Wasps 38 Dragons 25 (From South Wales Argus)

Poor, but after 20 minutes i thought it was going to be 50 plus, still no light at the end of the tunnel though.

It's like a bad case of Groundhog Day week in, week out. I am sure Robert will be on here blaming everyone from the referee to the groundsman to the tea lady but once again we were out thought, out fought and out played. The less said about our scrum the better..again. I agree with cwmbran man that it could have been 50 points plus so let's be gratefully for small mercy's! New coach required to bring a level of coaching, proffesionalism and pride which we simply have not seen at all under DE.

Ulster at home in a fortnight, perhaps a thrashing will force managements hand, or maybe make DE realise for the good of the rugby club he needs to resign, not up to it.

Scrum was mullered from the kick off, no platform to work from, Toby only got the ball going backwards, we were lucky not to have more sin bins in the first half, and to be fifty points down at half time.

Had we shown any real prospect of getting close to Wasps they would have upped it a gear (and still had a couple of gears in reserve).

The team are simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH AT THIS LEVEL.

Darren Edwards can play with his Mac-book as much as he likes, but this again reinforces the facts that he has not got the skills to coach at this level.

Wasps rested a number of key players but still had plenty in reserve, lets not kid ourselves here, the first half was 79% to 21% possession.

I have always respected Rob Appleyard, but he must also realise it's time to give someone new a chance.

I don't think Mr Beale does anything for the team, at present we are not even a good second rate team.

I believe it is only a matter of time until that Good, Upright, Knowledgable Stalwart of the WRU, Roger Lewis, comes forward and names the Dragons as the Welsh Developement Region, we've played into his hands.

I can't critisise the backs as we are fielding the best we have available, and some who the other regions would happily field, but with No or Poor ball, they are living on scraps.

End of rant, pick holes in it if you wish, I can't be bothered to keep banging the drum.

We were brilliant for five minutes, but to be honest we were poor against a poor side.
Toby should be rested now rather than risk injury before joining the Wales squad, he is under too much pressure to carry the team.
Darren has to be shown the door while there is still time to salvage something from the season.

Wasps were the much better team. After 25mins they had the game won and just managed their lead from then on.
The commentators were interesting they clearly identified the superior physicality of the Wasp team but commended the Dragons on developing their youngsters. We are already a development team and we are also being used to try and develop young coaches.
Unfortunately nobody will learn anything from being uncompetitive week after week and the supporters will drift away.

CaptainB wrote:
Scrum was mullered from the kick off, no platform to work from, Toby only got the ball going backwards, we were lucky not to have more sin bins in the first half, and to be fifty points down at half time.

Had we shown any real prospect of getting close to Wasps they would have upped it a gear (and still had a couple of gears in reserve).

The team are simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH AT THIS LEVEL.

Darren Edwards can play with his Mac-book as much as he likes, but this again reinforces the facts that he has not got the skills to coach at this level.

Wasps rested a number of key players but still had plenty in reserve, lets not kid ourselves here, the first half was 79% to 21% possession.

I have always respected Rob Appleyard, but he must also realise it's time to give someone new a chance.

I don't think Mr Beale does anything for the team, at present we are not even a good second rate team.

I believe it is only a matter of time until that Good, Upright, Knowledgable Stalwart of the WRU, Roger Lewis, comes forward and names the Dragons as the Welsh Developement Region, we've played into his hands.

I can't critisise the backs as we are fielding the best we have available, and some who the other regions would happily field, but with No or Poor ball, they are living on scraps.

End of rant, pick holes in it if you wish, I can't be bothered to keep banging the drum.

Agree 100%. There can't be any will at RP to solve the issue as the blues have done which makes me think there really is a hidden agenda. Time for cards on the table. If we are destined for development status then I will have my ST money back now thank you.

Agree 100%. There can't be any will at RP to solve the issue as the blues have done which makes me think there really is a hidden agenda. Time for cards on the table. If we are destined for development status then I will have my ST money back now thank you.

