Double injury blow for Dragons

9:40am Monday 15th October 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Chris Kirwan

A DOUBLE injury blow compounded Newport Gwent Dragons’ European woes after defeat to Wasps in the Amlin Challenge Cup on Saturday evening.

Loosehead prop Aaron Coundley lasted just eight minutes at Adams Park before being forced off with a torn right bicep, while in-form full-back Dan Evans suffered a suspected broken left thumb in the second half.

The Dragons have adequate cover in the front row in the shape of Phil Price, Nathan Williams, Owen Evans, who enjoyed a try-scoring debut, and Hugh Gustafson, who has retrained as a hooker but came on as a loosehead in High Wycombe.

Evans’ injury leaves Tom Prydie and Hallam Amos as the region’s full-back options, and the return from injury of former Springboks wing Tonderai Chavhanga, who made his comeback from summer knee surgery for Newport on Saturday, is a timely one.

But the Dragons’ paper- thin squad is once again stretched to the limit because of injury.

"We’ve got to be looking at 12 weeks for Aaron, while Daniel will need surgery and it’s probably eight weeks out," said director of rugby Robert Beale.

"Both players will be operated on this week and it’s a blow. We have cover for both positions, but just when we start to get players back, which would create competition, we lose others."

It was a defeat that leaves the Dragons with no margin for error against Bayonne at Rodney Parade on Saturday evening.

The French outfit, who seem likely to give a start to Wales and Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips, lead the Pool Three tables after their 71-7 drubbing of Italian whipping boys Mogliano.

Defeat to Bayonne would signal the end of the Dragons’ European campaign before they have even had the opportunity to get on a plane.

"It’s a tough game but it’s a home game and we have to win," said Beale. "If we had got a win or even a bonus point at Wasps it would have been great, but we need to win against Bayonne now to stay in the mix.

"We head back into work far happier than we did after the defeat to the Scarlets a week ago because I felt that the passion and commitment that we asked for were there.

"But there is also a great amount of frustration because we put a lot of effort in, only to pay the price for indiscipline and silly errors.

"All the talk was positive at half-time after getting ourselves back into it (at 25-15) but we went back out and conceded three soft penalties.

"That meant we were climbing up a hill but at the same time you have to give credit to Wasps, on the day we lost to a better side.

"They played at an intensity that we struggled to match at times and ensured they got a lot of quick ball and were on the front foot.

"But I have to give our players credit, they dug in until the very end. We lick our wounds and we look forward to Bayonne."

Comments(32)

Euwan Usami says...
10:06am Mon 15 Oct 12

Wow, talk about head in the sand! Apparently we are much happier about the Wasps defeat than the Scarlet defeat. Extraordinary statement. Mr beale thinks it's a result of silly mistakes. Like trying to play decent rugby without a front 5 presumably?! It's just standard issue lip service over and over. This problem is not going to go away and apparently there is no stomach to tackle it either. Just gets better and better.

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cwmbran man says...
1:01pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Getting to the point where you gotta throw your shirt in the river, a complete lack of on and off field talent, and no sign of improvement or of anybody with a bit of backbone to come forward and either tell it as it is, that we are a development region, or stand up and demand investment, its a rapidly sinking ship.

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Dai the Milk says...
1:36pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Front row injuries like this are the result of playing boys against men (through no fault of their own). The clock continues to tick.

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JTFish says...
3:11pm Mon 15 Oct 12

I think its about time that we have a change! I have long been a defender of our philosophies as a region. Bring Gwent players through. No matter what age. But enoughs, enough!
Mr Beale, Mr Edwards & Mr Appleyard need to move aside! I dont know whether its because of the WRU influence on the coaching team but your not taking us forward!
The dressing room and the players are not behind you. Mr Appleyard is not wanted by the major majority of the squad and is seen as more of an enforcer for the director & coaching team. We've gone backwards in results and stop talking about passion and commitment. Its a joke! The clock is counting down for you departure dates!

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newport2012 says...
4:19pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Beale- have to give the boys credit??!! It's not kids rugby on a Sunday morning where credit is given for effort!!!this is supposed to be a professional results business!!! Not sure how much longer I am prepared to listen to this rubbish!! Lets hear some fight and honesty!! Fed up of listening to the positives coming out of games after defeats otherwise let's just shut the gates!! The fans deserve better than this joke of management coming out and infuriating us with there comments week in week out!! My season ticket is close to seeing the bin!!

