweets. Last night didn't go to plan for them

Yep. The impression given beforehand was that there was a huge groundswell of support for ditching 'Gwent' and becoming a superclub. So much for that.

[munkian]

All 7 of them...

[GavinDragon]

Quite impressed by the improved marketing of the region. They have a dragons YouTube channel now and on twitter they constantly update the age grade results...no where near he ospreys but moving in the right direction

[Stone Motif]

Judging by some of the newport ultras tweets. Last night didn't go to plan for them

To be fair it's hardly 'ultra' getting cheesed off paying for someone else's team.

Heard Godfrey didn't exactly cover himself in glory either.

[GavinDragon]

How r the dragons not newports team? Last time I checked there is newport in the name and they play at RP!

[GavinDragon]

And stone I pay for 4 st's because I support gwent rugby...you don't see me moaning that my money is paying for newports name in the title

[Stone Motif]

How r the dragons not newports team? Last time I checked there is newport in the name and they play at RP!

I wasn't referring to the Dragons.

[Stone Motif]

And stone I pay for 4 st's because I support gwent rugby...you don't see me moaning that my money is paying for newports name in the title

Don't see the relevance sorry. Besides which do you think is the bigger sum, the value of your season tickets or the loans taken to keep the Dragons afloat which are secured against Newport RFC'S ground?

I'll probably be a Newport Ultra in your view for saying it, but the whole thing stinks. And that's before we get into Godfrey admission of how much influence the WRU have over the team financed by the above-mentioned asset...

[GavinDragon]

So who's 'someone elses team' that they are paying for?

The relevance is, we are all paying customers and all have opinions. And while I agree, in all probability, that the majority of ST holders also used to buy Newport RFC season tickets pre 03, I would argue that the number of people who want to season Newport as a stand alone professional entity is reducing, year on year, until ultimately the idea will die out which.

And I would describe an ultra as someone who is blinded by their clubs past glories (although tbh in Newport's case take Tony Brown out of the equation and I question what "glory" they would have had) to see the commercial and rugby opportunity that a united region, with a larger fanbase could have.

And with regards to loans - do you know when these were taken out?

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I get annoyed when people put the Dragons and Newport RFC in the same boat as the Blues and Cardiff RFC. They're two separate cases. At the outset, the Blues were a standalone region (if that's not mangling the English language), as were the Scarlets, but the Dragons were never meant to be standalone. It was meant to be a merger, as with the Ospreys. The Dragons were never meant to be a continuation of Newport RFC.

[Stone Motif]

   

But pandering to opinions is not making business decisions. 10 years they've tried to keep everyone happy and where has it got them?

Similarly, the fan base is a red herring as a. It doesn't exist and b. It will never be enough to compete with our rivals even if it did. The game is delivering pro rugby in a format that provides commercial access to to a competition that isn't the moribund PrO'12.

You're definition of ultra is interesting given your narrative on Newport and it's history. Any regional supporter who objected to what WRog was up to over the past couple years fits that bill.

I'll have to get back to you on the loan from memory it relates to the stadium rebuild.

[Stone Motif]

I get annoyed when people put the Dragons and Newport RFC in the same boat as the Blues and Cardiff RFC. They're two separate cases. At the outset, the Blues were a standalone region (if that's not mangling the English language), as were the Scarlets, but the Dragons were never meant to be standalone. It was meant to be a merger, as with the Ospreys. The Dragons were never meant to be a continuation of Newport RFC.

The Dragons and the Ospreys are two separate cases. Unless you hadn't noticed the rest of Gwent can't or won't bring anything to the party, and we don't have the resource to start buying them up as the One True Region have done with Bridgend. What it was meant to be was never defined and has never worked whatever it was supposed to be.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Yes, the Dragons and the Ospreys are two separate cases. My point is that at the outset (I used those words), the Dragons were meant to be a merger between two clubs just as the Ospreys were. The Dragons were never meant to be Newport only.

[GavinDragon]

Luc jones is having a shocker in this friendly

[munkian]

Whose our other 9 ?

[GavinDragon]

Charlie Davies has come on and created 3 tries

[GavinDragon]

Reminds me of a mike Phillips in his prime just not quite as big

[munkian]

Niiiice

[mikey_dragon]

I get annoyed when people put the Dragons and Newport RFC in the same boat as the Blues and Cardiff RFC. They're two separate cases. At the outset, the Blues were a standalone region (if that's not mangling the English language), as were the Scarlets, but the Dragons were never meant to be standalone. It was meant to be a merger, as with the Ospreys. The Dragons were never meant to be a continuation of Newport RFC.