Monster Munch is spot on. I looked at the Dragons players out there. They were in the main either very young, over the hill or the right age but not up to it. The scrum was mullered again - not surprising with the babies in the front row. Sidoli is an old war horse but too old. The new guy with the beard and long hair is anonymous. So that leaves the poor back row always in retreat. Impossible to judge Lewis in these circumstances but Toby is a proven performer. He is going backwards as a player and needs to move for the sake of his own career. The half backs are young and I can't see how they are benefiting from playing behind a pack being smashed to pieces every week.
In the main the rest of the back line are still very young. Collectively too young to be expected to perform at this level, with the exception of Ashley Smith who I am afraid has not come through as he should have, and should be shown the door. This probably won't happen because he is the son-in-law of a key sponsor.
The penalty count against the Dragons was massive as they sought to atone for a complete lack of forward power. There were numerous unforced errors.
Here's a few embarrassing ones:
1. Good line out ball won on the opposition 22 only for the detached carrying forward to run into his pack - accidental offside.
2. Perfect pass out to Robling on oppo 22 from 1st phase ball - knocked on.
3. On our own 22 Harries looped behind Ashley Smith only for Smith to pass behind him.
4. High ball dropped by Toby on his own 22.
The first three point to a lack of coaching/understandi
ng between players.
I noted the expression on the faces of the players. None of them are enjoying playing the game, and many are just clinging on to their professional careers for grim death.
Which leads on to where the region sit in relation to the supporters. If you turn up at Rodney Parade on match day it costs £20 to stand on the terrace. It is simply not fair to ask for that kind of money for rugby which is not being played at anywhere near the highest level. The supporters are being hoodwinked. I feel sorry for those who have shelled out on season tickets because we have a sub-standard coach taking a development team which cannot compete in the Amlin let alone the Heineken Cup. Admission prices and season ticket prices should be halved to reflect the lower end product.
Just think how far rugby has fallen at Rodney Parade. As Newport and then the Dragons we had players of the calibre of Teichman, Snow, Howarth, Ofisa To'nu, Marinos. The pack was solid with stalwarts like Adam Black providing a solid platform. We had some (not all) world class coaches such and Mackintosh and Ruddock who could get the best out of the players.
I have not been to Rodney Parade this year and do not intend doing so because I do not see any light at the end of the tunnel. I refuse to be ripped off. I used to be a season ticket holder and took the family to Scotland and France to watch the team.
Instead I sit at home watching with my hands over my eyes for much of the game shaking my head in disbelief at how far we have fallen. It is so bad that I am considering watching Bath, Gloucester or London Welsh on a regular basis.
Sorry, but it is that bad, let's be honest.

It has all been said before an uncompetitve team trying their hardest but always found wanting.There must be a reason why the region is being allowed to slowly sink into oblivion.One thing seems obvious no amount of cash can help a poor product survive.A dose of honesty from those in control would be useful,is the region being groomed for "developmen" status,if so that will I believe see the end of rugby at RP.Maybe the round ball game is the future.

The Dragons lack precision in their work. So many errors, as another contributor pointed out. There is a s much talent in the Dragons squad as in many of the English Premiership teams squads. There are ex-Dragons, who were good players but never superstars who now start every week in the Aviva. There is something wrong with the coaching set up, this is clear. There is also a real lack of intensity about the Pro12. Exeter are not a side full of stars, but look at the intensity and cohesion they took to Leinster. That surely comes from paying 100% competitive games every week, in front of full houses. The Pro12 will never provide that until the Heineken places are limited to four and everyone has to make an effort.
I am very pessimistic about the whole Welsh professional rugby set up. We and the Scarlets, who have some wonderful talent in their side, looked like boys against men yesterday. In the long term I cannot see that the whole Welsh set up is viable. Two Welsh teams playing in the intesity of a British League is the only viable option I can imagine, both commercially and competitively. Otherwise Wales will become like Argentina. Second level domestic competition, thirty or forty best players playing in France and England for the money. It would work financially, but it is not a situation a Welsh national coach would want! Never mind S4C, it will be a subscription to Canal+ that we will all need to watch Welsh players.
I thought PwC were supposed to be reporting on how to sort these issues out! Whatever happened to the report? It has been buried by the WRU for months! My guess is that it says the whole set up is unsustainable and the WRU hasn't got a Scooby Doo, what to do next!

You can't have a development team being coached by a development team, it just will not work.

That game was just to embarrasing watch on occasions, so many very poor mistakes.

Three number 8's in the back row and one of our most promising youngsters playing in the second row when 6 is his best position. Nonsense. Please please get a new captain for this ship it is floundering very badly and indeed in great danger of sinking.

