WE beat one of the top teams in England/Europe

[RhysJervis]

GWENT DRAGONS 20, BATH RUGBY 14
John Connolly remains upbeat ahead of the new Guinness Premiership season despite Saturday’s 20-14 loss to Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade in the final pre-season trial before the Bristol match next Sunday.

The Australian watched his side score two well-worked tries and concede two scores in a match that was scrappy, if useful in the context of giving players important game time before the start of the season proper. However, whilst disappointed with some areas of his side’s play against a committed Dragons side, Connolly said the defeat was not a massive set back.

“We ran thirty players and had a good hard match,” he said. “There are areas that we have to work on and I thought that the Dragons proved that. Our execution under pressure let us down today, but there were also some positives.”

One of those positives was the performance of the first half side and in particular Frikkie Welsh, who looked extremely sharp and hungry on the wing. Danny Grewcock, Matt Stevens, Andy Beattie and Duncan Bell came through their first match unscathed, whilst Bell was impressive both in the tight and in the loose, enjoying a few strong carries.

Andy Dunne and Ryan Davis also caught the eye in a much more youthful Bath second half side and Dunne in particular could pose the coaches some selection headaches ahead of the Bristol game.

After a frenetic start, it was Frikkie Welsh who opened the scoring with a powerful run to the line after a sustained period of attack by the Premiership side near the Dragons line. The South African, selected on the wing, looked impressive as he brushed off a couple of attempted tackles and outpaced the cover to score his fourth try of pre-season.

However, despite plenty of good possession, Frikkie’s score was to be the only of the half for Bath Rugby as the Dragons defence stood firm throughout. Indeed it was the Welsh side who struck next midway through the half when Wales international centre Hal Luscombe broke Chris Malone’s attempted tackle to touch down under the posts against the run of play.

With the scores level at half time in a tense and tough encounter, Bath resisted the temptation not to make changes and brought on a youthful second half side led by scrum half Martyn Wood. The Dragons on the other hand were unchanged and started the second period very much as they had done the first – with plenty of guts and fire.

The deadlock was broken when Luscombe made a searing break to set up Gareth Wyatt for a score which was converted by Leigh Hinton as the visitors were found guilty of knapping in defence. Thereafter it was all Bath, but whilst the visitors used penalties to execute lineout moves, the home side took the points and moved clear midway through the half via the boot of Hinton.

Bath rallied well late on and showed plenty of attacking invention through Dunne and Davis and eventually their tenacity paid off as Dunne’s break handed Matt Stevens a try close to the posts which Dunne converted to bring the visitors back to within a score.

However, sensing a Bath fight back the home side closed out the game with a second Hinton penalty at the end of normal time and although Bath attacked in the closing moments, the defence could not be penetrated.

Bath Rugby: 15 Matt Perry (Mike Baxter), 14 Lee Best (Andy Williams), 13 Andy Higgins (Spencer Davey). 12 Olly Barkley 1c (Ryan Davis), 11 Frikkie Welsh 1t (Mike Mangeolles), 10 Chris Malone (Andy Dunne 1c), 9 Nick Walshe (Martyn Wood), 1 David Barnes (Chris Loader), 2 Lee Mears (Pieter Dixon), 3 Duncan Bell (Matt Stevens 1t), 4 Steve Borthwick (Rob Fidler), 5 Danny Grewcock (James Hudson), 6 Andy Beattie (Peter Short), 7 James Scaysbrook (Chris Goodman), 8 Zak Feaunati (Gareth Delve)

Ref: Nigel Owen
Att: 3538





Dom Rumbles

[RhysJervis]

http://www.welshrugbypics.co.uk/events/ ... dragsvbath

No replies?

[String]

Newport just about won a meaningless pre season friendly against an english side. Its hardly headline news.

Wasps beat neath, cardiff were playing someone.

Nothing more than friendlies.

[Graham]

No replies?

Nah mun, can't be asked to discuss Dragons matches, it's not as if it's a team that means anything to me. I'd have more interest in watching an Ebbw Vale training session in the pouring rain on a muddy Cae Canol field. Whether the Dragons win lose or draw means little or nothing to me.

On the other hand, if it was a regional team........ but we'll leave that old chestnut for now.

[RhysJervis]

Newport just about won a meaningless pre season friendly against an english side. Its hardly headline news.

Wasps beat neath, cardiff were playing someone.

Nothing more than friendlies.

You've changed your tune String, on other threads according to you the Ospreys are he only true region, and now its neath. You just change your opinion to suit your mood.

[String]

Ive never once said ospreys are a true region. They arent. Theyre a merger of 2 clubs ignoring the other 30 or so in the area.

HOWEVER they are the only superclub actually trying to be a new club and not the same old as newport,cardiff,llanelli are doing.

Wales has no regions. It never will.

[RhysJervis]

If you say so, Mr know it all.

[Audi Diesel]

Those of us at the game today against Cardiff have seen a wonderful spectacle in glorious conditions. Good company in the bar with players and other friends. Couldn't ask for more.

[RhysJervis]

But we get that every week in Newport

[Graham]

But we get that every week in Newport

Glorious conditions every week in Newport? Errrmmmmm.... OK then. And let's not forget that it never snows in Ebbw Vale during the rugby season.

Well you started it.

[RhysJervis]

Glorious conditions every week in Newport? Errrmmmmm....

No, good company

By the way, I could hear the crowd in Eugene all the way up in Hilltop while i was watching the RTB's getting roughed up by St Albans The amount of noise you were all making you'd swear you only get to see something like that once a year or so. Oh ye......