NEWPORT Gwent Dragons had a mammoth turnover of their squad last summer; they cannot afford a repeat and it’s quality rather than quantity that is required.

Director of rugby Lyn Jones had something of a cull in 2013/14, a necessary evil that played its part in an alarming slide down the table in the second half of the campaign.

Plenty of players headed for the exit door and a number of new recruits were brought in with mixed success – props Boris Stankovich and Brok Harris, lock Rynard Landman and flanker James Thomas have been hits while the jury is out on some and others have been flops.

Yet this past week has emphasised that the Dragons are still susceptible to injury crises; lose a handful of key individuals and they are unable to cope.

They travelled to Parma without hooker Elliot Dee, Landman, lock Andrew Coombs, back row forwards Taulupe Faletau (Wales duty) and Lewis Evans, centres Ross Wardle, Pat Leach and Tyler Morgan, wing Aled Brew and full-back Lee Byrne.

Yet that list of absentees was dwarfed by bottom club Zebre, who had to cope without 10 members of their squad who had been in the Italy 23 that beat Scotland as well as injured internationals Marco Bortolami, Quintin Geldenhuys, Luciano Orquera and Leonardo Sarto.

The Dragons bossed the second half at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi yet it was the hosts who emerged with a 23-17 victory.

It was a painful, embarrassing defeat that shows that it doesn’t take much before the cupboard is bare, a plight that they share with their three fellow Welsh regions as another part of soon-to-be-former Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis’ legacy.

The modern, increasingly attritional game stresses squads to the limit and management teams need to account for having a crowded physio room.

The Dragons have been a victim of their own success to some extent as Dee, Hallam Amos, Jack Dixon and Morgan are already established members of their squad rather than academy products providing additional depth.

And there are other players in the squad who need to learn their trade with the odd appearance, slotting in behind senior figures and biding their time.

It is here where a problem lies as plenty of players get restless rather quickly, as was shown by Sam Lewis at the Ospreys.

The flanker, who signed a deal with the Dragons last season only to then do a U-turn, got fed up at having his path blocked by Justin Tipuric (who could have seen that coming when he agreed to head to Rodney Parade in December 2013?!) so asked to be released from his contract early and has joined Worcester.

Such situations do occur from time to time but with only four regions in Wales there is a need to have quality back-ups patiently waiting for their chance, showing a work ethic to develop on the training paddock and then showing the steel to grasp their opportunity when it comes.

The Dragons need to bolster their ranks with genuine first XV contenders and they need to retain the current deputies, who must accept the challenge of trying to usurp any fresh arrivals that push them down the pecking order.

WHEN Birmingham were going through an iffy run of form their then boss Barry Fry urinated in all four corners of the St Andrew's pitch in an attempt to remove a longstanding gypsy curse.

“We were desperate, so I peed in all four corners, holding it in while I waddled round the pitch,” he said. At least the three teams at Rodney Parade could share the burden.

Newport Gwent Dragons have had a torrid time, losing seven of 12 encounters on home turf, while Newport RFC have been toppled in five of eight.

Newport County have a better record – eight wins, five draws and six losses – but have endured a poor run to leave caretaker manager Jimmy Dack to say: “I'd be a liar if I said it wasn't a concern. Your home form takes you where you want to be, ours isn't at the minute.”

It’s enough to make the hard-working groundstaff sob – they’ve worked wonders on the Rodney Parade pitch this season and still the coaches, players and supporters are left grumbling after games on home soil.