East Newport Dave wrote:
Monster Munch is spot on. I looked at the Dragons players out there. They were in the main either very young, over the hill or the right age but not up to it. The scrum was mullered again - not surprising with the babies in the front row. Sidoli is an old war horse but too old. The new guy with the beard and long hair is anonymous. So that leaves the poor back row always in retreat. Impossible to judge Lewis in these circumstances but Toby is a proven performer. He is going backwards as a player and needs to move for the sake of his own career. The half backs are young and I can't see how they are benefiting from playing behind a pack being smashed to pieces every week.
In the main the rest of the back line are still very young. Collectively too young to be expected to perform at this level, with the exception of Ashley Smith who I am afraid has not come through as he should have, and should be shown the door. This probably won't happen because he is the son-in-law of a key sponsor.
The penalty count against the Dragons was massive as they sought to atone for a complete lack of forward power. There were numerous unforced errors.
Here's a few embarrassing ones:
1. Good line out ball won on the opposition 22 only for the detached carrying forward to run into his pack - accidental offside.
2. Perfect pass out to Robling on oppo 22 from 1st phase ball - knocked on.
3. On our own 22 Harries looped behind Ashley Smith only for Smith to pass behind him.
4. High ball dropped by Toby on his own 22.
The first three point to a lack of coaching/understandi

ng between players.
I noted the expression on the faces of the players. None of them are enjoying playing the game, and many are just clinging on to their professional careers for grim death.
Which leads on to where the region sit in relation to the supporters. If you turn up at Rodney Parade on match day it costs £20 to stand on the terrace. It is simply not fair to ask for that kind of money for rugby which is not being played at anywhere near the highest level. The supporters are being hoodwinked. I feel sorry for those who have shelled out on season tickets because we have a sub-standard coach taking a development team which cannot compete in the Amlin let alone the Heineken Cup. Admission prices and season ticket prices should be halved to reflect the lower end product.
Just think how far rugby has fallen at Rodney Parade. As Newport and then the Dragons we had players of the calibre of Teichman, Snow, Howarth, Ofisa To'nu, Marinos. The pack was solid with stalwarts like Adam Black providing a solid platform. We had some (not all) world class coaches such and Mackintosh and Ruddock who could get the best out of the players.
I have not been to Rodney Parade this year and do not intend doing so because I do not see any light at the end of the tunnel. I refuse to be ripped off. I used to be a season ticket holder and took the family to Scotland and France to watch the team.
Instead I sit at home watching with my hands over my eyes for much of the game shaking my head in disbelief at how far we have fallen. It is so bad that I am considering watching Bath, Gloucester or London Welsh on a regular basis.
Sorry, but it is that bad, let's be honest.

Gloster play a great brand of rugby and smashed us to bits the last time we played them BEFORE the exodus. I have a friend who is a Pooler supporter considering the same move. The closest region is the blues of course but I can't bring myself to turn my coat inside out quite that far! Lol

Yet agin the Dragons players have let their fans and the club down by making us all suffer by demonstrating a complete and utter lack of EVERYTHING.

There is no absolutly NO direction or ambition, or even the smalest incling of a will to win being instilled in the players what so ever by the coaching team. On the strength of what I saw last night, someone somewhere whinin the Dragons set-up really must must look in a mirror and ask himself if he can sleep at night knowing that the club is HOPELESSLY OUTCLASSED.

Unfortunally, to me it seems that some of the players,are obviously playing way above their ability, if not - then they are suffering from the worst training / coaching / game planning in the whole of the UK.

Players cannot be placed out of their natural position week in week out, this creates gaping holes in the back row as well as the pack. Opsosition teams see this in a matter of seconds - the result is yet another spectacular loss.

Last night the waps were a well drilled unit, they had everything that the Dragons have lacked for a long time. Players that are in their natural position, full of confidence and self belief, and above all else a desire - even hunger to win AS A TEAM.

Yes the coaching staff will roll out the usual feeble excusses in the coming days, lack of finances being the usual one - but remember this, it is does not matter how big, or small the buget is - it is how you make the best use if it that counts.

Sky focused on the Dragons being a young team and many posts on here are the same and we have some great new talent coming through and great young talent already established Adam Hughes, Toby , Dan we know how well Toby and Dan are doing and Hughes has scored against Scarlets, Wasps, London Irish and nearly against Munster ! Big teams!
I would not worry about coaches leaving more concerned about our youngsters going !

