THERE'S an all too familiar pattern when Newport Gwent Dragons break a losing record – their critics swiftly decide that denigration's what you need.

Sadly it's a perfect storm for the Rodney Parade side's European Rugby Challenge Cup exploits over the past few seasons; their poor form in the Guinness Pro12 and the scarcity of television coverage of the competition means that something smells fishy.

I guess that it's understandable when looking at the scorelines in black and white: Stade Francais 22, Newport Gwent Dragons 38; Newport Gwent Dragons 30, Stade Francais 19; Newport Gwent Dragons 22 Pau 0; Pau 17, Newport Gwent Dragons 34, Newport Gwent Dragons 31 Castres 18.

Get Poirot on the case, Hercule rather than Bordeaux-Begles and France prop Jefferson, because something must surely be going on.

Over the past two and a bit seasons the Dragons have won 13 of 50 games in the Guinness Pro12 yet are attempting to play knockout European rugby for the third successive season after being Challenge Cup semi-finalists in 2015 and 2016.

Such success has been put down to French indifference by the naysayers given that they are bracketed with the Italian duo of Treviso and Zebre, and perhaps Edinburgh, in the league.

Much like French air traffic controllers, you are never sure that a Top 14 side will turn up. With relegation possible, their opponents have more pressing matters than a second tier Euro competition that doesn't carry the prize of a Champions Cup place.

That is undeniable.

However, having been at the Rodney Parade wins as well as the stunning successes at Stade Jean Bouin and Stade du Hameau, I can tell you that the Dragons' performances haven't got the credit they deserve.

Last Friday provided another result to add to the file with Brive beaten 37-16 in Newport after fielding just 10 players from their previous Top 14 fixture.

The score suggests this was a second string but the performance of the visitors was strong and they were good value for the 16-13 lead they held on the hour, with their fly-half Thomas Laranjeira the best player on the park.

Brive fought back from 13-0 down after a sluggish start, does that sound like a team that didn't want to be there? And some context: last season they either won or got a bonus point from every Challenge Cup fixture.

In the end the Dragons' superior fitness told but it was a hard-fought win despite the four late tries and generous victory margin and make no mistake, it could have easily been a nightmare start to the campaign rather than a perfect one.

Some wasted little time in running down the victory yet there were no such comments when Bath sneaked past Pau 25-22 at the foot of the Pyrenees.

Of course, it's dangerous to draw swift conclusions from one round of European rugby and traditionally the picture becomes clearer as the weekends progress.

We will see how Brive treat their Enisei encounters if they come a cropper at Worcester on Saturday but all the Dragons can do is beat what is in front of them, and frequently that has been tougher than their critics suggest.

When they beat Bucharest in Romania two years ago it was a stern challenge in freezing conditions on a boggy pitch against feisty opponents. Yes, you'd expect them to win there but it was a professional job in circumstances that provide plenty of potential excuses.

The same will be the case in Krasnodar this weekend against Russian opposition and with an unfamiliar Romanian referee, Vlad Iordachescu.

All too often it's the Dragons who have nothing to lose but on Saturday the boot is on the other foot; it will 'only' be against Russians if they win while a defeat would prompt howls of derision.

Kingsley Jones side must avoid giving ammunition to those that relish belittling their victories and loudly toast their failures.

IT'S often said that the sign of a referee having a good game is when you don't notice them. The same can be said for a Newport Gwent Dragons front row forward.

Slowly but surely the Dragons have built a pretty solid platform, initially under the watchful eye of Kingsley Jones with part-time assistance from ex-Scotland prop Bruce Douglas and now thanks to the guidance of Ceri Jones.

While they haven't marmalised all in front of them, the Rodney Parade side have got used to be involved in some keen set piece tussles.

They win a few, they lose a few. Such is the nature of a murky facet of the game and it is a welcome development given that it wasn't long ago that every knock-on, whether by a home or away player, was greeted by groans. The pattern would frequently be scrum penalty – kick at goal or the corner – three or five points.

At the risk of jinxing them ahead of their trip to Russia and then a date with a powerful likely Ospreys trio of Paul James, Sam Parry and Dmitri Arhip, the Dragons have made great strides.

There are now three good options at loosehead with Phil Price, who had an excellent 2015/16, joined by Sam Hobbs and Thomas Davies.

At hooker Rhys Buckley has taken the chance provided by injuries to Wales hopeful Elliot Dee and warhorse Rhys Thomas while at tighthead Brok Harris has proved to be one of the finest signings in recent years after arriving from the Stormers in November 2014.

The durable 31-year-old South African has made a remarkable 56 appearances since his debut at the Twickenham Stoop but now the burden can be shared by the underrated Lloyd Fairbrother, former Wales prop Craig Mitchell and monstrous Leon Brown, who could make his senior bow when the Anglo-Welsh Cup starts up next month.

When Boris Stankovich arrived from Leicester two years ago the no-nonsense veteran loosehead said one of his challenges was to help change the scrummaging culture at the Dragons.

The baton has been picked up by Ceri Jones – like Stankovich an extremely affable bloke but a tough competitor – and he will have been as encouraged by reports from Goldington Road as he was the seniors' performance against a bulky Brive front eight last weekend.

By all accounts the young front row in the Dragons Premiership Select XV stood firm against English opposition in Bedford and they face another big test when Ealing Trailfinders head to Cross Keys' Pandy Park in the British and Irish Cup on Saturday.

A steady scrum will never make it onto a highlights package but a wonder effort from Hallam Amos, Tyler Morgan, Ashton Hewitt, Pat Howard or Sam Beard will. Rarely do you get one without the other.