The talking points from Dragons 18 Edinburgh 12

Outstanding Ollie

The Dragons are blessed with back row talent but Ollie Griffiths has put them all, including Wales internationals Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainwright, in the shade this season.

Whether at blindside, openside or number eight, the 23-year-old from Newbridge produces the goods with dynamism when carrying and big impacts in defence.

When the Dragons need a big moment it is more often than not that it comes from Griffiths.

They missed him at Ulster and Connacht but he returned against Edinburgh and straight away returned to the form he had shown before his hip injury.

Warren Gatland probably doesn’t need anyone else adding to his back row headache but if Griffiths keeps producing the goods and stays fit then he will heap the pressure on for a Test chance before the World Cup.

Jackman’s joy

Bernard Jackman was banned from the ground and will be absent again against Leinster on Saturday for his comments about referee Ian Davies in October.

The Welsh Rugby Union’s sanction was harsh in the extreme – surely a warning would have sufficed? – but the head coach was still able to put the plans in place for the Edinburgh game.

He had to watch on television from his flat close to Rodney Parade and would have been thrilled by the resilience shown by his charges, plus the defensive improvements after taking the lead for that department.

Evidently Jackman has to play by different rules to other coaches courtesy of being a WRU employee and will no doubt learn from the experience and bite his tongue in the future.

But it would have been tough to be denied the chance to celebrate just the fifth league win of his reign when others are just as vocal in their frustration at PRO14 officiating.

Yellow peril

There is no denying that the Dragons dodged a bullet at the end of the first half.

They got on the wrong side of South African referee Stuart Berry but were fortunate that he didn’t go to his pocket.

The Dragons’ infringements inside the 22 should have led to a sin bin and while Edinburgh did eventually get the try their efforts deserved, they should also have had a crack at hosts down to 14 men.

The hosts got away with it and they learned their lesson – if they had been penalised in the 25-phase attack at the death then it would surely have been a yellow and a six-point win could have turned into an agonising one-point loss.

At times one feared that the Dragons weren’t competing enough against a side marching towards the line but the discipline paid off in the end.

Hibbard’s strong autumn

The former Wales and Lions hooker was signed to compete with Elliot Dee yet it has taken the loss of the younger front rower to Test duty for the elder statesman to really shine.

Hibbard has captained the side in the absence of Cory Hill and has led the charge with some abrasive displays.

He might not quite put in the barnstorming runs of a few years ago but he still dishes out some formidable hits.

Hibbard put his body on the line and enjoyed another 80-minute shift, clutching his arm at the death after emptying the tank.

Fitness providing, the 34-year-old is finally giving Jackman a selection dilemma for the 2 jersey.

Timely win ahead of tough run

This was a must-win encounter given that the Dragons now embark on a formidable run of fixtures.

Champions Leinster visit this weekend and we all know about how potent they are even if they field a second or third string.

After that comes the European Challenge Cup trips to Northampton and Clermont before the derby encounters with Cardiff Blues, the Ospreys and Scarlets.

The Edinburgh win should give the Dragons a timely boost in their bid to cause the odd upset, or at the very least dish out some bloody noses.