Stand-in skipper Harrison Keddie has urged Dragons to bounce back in the derby clash with Ospreys – and admits he expects another thunderous and physical battle up front.
Dean Ryan’s men face Ospreys in the Guinness PRO14 at Rodney Parade on Saturday (kick-off 5.15pm) as they look to open the New Year on home soil with a win.
Much-changed Dragons have suffered battling narrow defeats to Cardiff Blues and Scarlets over the festive period.
Keddie now wants Dragons to finish the derby season on a high and come out the right side of a close contest.
“I think it will be a similar game to the last two weeks,” said the 24-year-old, who produced another strong, confrontational performance in Llanelli.
“It’s going to be massively physical up front and they’ve got some backs who like to attack in the wide channel and a decent kicking game as well.
“It will be a similar style to the last two weeks so it’s just about how we brush ourselves off, lick our wounds and take our learnings from the Scarlets game to ensure we can put them right and get the win."
Reflecting on the defeat at Parc y Scarlets, Keddie admitted Dragons were fired up to try and close out a tight game.
“With these derby games, there isn’t a lot in them, it’s little indiscipline errors or sometimes the bounce of the ball, as we saw at the end, that games can swing on,” said Keddie, who has started eight of 10 fixtures this season.
“The games are so tight because both teams don’t want to give an inch, as you’d expect. “I think there are lots to be proud of in there, but there is lots to learn from too.
“Young boys like Aneurin (Owen), who come off the bench, and Ben (Carter) with his starts the last few weeks, they have been excellent for us.
“The experience for them in these big derby games, against some big opposition and some big teams, is invaluable.
He added: “The last two games in the league before the derbies, the Glasgow and Benetton away wins, we came away from there with two good results.
“Last week was a one score game, this week it was a tight game again, until that last try in the last play kind of took the score away a little bit.
“We know we are on that edge; we are nearly there. We have so much good in our game it’s just how we find that next part now to really get ourselves over the line.”
Keddie’s own form was praised by boss Dean Ryan after the game.
"You should be writing headlines about Harrison Keddie at the moment because he is a standout player for us week in, week out,” said the Director of Dragons Rugby.
"His intellect has grown massively over the last 12 months and his calmness is something that is contagious with others.
"His game is about leading by example, so he has all the ingredients to be a captain of the future."
We know we are on that edge; we are nearly there... We have so much good in our game it’s just how we find that next part now to really get ourselves over the line...
