Jones injury blow on a miserable day in Italy for the Dragons (From Campaign Series)

It seems "Plenty of good stuff" comes out of every game, by now they should be unbeatable.

They're a mess
Will they win another Rabo game this season?

Changing the subject slightly, is it something peculiar to people who live in Newport or just coincidence that both Rugby and Football so called supporters are always calling for the head coach or team manager to be sacked? You don't hear it from other towns or cities, just look at Cardiff and Swansea, both in a similar position to the County, top or near in both thier leagues but no calls for them to be replaced. The Dragons have fifteen injuries from a squad of about thirty five or so therefore it's a bit thin on the ground and even the best coach in the world can't make a purse out of a sow ear.

The Blues 'fans' are even more agressive in calling for the head of Phil Davies
Ospreys and Scarlets are doing ok
If you are winning / doing well then why would anyone call for a sacking?
When you lose week after week after week and show no promise - do you sit back and do nothing??

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Changing the subject slightly, is it something peculiar to people who live in Newport or just coincidence that both Rugby and Football so called supporters are always calling for the head coach or team manager to be sacked? You don't hear it from other towns or cities, just look at Cardiff and Swansea, both in a similar position to the County, top or near in both thier leagues but no calls for them to be replaced. The Dragons have fifteen injuries from a squad of about thirty five or so therefore it's a bit thin on the ground and even the best coach in the world can't make a purse out of a sow ear.

zzzz

Keith Barnett wrote:
The Blues 'fans' are even more agressive in calling for the head of Phil Davies
Ospreys and Scarlets are doing ok
If you are winning / doing well then why would anyone call for a sacking?
When you lose week after week after week and show no promise - do you sit back and do nothing??

Where do you hear that then? Nothing in the Westen Mail or on TV about calls for his head or do you have inside info on the subject. Pray tell!

Keith Barnett wrote:
The Blues 'fans' are even more agressive in calling for the head of Phil Davies
Ospreys and Scarlets are doing ok
If you are winning / doing well then why would anyone call for a sacking?
When you lose week after week after week and show no promise - do you sit back and do nothing??

By the way I don't sit back and dO nothing. I attend every Dragons home game as I do Newport because I'm a season ticket holder and enjoy a game of rugby. Have also attended a few County games such as every game home and away for several years at Somerton Park, Didcot and Morton in Marsh with my oldest daughter. Therefor I think I can speak for some quite dedicated supporters when questioning some so call supporters attitudes.

In fairness, they played against 11 of the Italy team plus some foreign imports who would probably be in the Italian team.
It reflects where Welsh rugby sits at present. We are shorn of resources and it is starting to bite. The Italian regions used to be well behind, but now seem to be able to get in good coaches, and supplement their deficiencies with players from abroad. They are a big country, play in drier conditions and will only get better.
If the WRU just rests on its laurels and does nothing to address the economic and structural crisis, then our rugby will continue to suffer.
The Dragons have a very good opportunity to recruit in some much needed fire power in the front five. Dan Lydiate will leave in the summer saving £160k in salary. Great player that he is, we are strong in the back row. Brew and Charteris left last season probably reducing the bill by another £250k. Yes, replacements have come in but not at the same cost. We must have a front row/front five to compete. From what I saw of the Northampton and Connacht games, we have the backs to do a job, if only we can get some ball.

so we are that bad and fallen behind so much we cant even beat a italian side, what is going on its our national game for gods sake. is the answer reduce it to reduce it to 2 teams from the 4 we have now, at least we may get 2 competive teams that way instead of 4 average teams to say the least.. mighty newp can join with the blues, and the best is west can join together,

I don't like this system, never have, but if we don't make it work there is no viable alternative. I would love to put the clock back before that Ausie b**!** started interfering but there just isn't the money in the game to fund the reversal to clubs. I know we don't have proper regional rugby and we never will in Wales as South Wales is the only region.

As for the Dragons, the Coach and management have been the only people in the last three years not to see that we needed serious recruitment in the front row. I don't want Darren to go because we're losing, I want him to go because he is hopelessly out of his depth, and he is wasting some considerable talent with his lack of any coherent game plan.

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Changing the subject slightly, is it something peculiar to people who live in Newport or just coincidence that both Rugby and Football so called supporters are always calling for the head coach or team manager to be sacked? You don't hear it from other towns or cities, just look at Cardiff and Swansea, both in a similar position to the County, top or near in both thier leagues but no calls for them to be replaced. The Dragons have fifteen injuries from a squad of about thirty five or so therefore it's a bit thin on the ground and even the best coach in the world can't make a purse out of a sow ear.