The Dragons and the Ospreys are two separate cases. Unless you hadn't noticed the rest of Gwent can't or won't bring anything to the party, and we don't have the resource to start buying them up as the One True Region have done with Bridgend. What it was meant to be was never defined and has never worked whatever it was supposed to be.

You made me laugh there Stone . I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling to understand what that slogan is getting at. I think if we did have money to buy the other clubs in an effort to improve rugby across Gwent we'd still get slagged off by all and sundry. It's just the way the Cymru works. I also agree with the rest of your post as well.

[mikey_dragon]

Luc jones is having a shocker in this friendly

Forgot all about this game at Ystrad and who the opposition were... Do you have more information you could provide us with?

[GavinDragon]

First half our side was

15. Meyer
14. Scott
13. Wardle
12. Warren
11. Hewitt
10. Tovey
9. Jones

8. Jackson
7.Benjamin
6. Thomas
5. Screech
4. Hill
3. Fairbrother
2. Gus
1. Garrett

In the first half, we won two penalties at scrum time through some good work from Garrett, then conceded 3 on the bounce through Fairbrother who tired and generally had a poor game.

We played well in parts and scored a good try but there were two occasions where we got into the 22 and Luc Jones either put in a Poopie pass or took too long getting ball out or chose the wrong person to pass to.

Tovey controlled things fairly well and Meyer looks assured at FB, other than that there were no real standouts.

Second half we lined up something (may not be 100% accurate) like this

15. Prydie
14. Scott
13. Warren
12. Nightingale
11. Brew
10. O Brien
9 Davies

8 Crosswell
7. Cudd
6. Evans
5. Scott Andrews?!?! (who?)
4. Hill
3. Knight
2. Gus
1. Phil Price

We gained ascendancy in the scrum as they tired. Shaun Knight, on this showing, looks like an upgrade on Dan Way. This made it easier for our back row to get over the gain line, and Charlie Davies really upped the tempo and created three tries, two from sniping and offloading and one from crabbing and picking out a perfect line from Nick Cudd.

It was good to see Brew back on the field and Lewis Evans looked up for it. We also changed our props again for the last 10, Kegan Beale and Alex Jeffries along with Dee came on and won a scrum against the head.

I think that Screech and Hill arent really up to this level if I am honest, we need to hope that landman and coombes stay fit. Davies was the standout of the new signings, Scott and Jackson didnt really uproot trees for me.

And today confirmed for me that Luc Jones should be no where near a Welsh Premiership side, let alone a pro region!!

[munkian]

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/dragons/13598914.Dragons_return_to_action_with_thumping_win_over_Nottingham/?ref=twt&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[mikey_dragon]

Thanks for that you two. Pretty much covered every inch there. Only Notts, but progress. The next two games will be tougher tests. We've some good centre and back 3 options next season, though I'm not convinced on the cover at prop or fly-half yet. I always thought Hill was a decent lock, but evidently some of you think that he is already 'over the hill' at this point in his career?

[GavinDragon]

Joe Day is an absolute unit - bigger than landman. He came on and made a few big hits and hit a few rucks...would like to see more with ball in hand

[mikey_dragon]

Where did he come from, the academy? You talking about U20 Joe Davies?

[mikey_dragon]

Not pleased if we're relying on AOB for 10 cover - I think he's barely premiership standard. If our other academy graduates continue to impress then it looks as if we have some good players elsewhere.

[Cardiff Dave]

Been on holiday Dave? Been slow to respond with your usual pro club opinion

Fat chance.

[Cardiff Dave]

Dave had an epic time in Portcawl. I hear it's wifi free zone.

Trecco 1986 was memorable. Hi-fi then btw.

[Cardiff Dave]

Any news on what happened at the Newport AGM then?

Next Wednesday mun...

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/latest/13527687.Newport_supporters_vow_to_address_Dragons_branding/

Sorry I have had a lot of catching up to do. But this looks as though they might have been reading what I have been saying on here, time to ditch the old club colours and names and move forward. Next for the Cardiff Blues to change.

Change what and why though LD?

[Stone Motif]

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/rugby/dragons/13598914.Dragons_return_to_action_with_thumping_win_over_Nottingham/?ref=twt&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Cracking attendance

[GavinDragon]

yep 1330 against a capacity of 1570, about 81% full. Be nice if we could regularly achieve that rate of attendance in RP.

Plenty of locals up there as well. They had sengenydd u7 - u10's as the guard of honor and some littl sneggy player was screaming for the dragons - in my ear - all evening. Maybe we have caught a few new fans young eh?

Still good to know if RP is frozen solid we wont have to pay the turks to use their ground. Wouldnt mind seeing a few A games up Ystrad. Penalta RFC just up the corner, very nice clubhouse and very welcoming people.

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