Dragons: We have to produce more Wales stars (From Campaign Series)

Quote ...“Our academy system has proved that it is working; our current squad has Ashley Smith, Lewis Evans, Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau among those from it.

Nice to see we are embracing the youth coming through with Amos and Dixon, but I cant believe that they have not mentioned Adam Hughes as a potential to put the Welsh shirt on.

As a Dragons regular I remember him coming into the team on the wing and scoring tries for fun and this season he has really established himself as a quality centre .
His tackling and defence is second to none and I would go as far to say that he is as good if not better than some of the centres called up for international duty.
Lets hope the pack can maintain their previous performance against Bayonne and give our back line some quality ball.

No point they will only move on once they become established two of the names mentioned will not grace the deragons shirt next season.
Only time will prove me right.
And before the usual mob come on here to decry any post that does not fit with theres (blinkered or not is debatable) I am a regional supporter but above all I am a realist and refuse to see everything through rose tinted glasses

arvinda strop wrote:
No point they will only move on once they become established two of the names mentioned will not grace the deragons shirt next season.
Only time will prove me right.
And before the usual mob come on here to decry any post that does not fit with theres (blinkered or not is debatable) I am a regional supporter but above all I am a realist and refuse to see everything through rose tinted glasses

Arninda,

But this isn't a 'regional' team. So who do you support? I'm a 'regionalist' too but waiting for a regional team to be formed. Until then, the Newport Dragons have to make do with club standard players, club standard crowds and club standard results. That's why the top twenty sides in Europe only send second teams now and the team can only expect success when all the other sides' players are engaged on international duty. What a mess created by this not-so-super club.

I suspect that Ulster will take the opportunity to rest key players on the weekend and will still probably win.

how about producing some dragon stars ?.never mind elsh stars !!.aagghhh

His only aspiration is to develop youngsters to make the Welsh squad so that the Dragons get more money. Pitiful! What about producing a team the supporters can be proud of? As I have said - it's just a development region.

No it's not a development side, fed up with this very tired argument. The regions were set up to feed the Welsh side and produce better players. Regional rugby is doing that quite well, just look at the current Welsh side. OK some have gone to France but that's due to a serious lack of funding from the cash rich WRU. The so called proposals from the WRU was simply a con, central contracts for Welsh payers paid for by a cut in money the regions get, sounds like a double take by the WRU, the funding and the players leaving the regions with less funding and no control over the players developed by the region a lose lose outcome.

It's 'diappointing' with only one representative states beale. No its the harsh fact that we just aint good enough. Whilst we develop the odd gem of a player we cant keep them. Players will stay if the team is successful to get a good team you have to develop & RECRUIT.
Supporters will watch if a team is successful & the money comes in. Simple fact is if the management see us as a development region thats all we are going to be. How is the 3 year devolpment plan going? :-(

Here is a thought !!!! Lets try and produce some reginal starts first

Dai the Milk wrote:

arvinda strop wrote:
No point they will only move on once they become established two of the names mentioned will not grace the deragons shirt next season.
Only time will prove me right.
And before the usual mob come on here to decry any post that does not fit with theres (blinkered or not is debatable) I am a regional supporter but above all I am a realist and refuse to see everything through rose tinted glasses

Arninda,

But this isn't a 'regional' team. So who do you support? I'm a 'regionalist' too but waiting for a regional team to be formed. Until then, the Newport Dragons have to make do with club standard players, club standard crowds and club standard results. That's why the top twenty sides in Europe only send second teams now and the team can only expect success when all the other sides' players are engaged on international duty. What a mess created by this not-so-super club.

True it is a falshood bu the only one on offer unless we tramp west on the M4
The vote that was taken for the name change was all well and good but the 2,000 Mr M Mouse and 2,500 Miss Daisy Ducks were never going to grace the stand at Rodney Road.
As the old saying goes "beware what you crave for" etc etc.
At the momentrugby enthusiasts can tune into one "regional " game on a friday evening support their own club and have a few jars on a saturday afternoon watch another "regional" game on a saturday evening then watch another "regional" gane on a sunday afternoon.
Saturation or what the powers that b need to decide what they want tv money or supporters though the turnstiles
You dont need to be a mastermind t work out why it is not working,
But I suppose the usual will shoot me down and say popycok but show me whre it is working

arvinda strop wrote:

Dai the Milk wrote:

arvinda strop wrote: No point they will only move on once they become established two of the names mentioned will not grace the deragons shirt next season. Only time will prove me right. And before the usual mob come on here to decry any post that does not fit with theres (blinkered or not is debatable) I am a regional supporter but above all I am a realist and refuse to see everything through rose tinted glasses

Arninda, But this isn't a 'regional' team. So who do you support? I'm a 'regionalist' too but waiting for a regional team to be formed. Until then, the Newport Dragons have to make do with club standard players, club standard crowds and club standard results. That's why the top twenty sides in Europe only send second teams now and the team can only expect success when all the other sides' players are engaged on international duty. What a mess created by this not-so-super club.