SAD

SAD

Sky focused on the Dragons being a young team and many posts on here are the same and we have some great new talent coming through and great young talent already established Adam Hughes, Toby , Dan we know how well Toby and Dan are doing and Hughes has scored against Scarlets, Wasps, London Irish and nearly against Munster ! Big teams!
I would not worry about coaches leaving more concerned about our youngsters going !
Dans out, Toby, to my eyes at least is regressing in that team, for their careers they need to move and quick, it also concerned me last night how any decent players we may have will soon struggle with injuries carrying the rest, putting inferior players into battle week in week out can only end in injury as players push themselves to limits just to try to stay in games, DE is becoming a liability, and careers are suffering.

cwmbran man wrote:
Sky focused on the Dragons being a young team and many posts on here are the same and we have some great new talent coming through and great young talent already established Adam Hughes, Toby , Dan we know how well Toby and Dan are doing and Hughes has scored against Scarlets, Wasps, London Irish and nearly against Munster ! Big teams!
I would not worry about coaches leaving more concerned about our youngsters going !
Dans out, Toby, to my eyes at least is regressing in that team, for their careers they need to move and quick, it also concerned me last night how any decent players we may have will soon struggle with injuries carrying the rest, putting inferior players into battle week in week out can only end in injury as players push themselves to limits just to try to stay in games, DE is becoming a liability, and careers are suffering.

DE is not becoming a liability, he has been one from the off. Trying to be the technical minded coach, pouring over stats galore on the MacBook and no doubt coming up with great theoretical scenarios in training....but still getting whipped every game, usually without any sign of commitment, passion, winning mentality or true leadership on the pitch. We can moan about players leaving etc ( for me Lloyd Burns was our biggest loss based on commitment and passion) but we have to accept that what we lack in true top class ability we have to make up for in the other areas I mention above, DE is incapable of delivering and simply has to be replaced with a motivator (Kingsley for me) who can at least ensure the fans see commitment, effort and passion. We also need defeat to hurt the players, at the moment they are so used to it I really don't think it bothers half of them.

Kept out of this debate so. Far. But, can't let the comment about the team not having motivation of commitment. They all try thier best every time they put the shirt on, no one can doubt that. They may have a little skill shortage but they will learn that through training and playing. A young side with great potential which it is important we keep. Running them down week in week out does nothing to build thier confidence or desire to stay at the region. Constant claims against them is the most sure way of getting them wanting to move to another region where there is a huge difference in the way supporters talk about the team. Where are the positive thinkers, please make yourselves known on this web site so we can get a balanced view please. By the way I watched the game this morning and saw some very good things happening for the Dragons but unfortunately not enough to make a difference. Stupid yellow card added to the grief in a big way. The travelling fans enjoyed themselves I'm sure but hope they had an uneventful trip home and weren't caught up in the traffic problems on the M4.

East Newport Dave
Glos play a good brand of rugby - unlike most English sides. They have loads of Welsh connections and there are lot's of Welsh in Glos. At their Hartpury Academy there are lots of Welsh players.
I have watched Glos play a few times
Best bet I would say

Rob Shillabeer once again settling for mediocrity. Where is the ambition? It wasn't so very long ago that we saw Newport sides beat Toulouse, Bath and put 50 points on Newcastle. The Dragons beat Perpignan with a 4 try bonus point win (please don't mention the LV win last season v Wasps because it was meaningless).
What we are left with now is a failure to even compete in the Amlin competition and are probably the poorest team in the Rabo bar Zebre. I'm not interested in how the referee performs. If the team is good enough it generally wins. It's nothing to do with the poor refs when a team loses week in/week out.
Positive thinking - okay. I think if we got rid of Edwards, the team could improve. There are some good players there but we need to pay money for a front five to allow them to play!

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Kept out of this debate so. Far. But, can't let the comment about the team not having motivation of commitment. They all try thier best every time they put the shirt on, no one can doubt that. They may have a little skill shortage but they will learn that through training and playing. A young side with great potential which it is important we keep. Running them down week in week out does nothing to build thier confidence or desire to stay at the region. Constant claims against them is the most sure way of getting them wanting to move to another region where there is a huge difference in the way supporters talk about the team. Where are the positive thinkers, please make yourselves known on this web site so we can get a balanced view please. By the way I watched the game this morning and saw some very good things happening for the Dragons but unfortunately not enough to make a difference. Stupid yellow card added to the grief in a big way. The travelling fans enjoyed themselves I'm sure but hope they had an uneventful trip home and weren't caught up in the traffic problems on the M4.

Robert, I have asked you before without response, offer me some insight / hope which would suggest that the majority of posters on here are wrong about DE. At what point will you accept he is not good enough?

