IT will have been with plenty of regret that a number of Newport Gwent Dragons packed away their boots for the summer.

The season has been one to forget and there hasn’t been much to play for since a miserable cold and wet Boxing Day in the capital when Cardiff Blues burgled the points to all but secure Heineken Cup rugby next season.

It’s been a long, lingering death since then, counting down the days until we can start again in September.

But one thing has kept the campaign alive for them – Wales’ two-Test tour of Japan.

‘They don’t just give away caps,’ it is often said.

Yet some come cheaper than others and this summer is a golden opportunity to get a foot in the door while the big boys are away with the British and Irish Lions.

Once invited in it is a player’s job to be hard to shift, just as Andrew Coombs was after a terrific Six Nations campaign.

It was one heck of a carrot but unfortunately the Dragons don’t have many players with a chance to impress.

Just two – lock Coombs and wing/full-back Tom Prydie – will be heading to the sprawling mass of Osaka and bright lights of Tokyo.

Those on the Hazell Terrace need little encouragement to put forward a theory of western bias and last Wednesday’s selection by acting head coach Robin McBryde did little to prevent tongues wagging.

It seems that plenty of 50/50 calls went against those that ply their trade at Rodney Parade.

The number of Gwent tourists would have been swelled were it not for the Junior World Championships and it’s understandable that Under-20s rugby has been prioritised.

Number eight Ieuan Jones, centre Jack Dixon and full-back Hallam Amos would have headed for Japan but will probably play a higher level of competition in France.

But there are plenty of other players that can consider themselves a touch unfortunate.

Full-back Dan Evans has probably had a better season than Prydie, hookers Sam Parry and Hugh Gustafson have improved thanks to getting plenty of game time while flanker Nic Cudd has been superb at the breakdown all season.

All four of them came through the Scarlets’ ranks, which kills accusations of western bias, but a number of their teammates have been just as unfortunate.

Injury did for the hopes of a back row pair – I feel physical out-and-out seven Darren Waters could have been in the mix to ‘do a Coombs’ had he not ruptured knee ligaments in pre-season while captain Lewis Evans, so often on the fringes, seems to get bumps at the worst possible time.

Both will look at the selections and curse their luck.

But the most mystifying absence is Jonathan Evans, who was named Argus Dragon of the Year among a number of other accolades from his peers and coaches.

The scrum-half has had a superb, consistent season and should have been on that plane as one of the options as back-up to Lloyd Williams.

Instead he has missed out to Aled Davies and, mystifyingly, the man kept out of the Scarlets line-up by the young tyro. Tavis Knoyle been a bit-part player and is moving to the Aviva Premiership next season, something the national selectors have warned against. His reward? Another call-up.

It must leave the Dragons coaching staff scratching their heads.

They have exposed players to regional rugby and it will disappoint them to have seen a number overlooked. But the reason is quite simple: wins.

The Dragons have languished at the basement of the RaboDirect Pro12 all season and have received minimal coverage as a result (apart from in the Argus, naturally).

If the region are to earn more international asterisks next to players’ names then they need victories, only then will more 50/50 calls will go in their favour.

But unfortunately chances like this summer only come around every four years. Earning a spot on the plane to South Africa in the summer 2014 is an altogether tougher prospect.