RugbyRebels

Graigwen wrote:

Wallpaperman wrote:

Graigwen wrote:Full time Ospreys 20 Dragons 31

A good game for a neutral to watch (especially with a mountain of pasta and unlimited beer).

Dragons have become a proper team.

Glad you enjoyed Graigwen. Dragons can be a decent side if they can keep the injuries to a minimum

It has been clear for some time that they have been improving, but they had a long way to go!

It was amusing to see that Richard Moriarty's beer belly is sponsored by Doombar. He had a good game and had his hands on the ball a lot. Wainwright was also good and it was a change to see Sam Davies delivering consistently. A lot of players on both sides had good games, but Hanno Dirksen looked poor for Ospreys. Ashton Hewitt, Keelan Giles and Kieron Williams looked sharp, Jamie Roberts was mature and solid. Towards the end of the game the Ospreys replacements were vulnerable on their left wing and Rhodri Williams and Jonah Holmes toyed with them.

As I said, a very satisfying game to watch.

The Ospreys paid the price for getting no points from massive territory and possession in the first quarter. Dragons had a much stronger second half and a well-deserved win. Scoreline was a bit flattering with Hewitt's try surely coming from a forward pass?

Very happy with the Dragons result. Some cracking tries there and we are looking like a decent team. We just can’t afford too many injuries.

A bad day at the office for Os. You can't boss a game for 20 minutes and end up 0-7 down, without asking some serious questions.

For once Dragon's clear superiority on paper was translated onto the pitch, they took everything offered and (forward-pass or not) were good for the BP win IMO. Kieran didn't drop too many balls and Keelan played a whole shift without getting killed, so we'll take those poitives and forget the rest.

Terrific win for the Ospreys last night. Didn’t think they had much of a hope away to Leinster. That’s guaranteed them champions cup rugby next season (assuming it goes ahead !). Well done them

That’s a bonkers last 10 minutes and a great result.

19-3 down, in Dublin, with 12 minutes to go.

That's ridiculous. Wonderful, but ridiculous.

Mental from the Ospreys. Other than Morgan Morris none of them were looking particularly inspired, and then a yellow card at 67 minutes and ... 21 points come their way. They enjoyed that.

Son of Mathonwy wrote:Mental from the Ospreys. Other than Morgan Morris none of them were looking particularly inspired, and then a yellow card at 67 minutes and ... 21 points come their way. They enjoyed that.

Decent win for the Dragons today, against Glasgow, who had Fraser Brown and Adam Hastings back from injury. The Dragons were 17-9 down at half time, having been the better side. They had a try disallowed when Bertranau went over, which looked a wrong decision, and then Tompkins had a try disallowed after a daft obstruction by Moriarty at the start of the second half. They then scored 2 tries to lead 26-17, and spent the last 7 or 8 minutes successfully defending their line, even with a man in the sin bin, which made a nice change this weekend !

Both sides scored one superb try, McLean ran over half the length of the field for an individual score for Glasgow, and Jordan Williams scored an absolute beauty in the second half, using pace and a great step. He is great to watch when he plays like that.

I missed the first 15 minutes, and Roberts had already gone off injured at that point, with a dead leg. Also, sadly, Ollie Griffiths had already gone off. That guy gets no luck.

The Dragons and Glasgow both have 25 points, but Glasgow are ahead on points difference. They are at home to Benetton next week, and I reckon 4th place will be a step too far for the Dragons but at least they are playing well of late.

It’s taken a while for the Dragons to start to develop but it’s getting there. I’d have liked more success this season, but if we can keep this going then we can see plenty of improvement next season and start to look like a reasonable side.

Sandydragon wrote:It’s taken a while for the Dragons to start to develop but it’s getting there. I’d have liked more success this season, but if we can keep this going then we can see plenty of improvement next season and start to look like a reasonable side.

Dean Ryan was a great appointment, especially compared to Bernard Jackman. He has been able to keep things calm on the surface even when things have been going against them. The Dragons have been unlucky this season with injuries to key players, and they had a Covid outbreak to contend with, too. They have forged a really good team spirit in adversity, though, which will stand them in good stead. Sam Davies hasn’t always been my favourite outside half, but he is playing really well at the moment, and Bertranou looks a class act at scrum half. I’m not sure how many more miles Brok Harris has in the tank, but he has played well all season. Bateman hasn’t really fired on all cylinders since he signed and hopefully it won’t be too long before Harry Fry gets some games. He is still 19.

