NEWPORT Gwent Dragons will head to Montpellier on the back of a 28-8 derby defeat at Cardiff Blues. What did we learn from the loss at the Arms Park?

1: Amos is amazing, yet also occasionally over-ambitious

Hallam Amos is a wonderful runner who can threaten from anywhere on the park, although if the wing is to play for Wales in New Zealand then he will need to cut out the daft mistakes.

Head coach Kingsley Jones’ post-match comments about the need to play as a team for individuals to press international claims was clearly aimed at Amos among others.

The 21-year-old made one glorious aerial to set up an attack that ended with him ignoring two men free down the left then had one scintillating break but his offload didn’t go to hand.

But for all the infuriating turnovers, Amos is a dazzling attacker that the Dragons will need to fire in Montpellier.

2: Yellow peril

Sarel Pretorius’ sin-binning was a controversial call, Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones felt it was harsh but go for an interception one-handed and you run the risk of 10 minutes off.

It was 11-8 when the South African made the instinctive play for the ball and Cardiff Blues were ruthless, kicking the penalty to the corner and then striking through Ray Lee-Lo.

The centre gathered Gareth Anscombe’s chip over the top, exploiting a gap that would have been filled by the scrum-half.

At 18-8 the Dragons were up against it and never really recovered.

3: Dragons have serious issues in the 22

So many games in the Pro12 this season have featured the Dragons enjoying plenty of trips to the opposition’s 22 only to fail to trouble the scoreboard operator.

In the first half in the capital they had chances to put the squeeze on their hosts only to squander them, settling for a Dorian Jones penalty and Pretorius’ try from a driving lineout.

In the final quarter they had the chance to give their hosts a few nerves by getting back within a score only to let the Blues off the hook again.

A lack of composure has killed them in league rugby.

4: Scrum solidity

The Dragons have made strides over recent seasons and are no longer a soft touch in the tight but the Blues had the nudge at the set piece.

No doubt the coaching team will be baffled by some of Mr Fitzgibbon’s decisions but after selecting Nick Crosswell in the second row for the past two weeks perhaps a heavier lock will be needed against Montpellier’s intimidating and expensively assembled pack.

5: Super Sarel

Scrum-half Sarel Pretorius may have had a 10-minute break but he was superb in the capital; the plastic Arms Park pitch was to his suiting as he sniped and threatened. His pace means he is always in the thick of it and he can sniff out an opening.

The wettest winter in years may have made the South African wonder why he had headed for Europe but on firm pitches and under clear skies the former Cheetahs man thrives.

In Pretorius and Charlie Davies the Dragons have two fine and very different 9s. Both have had good first campaigns at Rodney Parade.