Dean Ryan: Dragons paid the penalty at Ospreys in URC

The Rodney Parade region suffered a 50-31 derby defeat to the Ospreys in Swansea on Sunday despite a stunning start that saw them lead 24-8.

Tries by wing Jared Rosser, centre Adam Warren and tighthead Mesake Doge gave hope of an upset but familiar failings cost them.

The Dragons got on the wrong side of the officials to be pinned inside their 22 and allow the Ospreys to use their power game and their all-international tight five.

Ryan’s squad are ranked 14th out of 16 in the URC disciplinary chart and headed to Swansea on the back of a shock loss at Zebre when they lost control because of a spell down to 13 men.

FRUSTRATED: The Dragons fell short in Swansea

“I really can’t keep sitting in a room on a Monday and talk about penalties and the opposition going back to five-metre drives that we have a problem defending,” said the director of rugby, who saw Wales flanker Taine Basham yellow-carded for a trip in the first half.

“I get that we have lost some individuals through the weeks [because of injury] and we have got some young kids that make some mistakes, but we are talking about the same things regularly.

“We need to find a way, we can’t keep doing the same things and grow a game at the same time because one strangles the other.

“It was by people who should know better. We can’t just keep having the same conversations.

“I get asked about it sometimes almost like I haven’t told the players but let’s be under no illusions, I have told them.

“But that doesn’t solve discipline – discipline comes from internal accountability and at the moment we don’t have it strong enough.

“There isn’t anybody at the club that isn’t aware about what this is doing do us. Anybody. Yet we are struggling to manage change.

“As a young group under pressure, which we often are, will make some mistakes but we haven’t yet been able to change the behaviour and it is strangling so many of the good things that we have got.”

MIXED FEELINGS: Dragons boss Dean Ryan

The Ospreys are now in pole position to pip the Scarlets to the Welsh shield and Champions Cup qualification but they were given a scare.

The Dragons handed Will Reed a start and the 20-year-old played a leading role in the rapid start.

“There was some real Jekyll and Hyde rugby, especially in that first half,” said Ryan.

“Led by a very impressive young man, our attack game was outstanding and we talked about keeping the ball on the field, stretching their pack and restricting their entries to our 22.

“Parts of it were outstanding, other parts were us [letting ourselves down] again. We can’t escape that and our poor discipline meant they had four entries and scored three times.

“We came off pretty much even [at 29-24 down] and that meant that the Ospreys could stay in the same game – the power game, the corner game, the kicking game.

“We know that we have problems there with the people that we have got missing.

“When you saw the teamsheets you feared that it wouldn’t be pleasant and then some youngsters led the way.

“Ben Carter is trying to find a solution against two British and Irish Lions with two hookers on and off. That is a 21-year-old.

“I am focusing on where some of the youngsters are taking our game and I am really pleased with how they are doing.

“I am frustrated because I thought we could have come in at 24-8, which would have forced the Ospreys to change.

“The fact that we didn’t meant that they didn’t have to change, they could keep doing what they do and I don’t think anybody felt we could cope with their five-metre drive with the power they have. What we could have done is cut that off.”

The Dragons finish a horror season hunting a first Rodney Parade win since last April with Cardiff heading to Newport on Friday before the Lions a week on Saturday.