True it is a falshood bu the only one on offer unless we tramp west on the M4 The vote that was taken for the name change was all well and good but the 2,000 Mr M Mouse and 2,500 Miss Daisy Ducks were never going to grace the stand at Rodney Road. As the old saying goes "beware what you crave for" etc etc. At the momentrugby enthusiasts can tune into one "regional " game on a friday evening support their own club and have a few jars on a saturday afternoon watch another "regional" game on a saturday evening then watch another "regional" gane on a sunday afternoon. Saturation or what the powers that b need to decide what they want tv money or supporters though the turnstiles You dont need to be a mastermind t work out why it is not working, But I suppose the usual will shoot me down and say popycok but show me whre it is working

Mr M Mouse and D Duck are names that equally apply to the masses of so-called 'disenfranchised' supporters I'm afraid, who didn't have any appetite for watching pro rugby on a weekly basis prior to 2003 either, nor do they turn out to watch their local clubs today. A 'true region' whatever that means (probably one that plays in Dai's back garden), could no doubt be had should any of the so-called marginalised and discluded clubs of Gwent scratching together the required £1 it would take to get half ownership of the Dragons, which kind of shoots this kind of argument down a bit, doesn't it?

Cold hard facts as much as it pains me to say it we do not have a region we have a large section of people who do not feel part of the setup and have voted with their feet.
The wru have reduced the stadium debt in record time and left the "regions" to flounder claiming they support them to the hilt.
If a few of the backers walked away what would we be left with
the wru holds the whip the backers pay the bills
so sad to see it end up like this

Arvinda your right the WRU has reduced the debt on the Millenium stadium, they are well ahead of the repayment timetable and more help is needed in all four regions to help them build and develop better new players. But to shout it aloud will not change a thing, they will continue to pay of the debt at the a the expense of regional rugby.

“Our academy system has proved that it is working; our current squad has Ashley Smith, Lewis Evans, Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau among those from it. "

Someone refresh my memory, please. Who has played for Wales out of the four and who has not?

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Arvinda your right the WRU has reduced the debt on the Millenium stadium, they are well ahead of the repayment timetable and more help is needed in all four regions to help them build and develop better new players. But to shout it aloud will not change a thing, they will continue to pay of the debt at the a the expense of regional rugby.

But why not shout it out ??
That is why people post on subjects like this and in forums they have opinions and the right to put them over I am sure if the article was something you had an opinion would you not be posting on here ?????.
That is the problem with opinions just as soon as you get one someone else has one as well.
Money the wru make and divest is important and something that should be in the spotlight if it becomrs the reason the regions including the Dragons flounder dont you think it is something that should come to light.
Why do you think the backers have reduced the amount they put in maybe to force the wru's hand
maybe !!!!!!!

The WRU shouldn't need to be forced into anything. They should be leading, the regions were what they wanted anyway. They have room to give much more support to regional rugby to make it stronger and more competitive. The economy is very fragile at the moment and for the sake of future rugby must be dealt with now, but I fear it will fall on deaf ears. The deal they offered shows how much they are interested in the starting place for future national sides, after all why should they as most if not all of them won't be involved in about ten years time anyway.

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
No it's not a development side, fed up with this very tired argument. The regions were set up to feed the Welsh side and produce better players. Regional rugby is doing that quite well, just look at the current Welsh side. OK some have gone to France but that's due to a serious lack of funding from the cash rich WRU. The so called proposals from the WRU was simply a con, central contracts for Welsh payers paid for by a cut in money the regions get, sounds like a double take by the WRU, the funding and the players leaving the regions with less funding and no control over the players developed by the region a lose lose outcome.

We'll if that is the case Robert, why are the supporters bothering to turn up at Rodney Parade? If the sole function of the regions is to feed the nation team irrespective of whether they are competitive then surely our money is better spent paying for tickets to watch Wales play. If the WRU are so 'cash rich' then why is the stadium debt not paid off? I think we are confusing last years figures a little here. I seem to recall the WRU had a TURNOVER of £60+ million but showed a PROFIT of just £3.5 million. The biggest problem is that we tie ourselves to the BBC/S4C when we should be looking for a lucrative satellite contract, and Saturday afternoon kick offs.

East Newport. I totally agree re tv contracts. Unfortunately, the WRU have a contract with Bbc Wales. Which also extends to s4c as a Bbc division. There is a legal requirement that welsh rugby is covered by terrestrial tv. Some deluded political decision based on a socialist fantasy that welsh people, being predominantly working class can't afford to go to a pub or to the terraces to watch a game. As if welsh rugby was a public service. The wru dont have a problem filling the millenium stadium! Ok, keep that on terrestrial but give people a reason to go to watch the regions. Dont make it free. That would also give the dying welsh pub a much needed shot in the arm too. If sky was pouring money into the coffers, it would transform our regions.