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Robert Shillabeer says...
5:02pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Come on newport2012 the term boys is not meant in a derogatory way, if he said lads or chaps that would have been seen just as badly by some. It's a Wenglish term to refer to a group as the boys. Not sure what Mr Beale brings to the party in terms of playing ability and performance myself but he does have responsibility for day to day management of the team like training places, meals and transport as well as monitoring the actions of physios and other back room stuff.

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Euwan Usami says...
5:21pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Can always rely on Rob to miss the point by a country mile ;)

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newport2012 says...
5:29pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Rob- i wasn't referring to the 'boys terminology'' I was referring to the credit given to the team again following another defeat!!

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Robert Shillabeer says...
5:37pm Mon 15 Oct 12

It's his job to say things he may not really feel, it's called public image. He may well have given them a roasting behind closed doors but that's we're it stays behind closed doors.

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cwmbran man says...
6:22pm Mon 15 Oct 12

If they aint carefull me and a couple of thousand others will be watching the games behing closed doors, in front of our tellys with a can.

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Euwan Usami says...
6:34pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
It's his job to say things he may not really feel, it's called public image. He may well have given them a roasting behind closed doors but that's we're it stays behind closed doors.
In fairness, if what Beale is saying is just for"Public image" then it deserves the derision it receives surely? Don't be so quick to defend it if you too can see it's just for show. If the region thinks it can baton the hatches and ride this season out they are wrong.

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East Newport Dave says...
7:09pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Beale is known as 'Bonker' for one reason - because he is 'Bonkers'. THE LUNATICS ARE RUNNING THE ASYLUM!
The whole set up is descending further and further into farce.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
7:15pm Mon 15 Oct 12

The last thing any team whether rugby, cricket or football never make public the verbal bashing they dish out to thier players its done behind closed doors followed by a moral building exercise ready for the next game. You don't hear of rugby players being dropped because they did not play well, it's because they need a rest. It comes down to basic man management and getting them to perform better next time out. Sir Alex Fergison is a master at that art. As for Dragons players not liking management a lot shows to me that they are doing a good job, it's when they all like the management we all need to worry, respect them yes, now that's different.

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Euwan Usami says...
8:01pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
The last thing any team whether rugby, cricket or football never make public the verbal bashing they dish out to thier players its done behind closed doors followed by a moral building exercise ready for the next game. You don't hear of rugby players being dropped because they did not play well, it's because they need a rest. It comes down to basic man management and getting them to perform better next time out. Sir Alex Fergison is a master at that art. As for Dragons players not liking management a lot shows to me that they are doing a good job, it's when they all like the management we all need to worry, respect them yes, now that's different.
Your doing it again Rob, if I point it out three or four more times again you are gonna do finally admit that you DO accept the original point made and have just been muddying the waters as always but I just can't be bothered. There must be a name for what you have dude, get help, I am worried about you. ;)

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cwmbran man says...
8:05pm Mon 15 Oct 12

i dont think i could stomach a verbal bashing off Bonker or DE as they aint qualified to give one, know nothing and do not have my respect, i imagine much of the 1st team feel the same.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
8:19pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Cwmbranman you assume but don't know for certain so you could be100% wrong. Not heard any of the squad even hint at such a position, unless of course you have some insider knowledge .

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cwmbran man says...
8:31pm Mon 15 Oct 12

you tell me Rob, you continuously tow the management line, and seem to agree with whats going on there, are u sure you aint DE's wife ??????????

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Robert Shillabeer says...
8:41pm Mon 15 Oct 12

No not his wife but mine may not like the inference of that remark of yours or my daughters for that and as for my four grandkids the would tell you very different, only a long term season ticket holder who looks beyond the chaff some people print and talk to people who played rugby for years and put forward knowledgeable opinions not news paper rubbish. By the way I like posting as some remarks lighten up my life quite nicely between games.

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newport2012 says...
8:47pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Rob -management doing a good job? We are bottom but one thank god the zebra s are in the league or we would be bottom and performances this season have been awful!! The team has gone backwards since last season!! The management have done nothing to address the problems with the front row!! How can u support them? Maybe they should try coaching in the dug out in front of hazel instead of hiding away on balcony glued to there I macs!!