We can argue about DE but I think the real issue is the front five. We have got talent in the backs. I am really pleased with Dan Evans, Andy Tuilagis improvement and Tom Prydie and really do believe we are getting commitment from the players but you can't look good behind a losing pack.The blues addressed this and until RP do then the frustration will continue to build for the fans and the forums will continue to be full of unhappy people venting it. Not rocket science really is it. Sort the pack and we would be a force, ignore it and I fear for the future TBH.

We can argue about DE but I think the real issue is the front five. We have got talent in the backs. I am really pleased with Dan Evans, Andy Tuilagis improvement and Tom Prydie and really do believe we are getting commitment from the players but you can't look good behind a losing pack.The blues addressed this and until RP do then the frustration will continue to build for the fans and the forums will continue to be full of unhappy people venting it. Not rocket science really is it. Sort the pack and we would be a force, ignore it and I fear for the future TBH.

Darren may well be seen by some as not good enough, but he does his work quietly with other coaching staff and those who analyse performance at training and during matches to try and get the best from the team. He may not be able to put out the best team every week because of injury or illness which applies to every head coach. I look at other papers that report on thier local regional team and find no evidence that each head coach is piloried quite like the Dragons head coach, perhaps it's a Towney thing. I remember when Paul Turner suffered the same sort of criticism from those who don't understand the workings of a rugby club.

May I suggest you try talking to others such as players who will tell you what he does behind the scenes which is not always made known.

All very interesting comments that seem to appear week after week but no one seems interested in making changes. One very good reason is that they are being paid far too much money.
Why should Edwards, Beale and McCready do anything because they are just on the gravy train.
Darren Edwards couldnt coach a team of under12's but will keep his job. What they have there will now have the skills to develop any of the players unless it is showing them how to collect money under fale pretenses

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
Unless your DE where this is regarded as good coaching.

Most coaching skill is dictated by the central rugby union qualification requirements. Before you can coach at any level you must gain your qualifications as a specific level coach. The first step is to understand the basic coaching requirement, that is how to train anyone in a constructive way, secondly how to train specific requirements and skills, thirdly motivation skills and that's the hard bit. Motivation comes from within the player being coached and where that payer wants to get, the coaching skill comes from getting the player to go that extra step and seek a better position on the motivation tree. The individual skills coach gets the player to perform specifics better thus building a higher level of both skill and motivation. The Dragons have the basic skills, some at a higher level than others according to where they stand on the experience ladder, the coaching skill is being able to get the player to firstly reach that standard and get him to want to go further. The basic talent needs to be there in the first place or no amount of coaching can improve the player. The Dragons have the skills base and where that s lacking the head coach needs to bring in the talent from elsewhere and he can only do that if the team manager says the money is there to afford the player. This way Mr Beale has a very loud voice in signing a player. Central contracts would make that much more affordable so time to introduce them I believe thereby releasing money the region can spend on developing players, just like Ireland are doing. None of the regions have done well this weekend except for that lt from Swansea who did quite well really. So please look at tins with a little more balance and you will see that all the Dragons management and players are in my view trying really hard to reduce better results and constant moaning and knocking us not really eloping the cause.

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Darren may well be seen by some as not good enough, but he does his work quietly with other coaching staff and those who analyse performance at training and during matches to try and get the best from the team. He may not be able to put out the best team every week because of injury or illness which applies to every head coach. I look at other papers that report on thier local regional team and find no evidence that each head coach is piloried quite like the Dragons head coach, perhaps it's a Towney thing. I remember when Paul Turner suffered the same sort of criticism from those who don't understand the workings of a rugby club.

May I suggest you try talking to others such as players who will tell you what he does behind the scenes which is not always made known.

I think this might be your legendry sense of humour comming to the fore again Robert. But just in case I am wrong; focus really hard for a while and see if you can imagine any reason why DE might be getting more flak than the other coaches at the moment? I know you can do it, I have every faith in you. I will give you a clue; it not a Townie thing.

Robert - You miss the point I am afraid.
The frustration of Dragons fans is that whatever talent the Dragons may or may not have it is up to the coach to produce a 'TEAM' from the talent available.
IF the Dragons were producing some good stuff / good performances but still got beat by the 'better' side then fair do's.
However - even the coaches agree that they have not performed at all well in most games.
The only thing that WILL make a difference - in most fans view - is IF we can get someone in who can manage a 'TEAM' and get the most out of the resources we have. DE cannot do that. The last guy we had that could do that was Ruddock.
It is INEVITABLE that DE will have to go at some stage. In the meantime we are in an ever increasing downward spiral that will further dimoralise the good players we do have

