Dragons make giant strides

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons again showed they can live with the big boys and even go close to beating them when they gave Gloucester a fright in Saturday’s EDF Energy Cup clash at Kingsholm.

The week before the Dragons went to Bath and achieved a losing bonus point after a massive rearguard action, and on Saturday they twice led Gloucester before going down narrowly for a second time.

But again they picked up a losing bonus point and it keeps them in their group – just – though they must now beat Wasps at Adams Park on Sunday, while Gloucester will have to lose at Newcastle. No pressure, then!

But it once more underlined the big strides the Dragons have made this season and in recent weeks in particular, following up four wins in a row with visits to two English rugby strongholds and earning losing bonus points for keeping the score to within seven points.

It might have been even better at Kingsholm against a side fielding 11 internationals, for they led 12-7 after 28 minutes and again 17-15 after 64 minutes, but two crucial interventions turned the course of the game.

First Dragons prop Adam Black was yellow-carded for going in from the wrong side after he had been previously warned by Welsh referee Nigel Owens, and during that time Gloucester scored two tries either side of half-time.

And then temperamental full back Iain Balshaw, who has been in and out of the England team, took a hand with some pacey, bewildering running that opened up the Dragons’ defence while also enabling him to score the bonus- point try.

But even then the Dragons fought back really bravely when two replacements who have both been playing Premier Division rugby engineered a third try. Scrum-half Tom Isaacs, who readily made the step up from the Newport team, ran decisively from the base of a scrum, having already created another gap, shot away and with acting captain Ashley Smith the link, Jason Tovey, who has also been playing for Newport, stormed across in the corner.

It was an excellent way to sign off what had been another cracking effort against a leading English team and, as coach Paul Turner said, one they could not have managed last season.

Now there is a lot more depth, injuries can be managed better, youngsters are coming to the fore and a few decent signings have been made, which all adds up to a much more competitive edge.

It was one of the home-based regulars who proved the man of the match for the Dragons, though, wing Richard Fussell proving dangerous every time he had the ball, whether that was running it out of defence or on the end of a Rhodri Davies break to score their first try.

No 8 Grant Webb got the other Dragons try when he powered over after taking a Connor pass on the burst 20 yards out.

But they had great difficulty coping with Gloucester’s own dangerous winger Lesley Vainikolo, a battering ram of a runner who ran straight through first Shaun Connor and then Smith for a try double, hooker Scott Lawson steaming over for another from a line-out.

The place kicking didn’t match up, Olly Barkley missing three conversion attempts and slamming a penalty against a post, while Connor missed a penalty and two conversions.

The Dragons also picked up two more injuries, Davies concussed after receiving lengthy on-the-pitch treatment and lock Adam Jones, who began the game a tower of strength in the line-out, damaging a shoulder when he already needs a minor operation on the other one.

Jones and prop Rhys Thomas went really well in the pack, while Dan Lydiate is gradually returning to the form he was showing before badly damaging his neck in Perpignan a year ago.

The Dragons could have settled it in the opening quarter, for they were the only side in it as they pressed Gloucester back in their own half, Jones winning line-out possession and Connor making a slashing break, though also taking wrong options, but they couldn’t quite make it pay.

Gloucester had that bit more of a cutting edge with runners like Balshaw and Vainikolo, but it was another splendid effort from the Dragons and it will earn them more plaudits.

Gloucester: I Balshaw, M Foster, M Tindall (captain), O Barkley, L Vainikolo, W Walker (J Adams 58), R Lawson (D Lewis 29), A Dickinson (A Satala 66), S Lawson (A Titterrell 53), C Nieto, A Eustace, M Bortolami, P Buxton, A Strokosch, A Hazell.

Scorers — tries: L Vainikolo (2), S Lawson, I Balshaw; conversion: O Barkley; penalty: Barkley.

Newport Gwent Dragons: P Dollman, T Selley, R Davies (J Tovey 22), A Smith (captain), R Fussell, S Connor, W Evans (T Isaacs 62), A Black (G Maule 73), S Jones (T Willis 58), R Thomas, A Hall, A Jones (A Murphy 61), D Lydiate, G Webb (J Bearman 58), R Parks (J Ringer 52).

Scorers – tries: R Fussell, G Webb, J Tovey; conversion: S Connor; penalty: Connor.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).

Attendance: 8,057.

EDF Energy Cup results: Saturday - Cardiff Blues 23 Leicester 9, Harlequins 17 London Irish 32; Yesterday - Ospreys 37 Worcester 22, Saracens 33 Northampton 19.