IT'S OVER TO YOU, CHRIS

The Dragons surprised everyone, maybe even themselves, last season with the way they rose from the ashes of administration to rock allcomers.

So well did they recover from adversity that they stormed through the campaign by achieving an unbeaten home record in the league and finishing third by a whisker in the competition.

In fact, they went into the final game in Dublin against a full strength Leinster team with a chance of winning the title.

At half-time they were in pole position, leading Leinster while rivals Llanelli were trailing Ulster.

Even though it then went away from the Dragons and they ended up third on the same number of points as Ulster, it was still a remarkable achievement.

And in the Heineken Cup, the Dragons beat former winners Ulster and runners-up Stade Francais at Rodney Parade, going down only to Leicester for their sole home defeat all season.

The away European games proved a step too far, but overall it was a magnificent season, notable for the memorable team spirit, camaraderie and never-say-die attitude they built up.

Coach Mike Ruddock must take a great deal of the credit for that, and it was a massive blow to the Dragons when he was dramatically called up at a late stage to take the Wales job in succession to Steve Hansen ahead of red hot favourite Gareth Jenkins.

The Dragons met with more bad luck when Ruddock's successor, Irishman Declan Kidney, lasted just three weeks in the position when he asked to be released from his contract to take up the vacancy with Leinster.

The Dragons agreed and they then found themselves in a tricky position well into the close season without a coach.

The options were limited, and it came down to a choice between former coach Allan Lewis and Lynn Howells, who had been in charge of the Warriors before they were controversially wound up, or a complete unknown in Chris Anderson.

He was the former Australian rugby league coach with a near impeccable record, having taken his native country to the Rugby League World Cup and coached club sides in Australia and England to domestic titles.

But he had never coached rugby union and though he was available and ready for a new challenge, it was a massive gamble to go in for him.

But the Dragons decided to take it, and Anderson has been ruffling feathers with his methods ever since his arrival at Rodney Parade.

He's a blunt Aussie, a likeable character who is his own man, he swears by his ways and he is not bothered about upsetting the authorities. He is a driven person who is used to winning and he pushes the players hard.

He admits the set pieces and himself are strangers, he memorably called the line-outs 'Chinese chequers' and he happily calls Llanelli Scarlets 'the other mob.'

He has brought his own man in from Australia, temporarily, to assist with the Dragons training while there are those who question his methods, or worse.

So what can we expect from the Dragons?

It really is an unknown quantity and as from day one only time will tell or, put another way, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

Which brings us right back to tomorrow and the first real test against Cardiff Blues.

The Dragons beat them twice last season, home and away, which is why the pressure is on.

The level of expectation is high, and so it should be.

They proved last season what a good side they are, with a pack which proved better than most, the brilliant Percy Montgomery, a back division which improved steadily and an unquenchable spirit.

Now they have added high calibre backs like Gareth Cooper, Ceri Sweeney, Jon Bryant, Gareth Wyatt and Kevin Morgan, all from the Warriors.

So the Dragons ought to be more formidable than last season which means challenging for the league title again and reaching the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.

One thing for sure - the Dragons can't possibly slip now, they can't falter after what they achieved last season.

That would be near criminal. Over to you Chris Anderson.