DRAGONS boss Dai Flanagan admitted they “overstepped the line” with dangerous tackling in their derby defeat to the Ospreys.

The Rodney Parade club suffered a 37-18 hammering in the United Rugby Championship clash in Swansea, playing for nearly 50 minutes with 14 men.

Flanker Ross Moriarty was yellow-carded in the first half for a late shot on Ospreys fly-half Jack Walsh after a clearance kick.

The playmaker was then clattered high by Sio Tomkinson early in the second half, with the score 23-6 that led to the centre being sent off by South African referee Jaco Peyper.

Walsh also kicked a penalty in the first half after being hit late by tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother.

“We let ourselves down. We tried to drive emotion in the week for a derby game and we definitely overstepped the line,” said Flanagan. “We didn’t get it right and some of the hits that we put in late was not us.

“Most 10s run the game so if you can put them a stride off then it helps you. We did try to target certain individuals in their team but overstepped the mark.”

On the dismissal, the head coach said: “There are no arguments, he came a long way to hit him. Sio is an aggressive player and thought he had made a read but he mistimed it completely.

“You know when you come in a long way that you need to drop your height. He didn’t do that.”

South Wales Argus: Dragons head coach Dai FlanaganDragons head coach Dai Flanagan (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

The defeat stretched the Dragons’ losing streak in the URC to nine games with Ulster in Belfast and the Scarlets at Judgement Day to come.

They have made progress under Flanagan this season but this was the poorest performance of his tenure.

“We are bitterly disappointed with the show that we put on,” said the boss. “We spoke all week about not giving the Ospreys a set piece to set piece game. Let’s be honest, we gave them a set piece to set piece game.

“We have a style of play and need high ball-in-play time. Collectively our team are energetic but we weren’t right today.”

Asked by the Argus if the frustration was that such displays risk the perception of ‘same old Dragons’, Flanagan said: “Spot-on, that’s the worry.

“We spoke in the changing room and that was the first time this season that I have seen that.

“I am sure it will be a one-off but we can’t keep talking about some good stuff on the back of effort, which is to be expected. It’s managing the game and getting better results.”

The Dragons travel to Glasgow in the European Challenge Cup on Saturday and will be without back row forward Ollie Griffiths, who has suffered a recurrence of a pectoral muscle injury.

Fellow flanker Harrison Keddie is also a doubt after a concussion against the Ospreys.