The fly in the ointment is that it looks as though Screech is definitely leaving. I was hoping he would play alongside Will Rowlands next season - that was an exciting prospect - but I don’t think that is going to happen. In all fairness, Ben Carter has been outstanding given that he has just turned 20, and he could be an important part of the side next season if he can keep developing.

If they can stay fit, a line up like this could win a lot of games next season:

Brok Harris, Elliott Dee, Leon Brown, Ben Carter, Will Rowlands, Ross Moriarty, Ollie Griffiths, Aaron Wainwright, Gonzalo Bertranou, Sam Davies, Ashton Hewitt, Jamie Roberts, Aneurin Owen, Jonah Holmes, Jordan Williams
Greg Bateman, Richard Hibbard, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Taine Basham, Rhodri Williams, Josh Lewis, Jared Rosser

Good luck Dragons

If we can get all those players out it will be a very strong lineup. I have a horrible feeling that Ollie Griffiths will not have much of a career left though - he is just one of those players who is too prone to injury.

Sandydragon wrote:If we can get all those players out it will be a very strong lineup. I have a horrible feeling that Ollie Griffiths will not have much of a career left though - he is just one of those players who is too prone to injury.

He looks incredibly fit, but I wonder if maybe he is carrying a bit too much weight for his frame. I think you could be right that he will always be injury prone, which is a real shame.

Great game from the Dragons, they have a lot of good players now. They could have taken points rather than go for the corner a few times (when they were just 8 points down) - in a tighter game this could have cost them the result. Bit of magic from Jordan Williams and very solid game from Sam Davies.

Glad the regions are trying to raise our spirits!

Son of Mathonwy wrote:Great game from the Dragons, they have a lot of good players now. They could have taken points rather than go for the corner a few times (when they were just 8 points down) - in a tighter game this could have cost them the result. Bit of magic from Jordan Williams and very solid game from Sam Davies.

Glad the regions are trying to raise our spirits!

It was a beautiful finish by Williams.

Connacht have scored 5 tries in the first half at Parc Y Scarlets. The Scarlets have twice received yellow cards but some of the tackling has been really soft. Tyler Morgan is lovely to watch with ball in hand, but pretty porous in defence tonight

Fair play, Scarlets have pulled it back to 31-33. Lovely try from Tom Rodgers.

Defence and carrying much improved with Johnny Williams off the bench.

Cardiff were 10-3 down, but have gone ahead 13-10

Scarlets ahead, 34-33. Johnny Williams swatting tacklers aside again.

Cardiff still winning, 20-15

Tries everywhere ! The Scarlets win 41-36 having been 33-12 down, and Cardiff come from 10-3 down to win 34-15, also with a bonus point. Well done both. Elias and Williams were good for the Scarlets off the bench, likewise Carre for Cardiff

Incredible weekend for the regions.

Son of Mathonwy wrote:Incredible weekend for the regions.

Sure was. Obviously overshadowed by the game in Paris, but a clean sweep makes a very nice change. It must be a while since there was a weekend with wins over 2 Irish provinces.

Cardiff and the Scarlets benefitted from the return of some unused Wales squad players last night.

The was the last time that all 4 won?

Sandydragon wrote:The was the last time that all 4 won?

Not sure. It feels like a while ago. Even better, all 4 came back from half time deficits

Wallpaperman wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:The was the last time that all 4 won?

Not sure. It feels like a while ago. Even better, all 4 came back from half time deficits

A ‘game of two halves’ today. Dragons looked like they were going to run away with it in the first half. A break from just in front of their own line ended up with a disallowed try for Ashton Hewitt right before half time as he put a foot in touch. That would have made it 31-5 at the break.

Edinburgh were much the better side in the second half and for the second time in a week copped a couple of irritating wrong decisions from the referee. They were attacking at the end but some sterling defence from the Dragons kept them out, and it ended up 24-17 to the ‘home’ team.

If that was Screech’s last pro 14 game for the Dragons he went out on a win, and having scored 2 tries. Not bad at all.

Wallpaperman wrote: Edinburgh were much the better side in the second half and for the second time in a week copped a couple of irritating wrong decisions from the referee. .

I thought the TJ were awful but what do you expect from Ben Whitehouse , the amount of times Dragons were offside and to not give a penalty away.

For me the last tackle on Eds possible 4th try was a no arm tackle and should have been reviewed.

BUT going by the the Finn Russell red card at the weekend at least 5 Ed players could have been red carded in the last 4 mins of that game

An example of poor reffing, poor TMO , poor touch judges. The pro 14 really needs to work out how to deal with the quality of the officiating