Hooker Elliot Dee is looking forward to a spicy opening day of 2021 as Dragons make the trip to face Scarlets in the Guinness PRO14 (kick-off 5.15pm).
After the disappointment of a single-point derby day defeat to Cardiff Blues on Boxing Day, Dean Ryan’s men head West to Parc y Scarlets to try and kick off the New Year on the front foot.
Dee acknowledges the size of the challenge ahead - Scarlets have won the last five matches against their fellow regions.
But Dragons have also enjoyed their travels after winning their last two away matches in the PRO14 and are looking for three consecutive road victories in the Championship for the first time since 2004.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in quite a few derby games over the years and there is that extra bit of spice,” admitted Dee.
“It’s because you know people; you’re friends with people and you want to get one over on them.
“Hopefully the weather will be a little bit better, because there are not many games I have played in where the conditions were like last week for the Blues game. It was tough to really open up.
“It is a nice surface down at Parc y Scarlets, they are a well organised team and I’m sure they will want to play some rugby. Hopefully we can go down there and play a bit.
“We are all looking forward to it, we are really gutted from last week,” he added.
“It was a game we felt we should have won and we want to add on to the form we have had in the derbies in recent years. Hopefully we can go down and put a good performance out first and foremost.”
Dee believes the lessons have been learnt form the defeat on home soil last time out.
“Neither team really did anything except second half we gave away too many penalties and didn’t have enough territory to close the game out,” he said.
“We didn’t grab the bull by the horns and go and win the game, we let the Blues come back into it.
“That was hard to take after the game, but it was a fixture I thoroughly enjoyed, funnily enough.
“Playing against friends, old team-mates and playing alongside friends as well, it’s what you play the game for when you start off as a boy you. It’s nice to have those games where you get the enjoyment back.
“It was a double-edged sword really, it was frustrating but enjoyable at the same time. Hopefully, we get the right result, though, this time.”
Playing against friends, old team-mates and playing alongside friends as well, it’s what you play the game for when you start off as a boy you... It’s nice to have those games where you get the enjoyment back...
