Let's take out pain of defeat on the Blues – Appleyard

8:00am Monday 10th September 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Chris Kirwan

LOOKING AHEAD: Dragons coach Rob Appleyard LOOKING AHEAD: Dragons coach Rob Appleyard

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coach Rob Appleyard has called on his charges to take their frustration out on Cardiff Blues after they failed to break their Dublin duck.

The Dragons have never recorded any league points from their encounters with Leinster in the Irish capital.

But they let a golden opportunity to secure at least one bonus point against the European champions slip through their fingers at the Royal Dublin Society on Saturday.

The Dragons scored three tries but failed to make their pressure count in the final quarter before a last-gasp Leinster interception try took the final score to 45-25.

“We have to lick our wounds,” said Appleyard. “Hopefully there will be a backlash against the Blues on Saturday because there is a feeling of huge disappointment in the squad.

“We had some real chances in the second half and should have gone over for that fourth try. We need to be much more clinical than we were.

“After the opening win against Zebre we wanted to build momentum for the Blues game and we should have done that.

“It’s hugely frustrating that we don’t have anything to show for our efforts because this was a great chance for us and our preparation was perfect.

“We didn’t make them work hard for their tries and then failed to take our openings when they came along.

“There needs to be some honest chat this week because there is no way that we should have been going home with nothing. There were some great moments in attack but we need to be much, much more clinical against the Blues.”

Defence coach Appleyard was also frustrated that the Dragons failed to thrive at the breakdown – an area that they bossed against Zebre.

“We struggled with the referee’s interpretation at the contact area,” he said about Italian official Marius Mitrea.

“That took our momentum out of attack and defence and gave Leinster plenty of territory.

“It forced us to make the decision to leave the contact area alone and fill the field – something that we don’t really like to do. He just wasn’t seeing it the way that we did but we made the change and that led to us having chances to come back into the game.

“That we didn’t make the most of those opportunities is a massive disappointment but there were some positives and it was good to get Adam Jones and Lewis Evans back out there after injury.

“That bodes well and there will be some tough selection calls for the Blues game.”

Comments(15)

SizzlerTrainers says...
10:17am Mon 10 Sep 12

Fighting talk, I like it.

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corpardguy says...
5:01pm Mon 10 Sep 12

WE didn't compete on their lineouts and had plenty of aimless kicking to a very dangerous back three. With our non- existant mid field defence in the crucial 10 mins when Nathan was "In the Bin" that was crazy rugby.
Great dispaly from Dan and Prydie looks the real deal both class acts.
Half backs need more "cooking" Steppan about 6 months short on distribution and tactical nous and Isteyn really need to get stuck into the front row quickly.
Great bonus that the heads didn't go down after the 4th try against, and Dan, Nimmo and Prydie were the main reasons for that so well done for that.
Cardiff will be a very different kettle of fish, but we can do it, especially at the Parade.

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Oddjob says...
5:04pm Mon 10 Sep 12

Fair do's to Gwent; If fighting talk meant points, they'd have won the league title for the past eight seasons,; Unfortunately this type of verbal diarrhea is spouted before almost every game. The usual all talk and very little action.

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crosskeysgirl18 says...
8:29pm Mon 10 Sep 12

I hope to God this game is being televised! Dragons havent had any of their last 2 games on the telly yet! Cant afford to miss this one regardless!! Come on the Dragons!!

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Robert Shillabeer says...
8:50pm Mon 10 Sep 12

Crosskeysgirl, are we to understand you wont be at the game then? I will be and if possible record it so I can chew over the game in some detail before commenting on how well we play. Just hoping we have a half decent ref this time out who won't penalise the Dragons at every opportunity in favour of the visitors and forbid if it is the same ref Newport had last Friday.

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LSB Bee says...
10:16pm Mon 10 Sep 12

Absolutely Oddjob. It's one thing being positive and upbeat but listening to the coaches spouting the rubbish pre and post match time after time is another. I am just surprised to what extent some people are prepared to swallow it.

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SizzlerTrainers says...
10:54am Tue 11 Sep 12

I believe everything I read, 100%.

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b3talover says...
12:51pm Tue 11 Sep 12

"We was drubbed but we is still the bestest, honest." - This is wearing very thin now. Time for the traditional "We owe the fans" article soon methinks...

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Keith Barnett says...
5:28pm Tue 11 Sep 12

Cardiff by 6pts

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Keith Barnett says...
5:28pm Tue 11 Sep 12

Cardiff by 6 - 10pts

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broadsworddan says...
7:44pm Tue 11 Sep 12

Dragons by ten. At least. Have you guys not seen how bad the blues have been playing. At least we know where the try line is this season. And our defence is much improved on last year. The blues will be lucky to leave with a losing bonus, mark my words!

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high x boy says...
10:23am Wed 12 Sep 12

hoping for a Dragons win

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Euwan Usami says...
1:15pm Wed 12 Sep 12

crosskeysgirl18 wrote:
I hope to God this game is being televised! Dragons havent had any of their last 2 games on the telly yet! Cant afford to miss this one regardless!! Come on the Dragons!!
It's on s4c live. I will be there with the Mrs as usual though. Double header on Saturday with the Cardiff RFC v Newport RFC at Cardiff arms park @ 1430hrs and Dragons v Boos at Rodney Parade at 1830hrs same day. What a day of rugby! Be great to have a good crowd at Cardiff to begin the demolition of the old foe eh?! Come join us and support your local side and the game in Wales! (Surmon over now, as you were)

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kalwales@hotmail.com says...
11:34pm Thu 13 Sep 12

Now Now Region Fans, the law states that your not allowed to say anything Negative about yoru region or say anything they dont like otherwise they will request you be removed, after all you have such a hard working region the read all teh websites and forums and when something is written they dont like "ooooohhhhh Noooooo the Toys and Dummys come out" - i feel sorry for you all supporting a region that doesnt care about its fans also if your region are defeated how about the Coaches and Players are blamed for a Change instead of taking the easy way out and blaming anyone but themselves??

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LSB Bee says...
8:51pm Sat 15 Sep 12

You were saying broadsworddan?
Not even a bonus point and a totally inept performance. As I said - I am just surprised to what extent some people are prepared to swallow the garbage spouted by second rate rugby coaches about a second rate team.

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