SEE, getting to the semi-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup isn’t as easy as it looks.

Last weekend’s events at Kingsholm and Principality Stadium served to show how creditable Newport Gwent Dragons’ exploits in 2015 and 2016 were when they made it to the last four of the second tier tournament.

However, there should be no glee at the misfortune of others given the state of affairs at Rodney Parade, nor any overreaction about a weekend of Welsh Euro doom when the primary reason is budget.

The regional quartet have a £20 gift card for Next while Saracens, Leinster, Munster, Clermont, Bath, Gloucester, La Rochelle and Stade Francais are paying cash at Harrods.

Financial constraints should not render any questions redundant – the Ospreys’ performance against a frankly shambolic Stade side was mystifying while Cardiff Blues had a golden opportunity against a hot-and-cold Cherry and Whites team only for their defence to go AWOL – but all the Dragons can do is get their own house in order.

They have to look at where they are in the European pecking order and at the moment you’d probably pass at least 34 teams before finding their name in the chart of the 40 featuring in the Champions and Challenge Cups.

The Dragons are better than Enisei-STM and Timisoara Saracens, outperform the Italian duo of Treviso and Zebre and are about the same level as Edinburgh, Bristol and Worcester.

But they want to be upwardly mobile and in a position where they aren’t helped by being underestimated, a mistake made by opponents that helped in the successful Euro campaigns of 2014/15 and 2015/16.

Whereas Gloucester were fired up for their quarter with the Blues, they undoubtedly expected to roll over the Dragons with ease last year when they even rested Ross Moriarty.

Stade Francais and Newcastle were guilty of taking the Rodney Parade region a little lightly the season before.

Highlighting the element of surprise is not to downplay the exploits in making the semi-finals on those occasions but they have work to change their perception among not only Guinness PRO12 rivals but those in the Aviva Premiership and Top 14.

At the moment they are fully aware of their standing; they head to Zebre on Saturday knowing that it might be an opportunity for that elusive away win but that it’s far from a gimme.

The Dragons aren’t in a position to start kicking to the corner from the off like Munster, Leinster, Ulster or Glasgow would.

In fact, head coach Jones would probably be quite content for his side to make a pretty unspectacular start by working their way into a game and ticking the scoreboard along versus a home side fresh from a win against champions Connacht.

Zebre will fancy their chances against Kingsley Jones' men. They will have no fears and the quest to change that reputation is behind the desire for a change of regime with the Welsh Rugby Union taking the reins from a board who have allowed things to drift terribly (this column will steer clear of the proposed takeover, there will be more to come over the coming weeks on that front).

And the next month can have a big impact on the Dragons’ hope to be on an upward curve in 2017/18.

The stats show it’s been another campaign of woe with just four league wins to date, failure to qualify in the Challenge Cup and three losses from four Anglo-Welsh Cup fixtures.

Having Hallam Amos, Ashton Hewitt and Ed Jackson back fit will help but things aren’t going to dramatically change next season with the signings of Gavin Henson and Zane Kirchner, two good recruits but towards the end of their careers.

But there has to be progress and it is vital that the Dragons finish the campaign by ensuring their nightmare away streak is ended and by winning at least one of their derbies against the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues to avoid a second successive regional whitewash.

Amid all the off-field uncertainty, the Dragons are planning for next season and a month of on-field matters will have an impact come September.

South Wales Argus:

WARREN Gatland will have the majority of his British and Irish Lions squad inked in by now but it will be the last few names causing the big headaches, and not just because of their talent.

The management announce their 37-strong group for New Zealand on Wednesday, April 19 and there is little that can be done to influence selection now the European quarter-finals have been played.

Gatland and his coaches will be close to knowing their initial squad and will now nervously watch the rest of the regular season and then the games that come close to Test level, the play-offs and Champions Cup semi-finals and final.

There will be an unlucky injury victim – alas, there always is – but the Lions management will be able to call in plenty of able deputies because of the wealth of options.

Such talent makes it unlikely for there to be a ‘bolter’ like loosehead Ellis Genge or hooker Tommy Taylor and even Scotland’s excellent openside Hamish Watson is surely set to miss out given the glut of back row candidates.

However, there are sure to be a couple of names that lead to raised eyebrows and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jamie Roberts included at the expense of Scott Williams, the man who has taken his spot at inside centre for Wales.

Roberts was the Lions man of the series in South Africa and was a leading figure four years ago in the triumph against Australia.

He may not be the man to go up against the All Blacks but would be a fine tourist, providing leadership, calmness and experience while commanding respect from his peers.

Roberts may not quite be the player he was when so supreme against the Boks but remains a proper Test beast that will not be found wanting in some pretty tough midweek encounters.

The Harlequins man might no longer be worthy of a place in the 37 on purely playing ability but this tour is about more than that.