THE prospectus for those interested in flinging a few quid at Newport Gwent Dragons can come with a pretty nifty DVD courtesy of the last few weeks.

There’s a feel-good factor at Rodney Parade thanks to fine victories on home soil against Brive, Connacht, the Scarlets and Edinburgh.

Llanelli apart, away performances have still been ropey this season (fingers crossed that will change in Dublin on Saturday evening) but it’s always more important to produce the goods for the supporters parting with their hard-earned cash.

And home punters have witnessed more entertainment in Newport this season than last; Lewis Evans and his side have not only been playing winning rugby but it’s been more daring rugby.

Even more encouragement has come from the strides made by local lads who have come through the ranks.

We’ve long known about the talent possessed by Hallam Amos (Cross Ash), Jack Dixon (Newbridge), Tyler Morgan (Caerleon) and Elliot Dee (Newbridge) while last season it was Ashton Hewitt (Caerleon) that announced himself on the scene.

The opening months of the current campaign have seen Ollie Griffiths (Newbridge) and Angus O’Brien (Caerleon) flourish and take their games up a notch or two while the next generation is waiting in the wings in the form of Leon Brown (Maesglas) and Harri Keddie (Llanvaches), who both trained with Wales in the autumn, Arwel Robson (Penallta) and Will Talbot-Davies (encouragingly Solihull, the net must also be cast wide), who both made encouraging debuts in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

It’s evidence that there is something there to build on in Newport and highlights the importance of converting the interest that is there from folk possibly keen to invest/back/sponsor.

If those with a few pounds in their pockets and a hint of curiosity have been in the stands in recent weeks to scout what they could back then they will have seen the playing potential at Rodney Parade. They also will have seen that more reinforcements are necessary to take the Dragons to the next level and to make the most of the young talent on the books.

We are not necessarily talking Percy Montgomery figures who would make the rest of European rugby sit up and take notice but more solid and experienced recruits in the mould of Ed Jackson, Brok Harris and Nick Crosswell.

Last summer’s work in the transfer market was pretty sound – Sam Beard, Pat Howard and Sam Hobbs in particular have been wonderful additions – but more is needed to supplement the burgeoning talent.

The Dragons’ squad is still worryingly thin and thankfully they have avoided the sort of injury crises that in recent campaigns have not only hindered them on the pitch but scuppered them on the training surface in Ystrad Mynach; learning is hard when numbers are low.

So while Kingsley Jones and his coaching staff attempt to help their players maintain the strides they are making on the field, chief executive Stuart Davies and the board have to do their best sales pitch to those that have registered interest in adding to the financial pot.

Wins don’t wash away historical problems and the long and short of it remains that any potential backer of the Dragons will be putting their money into an organisation without an asset, as that belongs to Newport RFC.

There’s also mild alarm at the published attendances at Rodney Parade that, while pretty steady with last season, aren’t great with a seasonal high of just 4,809.

Hopefully recent performances will get a few more through the gates, although there’s only one big showpiece fixture to come on the schedule when the Ospreys visit on New Year’s Day, as Guinness Pro12 chiefs have kindly taken a bit of edge off the visit of Cardiff Blues by putting it on final weekend.

However, the burgeoning talent on the Dragons books at least gives some reason for hope and the man of the match performance of Griffiths against Edinburgh, with O’Brien a close second, should have given those watching on from the posh seats in the Bisley Stand a shot in the arm.

They have to be at their charming best to entice fresh investment at Rodney Parade and prevent those interested from saying thanks, but no thanks.

South Wales Argus:

THANKFULLY I’ve already made my two trips west for the season because it’s possible that an Ospreys ‘fatwa’ may be on my way for the following statement: Justin Tipuric can be a Wales super sub in the Six Nations.

It’s Rob Howley calling the shots rather than Warren Gatland but the age old problem of fitting four into three remains despite Dan Lydiate’s unfortunate injury against South Africa.

Traditionally it has been the chop-tackling blindside in partnership with Taulupe Faletau and Sam Warburton with Tipuric the unfortunate one to miss out.

That changed this autumn because of injuries to the number eight and openside with the Ospreys man having a pretty dynamic autumn, signing off with a terrific try to seal the deal against South Africa.

Yet it’s the opening November Test that makes me feel he should be the one to add oomph and energy from the bench (fitness of all candidates permitting).

Sure, Tipuric was not the only one to have an afternoon to forget against Australia but one of the main problems that Wales suffered was that they lacked massive physicality at the breakdown to prevent the Wallabies from enjoying a steady stream of quick ball, which in turn causes all manner of defensive problems.

Warburton provides that robustness at the tackle area while it’s often forgotten that he’s not too shabby in attack, as his try against Japan displayed.

The captain, when fit, is comfortably Wales’ best 7. Faletau, who is usually fit, is comfortably Wales’ best 8. After this autumn you have to say that Ross Moriarty is Wales’ best option at 6.

The Gloucester man provides that hard edge in attack that is needed at Test level to go along with abrasive defence. He is uncompromising and flourishing at the Test level.

He has already locked horns with New Zealand three times, Australia twice, England, Ireland, Argentina and South Africa and hasn’t looked out of place.

Naturally there will be those that say Wales have to include Tipuric if they want to develop the wider, more enterprising game that they have talked about.

But in terms of back row balance the Moriarty-Warburton-Faletau combo has it all: destructiveness, speed, skill, savviness.

It’s all about personal opinions and there is no right or wrong combo because all four individuals are quality players with their own strengths. We all have our preferences for who should wear 20 on their back but the only man whose judgement matters is Howley.

Perhaps he will adopt a pragmatic approach. What will work on a Sunday in Rome won’t necessarily work the following Saturday when England head to Cardiff.