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Most coaching skill is dictated by the central rugby union qualification requirements. Before you can coach at any level you must gain your qualifications as a specific level coach. The first step is to understand the basic coaching requirement, that is how to train anyone in a constructive way, secondly how to train specific requirements and skills, thirdly motivation skills and that's the hard bit. Motivation comes from within the player being coached and where that payer wants to get, the coaching skill comes from getting the player to go that extra step and seek a better position on the motivation tree. The individual skills coach gets the player to perform specifics better thus building a higher level of both skill and motivation. The Dragons have the basic skills, some at a higher level than others according to where they stand on the experience ladder, the coaching skill is being able to get the player to firstly reach that standard and get him to want to go further. The basic talent needs to be there in the first place or no amount of coaching can improve the player. The Dragons have the skills base and where that s lacking the head coach needs to bring in the talent from elsewhere and he can only do that if the team manager says the money is there to afford the player. This way Mr Beale has a very loud voice in signing a player. Central contracts would make that much more affordable so time to introduce them I believe thereby releasing money the region can spend on developing players, just like Ireland are doing. None of the regions have done well this weekend except for that lt from Swansea who did quite well really. So please look at tins with a little more balance and you will see that all the Dragons management and players are in my view trying really hard to reduce better results and constant moaning and knocking us not really eloping the cause.

Have you thought about writing the press releases for the August Rob? Would be right up your street. I am sure Darren is doing his best but coaches are judged on the teams performance (This is the answer to the last poser in case you were struggling with it). Everyone wants to be positive about the side but you need a little hope to do that. It's a serious issue. As I said before the blues sorted it and we have to too if we want a future for the club and it support base.

D oesn't
A ppreciate
R eal
R ugby
E ntertains
N ewportonians

E xpected
D reams
W ould
A llways
R aise
D ownbeat
S quad

MUST GO!!!!!

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Darren may well be seen by some as not good enough, but he does his work quietly with other coaching staff and those who analyse performance at training and during matches to try and get the best from the team. He may not be able to put out the best team every week because of injury or illness which applies to every head coach. I look at other papers that report on thier local regional team and find no evidence that each head coach is piloried quite like the Dragons head coach, perhaps it's a Towney thing. I remember when Paul Turner suffered the same sort of criticism from those who don't understand the workings of a rugby club.

May I suggest you try talking to others such as players who will tell you what he does behind the scenes which is not always made known.

Robert - everything you say reeks of what we would expect to hear about a development squad, in case you may have forgotten we are a professional sports team competing in a professional league and like it or not it is a results business. What ever DE does behind the scenes ( which you appear well informed on?) has to produce results or at least progress.....we get neither, worse we are going backwards quicker than our scrum on Saturday night. Have you considered that the reason other regions do not attract as much criticism is because they are not as consistently woefull as us?!

i watched a cracking game this morning
two committed sides going hell for leather with each other, with an abundance of talent and well coached, the commitment was unbelievable both sides cheered of at the end, who was it ! st. julians and pill harriers under 13s saints won 24 to 15 welldone boys, you put the pro,s to shame

emlynkide wrote:
i watched a cracking game this morning
two committed sides going hell for leather with each other, with an abundance of talent and well coached, the commitment was unbelievable both sides cheered of at the end, who was it ! st. julians and pill harriers under 13s saints won 24 to 15 welldone boys, you put the pro,s to shame

Thats a good point to be fair, I enjoy Newport games more this season because the lower intensity encourages more adventurous play and more flowing rugby. Too many top flight games are stodgy affairs where the two defences cancel themselves out.

Rob Shillabeer once again settling for mediocrity. Where is the ambition? It wasn't so very long ago that we saw Newport sides beat Toulouse, Bath and put 50 points on Newcastle. The Dragons beat Perpignan with a 4 try bonus point win (please don't mention the LV win last season v Wasps because it was meaningless).
What we are left with now is a failure to even compete in the Amlin competition and are probably the poorest team in the Rabo bar Zebre. I'm not interested in how the referee performs. If the team is good enough it generally wins. It's nothing to do with the poor refs when a team loses week in/week out.
Positive thinking - okay. I think if we got rid of Edwards, the team could improve. There are some good players there but we need to pay money for a front five to allow them to play!

Rob Shillabeer is completely oblivious to what is required of professional sportsmen who are watched by a paying audience. The product has to be good enough to justify the gate fee. It is not about them doing their best to develop players, When they step onto the field they are regional players and therefore supposed to be full professionals. It is as plain as the nose on your face where the problems lie.

