DRAGONS 26 SCARLETS 9

“THIS means everything,” said Newport Gwent Dragons assistant coach Darren Edwards after they reached the semi-finals of the LV Cup by beating the Scarlets at Rodney Parade yesterday.

They will now face Gloucester at Kingsholm on March 11 or 13 in their first semi-final for five years and only the second since their formation in 2003.

The Dragons followed up their excellent victory at Sale last week by grinding the Scarlets down to end their six-game losing run against their West Wales opponents.

It was level at 6-6 at the interval, but the Dragons gradually got on top and scored three second-half tries, two of them by returning full back Martyn Thomas.

“This means everything to us, you can’t turn your nose up at whatever competition it is, we’ve got to give it everything now,” said Edwards, who was at Morriston Hospital until 1am on Sunday after his young son broke a leg.

“We face adversity all the time here, but the players deserve this and you can see the smiles on their faces,” he said.

“It gives the supporters heart as well and we will enjoy this together. We do need them, the boys appreciate it, and there are good times to come.

“I did have a bit of a sweat on, I won’t lie. The Scarlets were a tough nut to crack, they frustrated us at times, but it was a matter of not departing from the game plan and then things started to go for us.

“You couldn’t underestimate the wind out there, but slowly the tide turned and the pressure told, but it really was like a cup-tie.”

The Dragons have now got some all-important momentum ahead of the resumption of Magners League fixtures next Saturday when they entertain Edinburgh, followed by successive away fixtures against Aironi, Glasgow and Munster.

“We’ve got to beat Edinburgh at home, it’s a must-win game,” said Edwards, who will fly back from Glasgow on the morning of the match after taking charge of the Wales Under 20 team against Scotland on Friday night.

“Our performances are matching our results now and we’re starting to look like a team that can do things,” he added.

Match-winner Martyn Thomas was happy with his try-scoring Rodney Parade return, nine months after his horror injury, breaking his leg in five places and dislocating his ankle.

“The tries were down to the team, they were both run-ins,” he said modestly. “But it’s nice to get out on the Rodney Parade pitch after a difficult nine months mentally and physically.

“It was a big win, we kept the ball and played in their half and the tries came in the second half.

“It’s massive to be in the semi-final, we struggled at the start after all the injuries we’ve had. Now we’re in a semi-final and anything can happen there.”