The point was made here a few days ago that keeping the regions underfunded suited the wru powers that be, they know as it stands the other 3 welsh regions will continue to make the heineken at the expense of dragons and therefore fund themselves better than the dragons,thus perpetuating the constant inching away technically and skillfully of the other 3 regions, there is a breakdown between the dragons and wru to the point where they are only supportive of dragpons rugby as means to get the 3 other regions qualified for the heineken cup year in year out, the only way to stop this vicious cirlce is for the dragons to raise their game through board investment, marketing, ticket sales and merchandise to become more competitive on the pitch of their own means, as soon as one of the bigger represented regions start missing out on heineken cup rugby on a regular basis the wru will act and introduce some funding, be it negotiated central contracts or other means, as it stands, dragons are on a hiding to nothing with the full backing of the wru, if someone with a bit of backbone doesnt stand up and question whats going on i can see amlin cup rugby, or whatever second tier rubbish they think up next being imposed here eternally, its either huge investment or continued mediocrity, someone needs take the bull by the horns.

Cwmbranman is right it's all down to the WRU as the lead body as they ultimately gain through it all.

100% correct on the WRU machinations to keep Gwent rugby at the bottom of the pile - they have presided over the failure of the academy for years and sit wastefully on the 50% ownership that prevents any investment forthcoming.

East Newport Dave wrote:

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
No it's not a development side, fed up with this very tired argument. The regions were set up to feed the Welsh side and produce better players. Regional rugby is doing that quite well, just look at the current Welsh side. OK some have gone to France but that's due to a serious lack of funding from the cash rich WRU. The so called proposals from the WRU was simply a con, central contracts for Welsh payers paid for by a cut in money the regions get, sounds like a double take by the WRU, the funding and the players leaving the regions with less funding and no control over the players developed by the region a lose lose outcome.

We'll if that is the case Robert, why are the supporters bothering to turn up at Rodney Parade? If the sole function of the regions is to feed the nation team irrespective of whether they are competitive then surely our money is better spent paying for tickets to watch Wales play. If the WRU are so 'cash rich' then why is the stadium debt not paid off? I think we are confusing last years figures a little here. I seem to recall the WRU had a TURNOVER of £60+ million but showed a PROFIT of just £3.5 million. The biggest problem is that we tie ourselves to the BBC/S4C when we should be looking for a lucrative satellite contract, and Saturday afternoon kick offs.

Now That I aree with love him or hate him old marmite butler wa pretty datn close with his little i will put t right tv how the other night.
Clubs play midweek regions on a weekend, only one or two max region games televised to get the supporters through the turnstiles.
Or commit to sky with the region games to get more money in the coffers.
Another thought the big four clubs stand as the top flight in the region games with no need to run two sides
as they do now newport cardiff swansea llanelli be the region sides.
The rest form the premier devision
At least this would stop all the bickering about the regions favouring thre own premier sides
Itmay not work but is what we got now working

arvinda strop wrote:

East Newport Dave wrote:

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
No it's not a development side, fed up with this very tired argument. The regions were set up to feed the Welsh side and produce better players. Regional rugby is doing that quite well, just look at the current Welsh side. OK some have gone to France but that's due to a serious lack of funding from the cash rich WRU. The so called proposals from the WRU was simply a con, central contracts for Welsh payers paid for by a cut in money the regions get, sounds like a double take by the WRU, the funding and the players leaving the regions with less funding and no control over the players developed by the region a lose lose outcome.

We'll if that is the case Robert, why are the supporters bothering to turn up at Rodney Parade? If the sole function of the regions is to feed the nation team irrespective of whether they are competitive then surely our money is better spent paying for tickets to watch Wales play. If the WRU are so 'cash rich' then why is the stadium debt not paid off? I think we are confusing last years figures a little here. I seem to recall the WRU had a TURNOVER of £60+ million but showed a PROFIT of just £3.5 million. The biggest problem is that we tie ourselves to the BBC/S4C when we should be looking for a lucrative satellite contract, and Saturday afternoon kick offs.

Now That I aree with love him or hate him old marmite butler wa pretty datn close with his little i will put t right tv how the other night.
Clubs play midweek regions on a weekend, only one or two max region games televised to get the supporters through the turnstiles.
Or commit to sky with the region games to get more money in the coffers.
Another thought the big four clubs stand as the top flight in the region games with no need to run two sides
as they do now newport cardiff swansea llanelli be the region sides.
The rest form the premier devision
At least this would stop all the bickering about the regions favouring thre own premier sides
Itmay not work but is what we got now working

excuse spellng need a new kyboard off to get one this afternoon