1. There is no solid first phase forward platform.
2. Virtually all players failing to perform to the best of their abilities
3. Poor cohesion as a unit and lack of direction.

It all points clearly to poor coaching and management with a lack of key personnel in the front five. As professionals they are accountable and draw criticism when the job they do is below what is expected. I don't care what coaching qualifications Edwards has. Like any other paid worker he is warned to improve the product and then he is shown the door if he can't do the job. In this case, he carries the hopes of thousands of supporters and is woefully incompetent. Even more so, he is doing long term damage which will be difficult to repair in terms of dwindling support and the ability of the region to attract/retain quality players.
If you just want a bit of light meaningless entertainment Rob, just stay at home and watch Coronation Street.
If the travelling support at Wasps enjoyed the performance of their team, well they have the same aspirations as you do or they had too much beer, or both.
I don't expect the Dragons to win every week but I do expect them to win most of their home games and be challenging every team they play against. As it is nowadays, the top clubs can put out a second string against us and win because they know it will be easy.

East Newport Dave your right with your first point the front row are a problem (a long term problem at that) but the second is way off beam because when your failing up front you have pressure put on you which you need to defend. I would like to say we have that under control, but sadly not the case as the whole scrum failed to control it and with Dan out we no longer have his ability to snuff out the attack with his chop tackle. A to your third point although it has some merit its important to understand that the Dragons are straight into defence mode which the backs are only able to support not create. Yes we need better forwards something that DE would admit and no doubt pointed out to the board, but money s short and contracted players simply can't be dumped unless you pay thier contract up in full or pass them onto another equally paid contract with someone else and with no or little help from the WRU the status quo will remain the main driver.

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
East Newport Dave your right with your first point the front row are a problem (a long term problem at that) but the second is way off beam because when your failing up front you have pressure put on you which you need to defend. I would like to say we have that under control, but sadly not the case as the whole scrum failed to control it and with Dan out we no longer have his ability to snuff out the attack with his chop tackle. A to your third point although it has some merit its important to understand that the Dragons are straight into defence mode which the backs are only able to support not create. Yes we need better forwards something that DE would admit and no doubt pointed out to the board, but money s short and contracted players simply can't be dumped unless you pay thier contract up in full or pass them onto another equally paid contract with someone else and with no or little help from the WRU the status quo will remain the main driver.

Finally he is on the same page. :)

I think we need feedback from the club on how they plan to get out of this rut. Becuse if they have none or are just happy to keep taking the WRU cash then at least we all know where we stand.

Robert Shillabeer says...
8:17pm Sun 14 Oct 12

Most coaching skill is dictated by the central rugby union qualification requirements. Before you can coach at any level you must gain your qualifications as a specific level coach. The first step is to understand the basic coaching requirement, that is how to train anyone in a constructive way, secondly how to train specific requirements and skills, thirdly motivation skills and that's the hard bit. Motivation comes from within the player being coached and where that payer wants to get, the coaching skill comes from getting the player to go that extra step and seek a better position on the motivation tree. The individual skills coach gets the player to perform specifics better thus building a higher level of both skill and motivation. The Dragons have the basic skills, some at a higher level than others according to where they stand on the experience ladder, the coaching skill is being able to get the player to firstly reach that standard and get him to want to go further. The basic talent needs to be there in the first place or no amount of coaching can improve the player. The Dragons have the skills base and where that s lacking the head coach needs to bring in the talent from elsewhere and he can only do that if the team manager says the money is there to afford the player. This way Mr Beale has a very loud voice in signing a player. Central contracts would make that much more affordable so time to introduce them I believe thereby releasing money the region can spend on developing players, just like Ireland are doing. None of the regions have done well this weekend except for that lt from Swansea who did quite well really. So please look at tins with a little more balance and you will see that all the Dragons management and players are in my view trying really hard to reduce better results and constant moaning and knocking us not really eloping the cause.
Jesus, if that aint word for word the handbook for the wru development sides i dont know what is.

So please look at tins with a little more balance and you will see that all the Dragons management and players are in my view trying really hard to reduce better results and constant moaning and knocking us not really eloping the cause

Oh the irony, it may have been a typo. but if the management and players are trying really hard to REDUCE better results we are in trouble.

Cwmbran man it was a typo as my iPad makes auto spell checks and chose the wrong word ( so much for technology) the word I meant was 'Produce' not reduce. However it is not word for word from the handbook from the WRU on development side as to the best of my knowledge that handbook does not exist, can't find it on the WRU website anyway.

