Sam Hobbs: Dragons youngsters have created a buzz for URC

The Rodney Parade club enjoyed a derby double in development fixtures, thrashing the Scarlets 73-21 in Newport and then beating the Ospreys 38-17 in Swansea.

A side made up of players on the fringes of the URC side, young academy prospects and some Super Rygbi Cymru talents ran in 17 tries against Welsh rivals.

It has provided a pick-me-up for the seniors ahead of a key block of fixtures in the URC and Challenge Cup under Filo Tiatia, who is holding the reins after the departure of head coach Dai Flanagan.

“It’s been a really positive block,” said Hobbs. “They were two good wins first and foremost, but also two very good performances and they played a lot of attractive rugby in both games.

“Even though the conditions against Ospreys were quite challenging, I thought the intent and attitude to play was excellent across both games.

“Across the squad there were some really good performances with senior boys dropping down to get minutes after injury and they led the group the youngsters well.

“There were standout performances from the youngsters who definitely put their hands up and some Super Rygbi Cymru players were excellent as well.

“Across the board as coaches we’re really happy and it created a good buzz amongst the squad coming into train this week, pushing towards URC.”

The Dragons youngsters have given Tiatia & Co a nudge but they will continue to develop in SRC with Newport, Ebbw Vale and Pontypool.

“The performances of the SRC boys in training, their application, the way they bought into everything was excellent and the way they performed,” said Hobbs, who was Newport forwards coach last season.

“The SRC is a really good league and those boys have been standouts for a few seasons and it’s only right they get to test themselves at the next level.

“Even for boys like Nathan Evans and Dai Richards, who’ve played professionally previously, it’s giving them that step to try to get back into the pro game.”

PUSHING: Che Hope is looking to break into the senior Dragons side (Image: Gareth Everett)

Last season Joe Westwood, Morgan Lloyd and Che Hope profited from racking up the minutes in the Premiership and the Dragons won’t rush youngsters into the URC set-up, although squad sizes in Wales mean that a chance is never far away.

“Nick Thomas has had a really good six months since returning from Wales Under-20s,” said Hobbs, who worked with the lock on the international stage last season.

“He had a really good SRC block, filled out and conditioned well. He is someone who started the league very well for Newport in the SRC and his two performances were excellent in the A games with one game at five, one at six.

“He ran the lineouts well, has a high work rate and is someone who’s got a big year with the 20s this year on the back of SRC.

“Other boys like Evan Minto were excellent and he was very good in pre-season. We’re seeing that boys who had an opportunity in pre-season have kicked on and performed in the SRC or in Minto’s case he’s playing Championship rugby for Hartpury.

“We’ve just got to push on to make sure we look after them, push them on at the right time, surround them with quality senior players and add them to our other exciting players like Ryan Woodman, Harri Ackerman, Joe Westwood etcetera.”