Head Coach Luke Narraway has urged his players to ensure they ‘stay in the fight’ when they face Munster A in a big Celtic Cup clash at Rodney Parade on Friday evening (kick-off 3pm).
Dragons XV face Irish opposition for a second successive week after being edged out 24-19 away from home by Connacht Eagles last Friday afternoon.
Narraway’s young team produced some scintillating attacking rugby in Galway, rewarded with eye-catching tries from wings James McCarthy and Rio Dyer plus centre Connor Edwards.
However, the former England international admits Dragons XV also need to stay in the game when it gets tight after the Eagles ground out a Round One win.
“There were lots to take out of the Connacht game,” said Narraway. “I asked the players to transfer what we had done on the training field into the game and in lots of instances we saw just that.
“We saw the way these lads and the region want to play the game. We want to play with a high tempo, fast rugby and play to our strengths, with a lot of talent in his squad.
“I felt we were the better team with ball in hand and posed them so many questions in attack. But we just couldn’t quite stay in the game when it became an arm wrestle.
“We opened them up quite a few times in the first half and on another day could have scored a lot more points.
“In the second half they tightened it up. We just couldn’t quite get parity in that arm wrestle and, in the end, that pressure told.
“If we can live to stay in the fight a little bit longer then hopefully we should be on the right end of these close games.”
Narraway is set to call upon the same group of players, plus a few senior additions, for the first game on home soil this season.
And he insists whatever team he sends into action they will know the brand of rugby the team want to produce.
“We’ve spoken about what is in the DNA of Dragons,” he said. “We want to play with tempo, play fast and showcase our talent.
“We did that in Connacht and scored a cracking try off a lineout and first phase attack. Our counter attack was a threat the entire game.
“We need to learn that it is brilliant that we can play that way, but we have also got to marry that up with the other side of the game.
“When teams go to that arm wrestle we have got to get parity. If we can do that then we can get into teams.
“It will be the same squad with possibly a few players dropping in from the senior squad,” he added.
“One player who is missing is Lennon (Greggains) who is out with a knee injury. We’re all disappointed for Lennon and wish him well with his recovery.”
Dragons XV tackle Munster A at Rodney Parade this Friday evening. Tickets cost £5 for Adults, with FREE ENTRY for Under-16s and Season Members. Click HERE to buy in advance.
We saw the way these lads and the region want to play the game... We want to play with a high tempo, fast rugby and play to our strengths...