Factually wrong yet again Robert. 'Similar position to the County'????? Firstly,the Blues are constantly calling for Phil Davies' head and the difference with Cardiff City and Swansea City is they are enjoying success and riding high in their respective leagues, which are as high as you can get in the UK. Newport County are in some Red Square league or whatever it's called. Hardly successful.
First you blame refs. Now you blame injuries for the Dragons' lack of success. Over 9 years mind. Of course, other sides don't have refs or injuries.

at the root of most of the problems is lack of money, poor crowds are also to blame in wales. just look at the crowds the irish and english league gets, why is this.just as well there is no relagation from the pro 12 or dragons would be going to the wall. all clubs have injuries and iam afraid the dragons squad is not up to it, to many average players, how long untill dan and toby bail out as well...

Dan is off to Racing Metro in the summer. Toby is under contract but if someone comes in to buy him out it's 'goodbye' to him as well.

thanks for the info east newport dave,
all looks rosy then for the future of the once proud dragons. we need a new suger daddy to get us out of this black hole. no decent player would want to come here anymore, so leaves us with no hope of getting anywhere in the near future. toby may be under contract but if a big juicy offer comes in for him its bye toby, and who would blame him....

Absolutely right Newport City of Dreams. Basically, if we don't have locally grown players who are up to it, we are stuck. Racing Metro are financed by one of the richest men in France. He probably sees a chance to grow a business. The WRU half own the Dragons so, for any would- be investor, it's a non-starter. We are controlled by an organisation supposed to give us direction but it just holds us back. Dark days but these things have a habit of being turned on their head.

Dai the Milk wrote:

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Changing the subject slightly, is it something peculiar to people who live in Newport or just coincidence that both Rugby and Football so called supporters are always calling for the head coach or team manager to be sacked? You don't hear it from other towns or cities, just look at Cardiff and Swansea, both in a similar position to the County, top or near in both thier leagues but no calls for them to be replaced. The Dragons have fifteen injuries from a squad of about thirty five or so therefore it's a bit thin on the ground and even the best coach in the world can't make a purse out of a sow ear.

Factually wrong yet again Robert. 'Similar position to the County'????? Firstly,the Blues are constantly calling for Phil Davies' head and the difference with Cardiff City and Swansea City is they are enjoying success and riding high in their respective leagues, which are as high as you can get in the UK. Newport County are in some Red Square league or whatever it's called. Hardly successful.
First you blame refs. Now you blame injuries for the Dragons' lack of success. Over 9 years mind. Of course, other sides don't have refs or injuries.

You forget the County went out of business and had to start at the lower end of the system. They have done well to get to where they are and are top of the table so well done to them. You sound as if you think Newport is the centre of the universe, typical of small town snobbery really I suppose not achieving things through hard work. You really must encourage them to go on and get better.

Dai the Milk wrote:

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Changing the subject slightly, is it something peculiar to people who live in Newport or just coincidence that both Rugby and Football so called supporters are always calling for the head coach or team manager to be sacked? You don't hear it from other towns or cities, just look at Cardiff and Swansea, both in a similar position to the County, top or near in both thier leagues but no calls for them to be replaced. The Dragons have fifteen injuries from a squad of about thirty five or so therefore it's a bit thin on the ground and even the best coach in the world can't make a purse out of a sow ear.

Factually wrong yet again Robert. 'Similar position to the County'????? Firstly,the Blues are constantly calling for Phil Davies' head and the difference with Cardiff City and Swansea City is they are enjoying success and riding high in their respective leagues, which are as high as you can get in the UK. Newport County are in some Red Square league or whatever it's called. Hardly successful.
First you blame refs. Now you blame injuries for the Dragons' lack of success. Over 9 years mind. Of course, other sides don't have refs or injuries.

On the Dragons front I have been a critic of refs for a while simply because they aren't up to the standard needed in the modern game, simply look at the many mistakes they make with no come back on them at least not public ally anyway. On the number of injuries we have had, simply look at the Dragons website and you will see who's injured and most are first team players. This week we have two back and another two injured one is out for the rest of the season unfortunately. Dan is out until Feb at the earliest although I understand he's out of the main cast. This means the Dragons have had to used younger less experienced players, who do reasonably well considering. I suggest you look at the website for yourself and get to know what the position really is.