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cwmbran man says...
8:50pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Glad your enjoying the banter, but i think your far too easy on the coaching / management side of things at the dragons at the moment, they are incredibly poor, but amazingly seem to think they are doing ok, i certainly dont think that and the first step to rectifying it is with the departure of DE, i know theres other stuff going on there behind the scenes,and the wru are dragging there feet with central contracts but make no mistake this region will die if this is not addressed.
ps, unless things change your grandkids will have no regional rugby to get involved in, and that will be a great shame.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
8:58pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Two are living in Cardiff and not that interested other than Wales games and far more interested in tikando than rugby. The others live in Lydney and are more into swimming and Man United and the Ospreys, but not giving up on converting them. The reason I seem to go easy on the management team is because firstly I know how hard managing other scan be and secondly I can't do anything about it, so why not give some support to thier position as no one else seems to.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
9:11pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Newport 2012' you noticed that as well then, I am amazed he still does it to be honest. I know the reason is so he can see everything and Steve Cronk is the same, and with radios they can keep in touch with the assistants on the touch line, but as you point out it does not help the team to get orders from on high all the time and they may feel a bit abandoned at times. On the other hand how many of the English sides and some Welsh as well do you see the head coach sat in the comfort of the stand with thier laptops in front of them, that's to get instant replays by the way, not on twitter or doing crosswords by the way.

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Euwan Usami says...
9:35pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Talking of twitter; apparently Mr Kerwin has tweeted that there will be some good news tomorrow. It's not a signing though so speculation is rife as was the intention I am sure. He claims it should please us all though. So who's not curious....

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SWBorderer says...
11:40pm Mon 15 Oct 12

Robert, I take no pleasure in criticising but those at the top must take responsibility for the fact that we have needed an experienced tight head prop for three years now. I'm not looking for a world beater and I don't want our pack to push every other team around, all I want is to see us give a steady platform on our own ball and not retreat at a rate of knots.

When you look at some of the teams that took part in the World Cup, and I still have every game, there were likely characters from some of the lesser teams that should have been looked at.

The front row is where most of our problems begin, we have talent behind but they will never develop with a retreating platform, our coach and management have failed to even recognise the problem and as such have proved themselves unsuited to the job.

Forwards win matches, the backs determine the score, it's a simple game, if you've got the ball, the opposition can't score. You don't need computers to work it out.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
12:11am Tue 16 Oct 12

SW bordered you quite right there were some good forwards in the World Cup, but it's not as simple as going and getting them to come over to Newport to play, there's contracts with other clubs, immigration laws and rules about how many overseas players a region can play, not have other books, but playing. It's a mine field both for clubs and players so not that easy. Where does the underlying purpose of regional rugby come in, I thought it was to get a tier of rugby to feed the National side to improve Welsh rugby. However there is very little coming from the higher level to encourage the true development of Welsh qualified players. There is some movement that way now but it s two or three years away. Money is the root of all evil they say and a shortage of it and the lack of real money from the WRU has caused a problem that hopefully will be changed with the review which as yet been made public, whatever it says.

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Euwan Usami says...
7:51am Tue 16 Oct 12

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
SW bordered you quite right there were some good forwards in the World Cup, but it's not as simple as going and getting them to come over to Newport to play, there's contracts with other clubs, immigration laws and rules about how many overseas players a region can play, not have other books, but playing. It's a mine field both for clubs and players so not that easy. Where does the underlying purpose of regional rugby come in, I thought it was to get a tier of rugby to feed the National side to improve Welsh rugby. However there is very little coming from the higher level to encourage the true development of Welsh qualified players. There is some movement that way now but it s two or three years away. Money is the root of all evil they say and a shortage of it and the lack of real money from the WRU has caused a problem that hopefully will be changed with the review which as yet been made public, whatever it says.
If the board think like this it would explain why the region is going backwards. There are many foreign players in the UK. The route cause of all the negativity on here is the lack of feedback from RP on the front 5 issue. Is makes people suspect the worse. Let's hope that the "Good news" that Chris Kirwan tweeted about lightens the mood a little today.

