GIVEN that the regions’ self-imposed salary cap is about as relevant to Newport Gwent Dragons as the drink-drive limit is to a Mormon, it is difficult to get too excited at a potential rise.

The ceiling will be £4.5million as opposed to the £3.5million figure that the Rodney Parade region doesn’t currently come close to.

One imagines that of the 40 teams that will kick off their European campaigns this weekend, only Calvisano and Enisei-STM will be operating with smaller budgets.

As such, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that so far this season the Dragons have been stodgy in attack, lamenting their lack of a cutting edge after every game.

Deprived by injury of their three bright backs who were involved with Wales this summer – wing Hallam Amos and centres Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan – they haven’t come close to a try of the month contender.

They have scored just one corker, when wing Ashton Hewitt finished off a well-constructed move in Glasgow, and none of the nine scores have been created from a phase starting outside the opposition’s 22.

Sarel Pretorius at Connacht – snipe from close range.

James Thomas at Connacht – charge over from a few yards.

Ed Jackson versus Zebre – driving lineout.

Pretorius at Leinster – snipe from close range.

Rynard Landman at Glasgow – nice finish from a Pretorius break after a five-metre driving lineout.

Hewitt at Glasgow – lovely attack finished off from inside the 22 by the winger cutting a nice line.

Nic Cudd versus Treviso – driving lineout.

Jason Tovey at the Scarlets – hacked on then gathered a misplaced Scarlets pass.

Pretorius at the Scarlets – snipe from close range after a number of good carries.

There is undeniably a lack of spark and fun about the Dragons’ play; confidence is low and good positions are being wasted.

It is a situation that has brutally exposed the region’s lack of depth behind the scrum.

Not only are they are desperately missing their young trio but the calming influence of Pat Leach through continued knee trouble as well as wing options Tom Prydie and Matthew Pewtner.

If the management team want to shake things up then their options are limited.

While the Glasgow can register a 41-strong European squad featuring 34 internationals, the Dragons include 18-year-old wing George Gasson and 19-year-old centre Barney Nightingale.

When Munster suffered the unfortunate retirement of full-back Felix Jones they swiftly drafted in Argentina international Lucas Amorosino fresh from the World Cup.

I was guilty in pre-season of talking about greater options for the coming campaign – it seemed that there were some genuine selection headaches in the offing.

But scratch the surface and the Dragons are in trouble, a frequent occurrence in an increasingly attritional game. It is frankly ridiculous to be pinning all our hopes on two 20-year-olds in Dixon and Morgan and a 21-year-old in Amos, shrugging shoulders when they are unavailable.

There is some hope; the Welsh Rugby Union appear to be recognising the need to address the funding issue if they are to continue to enjoy the fruits of Test success.

But they don’t have money sloshing around and one does worry that efforts will be concentrated further west given that they actually have the track record of providing international players, putting what money they do have in and enjoying relative success.

Those efforts will take time and perhaps we should recognise that the Welsh sides, those in the west certainly, have been punching above their weight and we shouldn’t be too harsh on them when it doesn’t go well.

The Ospreys and the Scarlets will have it tough in the Champions Cup over the next few months with the former grouped with Clermont, Bordeaux and Exeter while the latter are up against Northampton, Glasgow and Racing 92.

Frankly they will have done well if they at least head into January with qualification still a possibility.

But it is with some jealousy that in this neck of the woods we see them developing and having some hope. While the Scarlets will enjoy the return from France of Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies next season, one fears we will have to be content with talk of the return from injury of the young trio being like new signings.