You wont find it Rob, its not for the general public.

That's because it doesn't exist I think you'll find.

They said that about Aliens

Don't expect the WRU to concede that the Dragons are the Development Region. As it stands the other 3 regions get an automatic passport into the Heineken Cup as long as the Dragons are kept weak. With the current coaching and management structure that will continue. It suits Cardiff and the West Wales contingent down to the ground.

Will the last one out of Rodney Parade please turn out the light at the end of the tunnel....

But wait, theres a light at the back of the stand, its a man on his MacBook... sorry Darren.... just turn the light out.

East Newport Dave wrote:
Monster Munch is spot on. I looked at the Dragons players out there. They were in the main either very young, over the hill or the right age but not up to it. The scrum was mullered again - not surprising with the babies in the front row. Sidoli is an old war horse but too old. The new guy with the beard and long hair is anonymous. So that leaves the poor back row always in retreat. Impossible to judge Lewis in these circumstances but Toby is a proven performer. He is going backwards as a player and needs to move for the sake of his own career. The half backs are young and I can't see how they are benefiting from playing behind a pack being smashed to pieces every week.
In the main the rest of the back line are still very young. Collectively too young to be expected to perform at this level, with the exception of Ashley Smith who I am afraid has not come through as he should have, and should be shown the door. This probably won't happen because he is the son-in-law of a key sponsor.
The penalty count against the Dragons was massive as they sought to atone for a complete lack of forward power. There were numerous unforced errors.
Here's a few embarrassing ones:
1. Good line out ball won on the opposition 22 only for the detached carrying forward to run into his pack - accidental offside.
2. Perfect pass out to Robling on oppo 22 from 1st phase ball - knocked on.
3. On our own 22 Harries looped behind Ashley Smith only for Smith to pass behind him.
4. High ball dropped by Toby on his own 22.
The first three point to a lack of coaching/understandi

ng between players.
I noted the expression on the faces of the players. None of them are enjoying playing the game, and many are just clinging on to their professional careers for grim death.
Which leads on to where the region sit in relation to the supporters. If you turn up at Rodney Parade on match day it costs £20 to stand on the terrace. It is simply not fair to ask for that kind of money for rugby which is not being played at anywhere near the highest level. The supporters are being hoodwinked. I feel sorry for those who have shelled out on season tickets because we have a sub-standard coach taking a development team which cannot compete in the Amlin let alone the Heineken Cup. Admission prices and season ticket prices should be halved to reflect the lower end product.
Just think how far rugby has fallen at Rodney Parade. As Newport and then the Dragons we had players of the calibre of Teichman, Snow, Howarth, Ofisa To'nu, Marinos. The pack was solid with stalwarts like Adam Black providing a solid platform. We had some (not all) world class coaches such and Mackintosh and Ruddock who could get the best out of the players.
I have not been to Rodney Parade this year and do not intend doing so because I do not see any light at the end of the tunnel. I refuse to be ripped off. I used to be a season ticket holder and took the family to Scotland and France to watch the team.
Instead I sit at home watching with my hands over my eyes for much of the game shaking my head in disbelief at how far we have fallen. It is so bad that I am considering watching Bath, Gloucester or London Welsh on a regular basis.
Sorry, but it is that bad, let's be honest.

Been away for a few days so just been catching up on my local team news. I agree fully with Dave which I seem to a lot. Your comments re Ashley Smith are spot on as usual. Smith has proved he'll never be good enough to play for Wales and does need to be "shown the door". There's too much of "jobs for the boys" going on and the quicker the supporters realise this the better. I like to watch real rugby, played by real players who are there either because they play for fun (old boys teams etc) and enjoy it or because they are good enough to play for a professional team. Persoanlly I'm losing interest in the Dragons. I watched a real game of rugby the other day, Pill Harriers in case anyone wants to enjoy being a rugby spectator again.

The dragons simply don't have it and because of the way other Gwent sides were ignored when regional rugby was established they never will have it. They simply don't get the support from the greater Gwent public owing to the age old issue of the Newport name. No one except newport fans want the dragons...move on.

Ebbw Man, tis simple - IF they WIN they will get the crowds - from wherever!!

ebbwman1 wrote:
The dragons simply don't have it and because of the way other Gwent sides were ignored when regional rugby was established they never will have it. They simply don't get the support from the greater Gwent public owing to the age old issue of the Newport name. No one except newport fans want the dragons...move on.

Absolutely right.