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SWBorderer says...
8:06am Tue 16 Oct 12

Sorry Robert but that excuse won't wash, the management at the Dragons have had three years to do something about our front row problem, everyone on the terrace sees the problem but they have been blind to it.

We have some promising front row forwards and they may develop in the next three or four years but the way to develop them is to bring them on in the last 20/30 minutes. We need someone to lock the scrum in the early phases of the game to give our backs a chance, if he's any good in the loose that is a bonus but a good scrummaging tight head is more important. Even Adam Jones at one time was only used for 20 minutes in the Welsh team because of fitness issues, but it was considered worth the risk in order to give us a foothold in the game.

You can't tell me the Dragons haven't wasted a lot of time and money over the last three years on players who either were not up to the required standard or just not needed.

I don't criticise the board members for not putting in more cash, it is their money and they are entitled to do what they want with it, what I do criticise is their failure to see where the problems are and spend the money more wisely.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
10:15am Tue 16 Oct 12

I'm sure they also know the front three are not as good as we really want, but getting ready made players is often hard. Firstly those who are any good are usually tied up with contracts elsewhere or from overseas and the limit on them is now a stumbling block as is finance. Is there anyone in any of the Gwent Premiership clubs who are good enough to step up although I'm sure they have been looked at already. Perhaps we need to teach them how to get advantage from breaking the laws a bit better as the Scarlets have been doing for years and good luck to them for getting away with it, we now have the old master at it coaching at the Dragons.

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JTFish says...
3:24pm Tue 16 Oct 12

JTFish wrote:
I think its about time that we have a change! I have long been a defender of our philosophies as a region. Bring Gwent players through. No matter what age. But enoughs, enough! Mr Beale, Mr Edwards & Mr Appleyard need to move aside! I dont know whether its because of the WRU influence on the coaching team but your not taking us forward! The dressing room and the players are not behind you. Mr Appleyard is not wanted by the major majority of the squad and is seen as more of an enforcer for the director & coaching team. We've gone backwards in results and stop talking about passion and commitment. Its a joke! The clock is counting down for you departure dates!
Back to the same request! Mr Beale, Mr Edwards & Mr Appleyard need to move aside!
They haven’t got the dressing room with them! They are not respected by a large group of players! Most of them are waiting for the axe to fall. Rubber Duck had the total backing of all his players and staff! I'm sorry "Robert" but even the most loyal supporters are struggling to walk over RP at the moment! Very sad situation for all! I will be there every game for Newport and the Dragons. Win or loose! But this is torture!

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Robert Shillabeer says...
4:49pm Tue 16 Oct 12

JTfish glad to know you will still be there every game. Where do you get the info that the payers don't respect any of the coaching staff as I seem to get the opposite view from those who I talk to.

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Euwan Usami says...
5:10pm Tue 16 Oct 12

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
I'm sure they also know the front three are not as good as we really want, but getting ready made players is often hard. Firstly those who are any good are usually tied up with contracts elsewhere or from overseas and the limit on them is now a stumbling block as is finance. Is there anyone in any of the Gwent Premiership clubs who are good enough to step up although I'm sure they have been looked at already. Perhaps we need to teach them how to get advantage from breaking the laws a bit better as the Scarlets have been doing for years and good luck to them for getting away with it, we now have the old master at it coaching at the Dragons.
You keep making that excuse for them Rob but Cardiff and now the Ospreys have done exactly that and bought in foreign players to bolster the front row. If we are 1 million under the cap as DE was reported saying, why can we do it too?

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JTFish says...
10:55am Wed 17 Oct 12

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
JTfish glad to know you will still be there every game. Where do you get the info that the payers don't respect any of the coaching staff as I seem to get the opposite view from those who I talk to.
I think I said “Mr Beale, Mr Edwards & Mr Appleyard need to move aside!” is that the total coaching team! No. True feelings will often come out when the people feel less pressurised and do not feel they will be persecuted by their peers or the system.
“Where do you get the info that the payers don't respect any of the coaching staff” my sources come from many places. Put them all together and add other sides previous experience with some people and it confirms similar chain of events happening with us!
If it was all rosey and we had won 2/3 more games. Performances were excellent! No injuries! Front five looking better, I’m sure they would take all the credits! But Its not!
I along with others have aired my veiw. I will now refrain from posting on this subject!

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