AFTER leading the charge in a defensive masterclass against Edinburgh, flanker Nic Cudd has called on Newport Gwent Dragons to be even sharper without the ball in their season finale at Munster.

The Dragons produced one of their best defensive displays of the campaign to beat Edinburgh 19-5 to secure ninth spot in the Guinness Pro12 and finish above Cardiff Blues.

They were four minutes away from a first league shut-out since thrashing the Borders 48-0 in 2007 – no mean feat given that they shipped six tries at Murrayfield in the European Rugby Challenge Cup semi-final last month.

Lyn Jones' men will need to be just as energetic and accurate in Cork on Saturday against a Munster side that lead the way in Pro12 tries scored this season with 60.

Cudd said: "Defensively we had a lot more line speed last weekend because we knew that Edinburgh had some big ball carriers and that we also needed to stop them getting the ball out wide.

"There were some good individual tackles as well, causing turnovers. We can take a lot of confidence from that defensive game because we caused them problems to put them under pressure and that's when teams make mistakes.

"But Munster are a really good team that will be in the play-offs. They are a clever team so we have to keep building on that line speed and the performance we put in against Edinburgh."

The openside no longer goes under the radar after a series of stellar performances in the Dragons back row over the last three seasons.

Cudd has established himself as one of the leading tacklers and jacklers in the league, leading to sides giving him plenty of extra attention. For a specialist seven it's an occupational hazard.

"I seem to get cleared out more in the rucks! They might look for you at a ruck situation and take you out a bit earlier or hold on to you on the floor a bit longer, things I like to do myself," he said.

"They are just things that you adapt to and if I am being marked then it opens up space for others to do some damage."

At 26 Cudd is yet to hit his prime yet he is already having to look over his shoulder courtesy of James Benjamin and Ollie Griffiths, 21 and 20 respectively, who impressed last month while he was nursing niggles.

"It's great to have competition for places," said the former Scarlet. "When I get the chance I've got to perform because James Benjamin has done really well while Ollie Griffiths was outstanding for Wales Under-20s (in the Six Nations).

"It's good to have out-and-out sevens in the squad and if I can help them in any way I will."