Zebre 13 Dragons 14 (From Free Press Series)

Hardly a vote of confidence for our Coaches!!!!, come on, do the decent thing and bring on KINGSLEY!!!!

10-3 down at half time, a late penalty miss by Zebre and a desperate defensive display get them home by a point. Not exactly convincing but you could argue that it was the same margin the Ospreys beat them by. Roll on next seasons. New players and new coach please.

The Ospreys played their 1st team this was their 2nds, all the best players are with the Italy squad.

Hardly cause for celebration.

I never thought I'd say it but I was praying for a loss this weekend. I think winning (even by the smallest margin) will allow the board to try and paper over the cracks.

Even a thousand point win over the top team in the world seems insufficient for some so called Dragons supporters or so it seems. The dragons avoided the dreaded defeat by the bottom and winless/draw less team in the league, that's job one done. Now we are just one point from climbing the table one place and going above Edinburgh who are also having a bad season of it and only a losing bonus point keeps that gap in place. It will build confidence for the game this coming weekend so some hard training and prep is top target this week.

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Even a thousand point win over the top team in the world seems insufficient for some so called Dragons supporters or so it seems. The dragons avoided the dreaded defeat by the bottom and winless/draw less team in the league, that's job one done. Now we are just one point from climbing the table one place and going above Edinburgh who are also having a bad season of it and only a losing bonus point keeps that gap in place. It will build confidence for the game this coming weekend so some hard training and prep is top target this week.

But just scraping a win against the league whipping boys is real cause for celebration!

Apparently Kingsley Jones is guest speaker (along with Shane Williams) at Rumney RFC (Cardiff) this week, maybe someone from the Dragons can turn up and beg him to join us!

Doberman1 wrote:

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Even a thousand point win over the top team in the world seems insufficient for some so called Dragons supporters or so it seems. The dragons avoided the dreaded defeat by the bottom and winless/draw less team in the league, that's job one done. Now we are just one point from climbing the table one place and going above Edinburgh who are also having a bad season of it and only a losing bonus point keeps that gap in place. It will build confidence for the game this coming weekend so some hard training and prep is top target this week.

But just scraping a win against the league whipping boys is real cause for celebration!

Apparently Kingsley Jones is guest speaker (along with Shane Williams) at Rumney RFC (Cardiff) this week, maybe someone from the Dragons can turn up and beg him to join us!

Perhaps Kingsley Jones will become the Dragons next head coach, only time will tell, but my point was the Dragons won and avoided the dreaded first ever defeat to Zebra. Be grateful for that as if we lost the number of Dragons knockers would have been so vocal I fear I would not have been able to sleep last night. There are more tough games to come so get the guys on the training pitch and work them hard and come up with some better ideas to get some wins.

If Kingsley does & i empahsise "does" join the region - how long until his head is on the chopping block??

A win is a win, but in truth it changes nothing. We need fundamental change at the Dragons. New coaching team and some quality tight forwards and outside half.

kalwales@hotmail.com wrote:
If Kingsley does & i empahsise "does" join the region - how long until his head is on the chopping block??

About one defeat going by the way some posters seem to know better than the professional coaches it seems.

To be fair I think some were hoping for a defeat to force the issue with the coaching staff. (I honestly expected them to lose the game too). The result and remaining seasons results, rather like most of Robs posts, are pointless though. We know what required. The real issue is what NGD are likely to come up with in terms of new signings and yes, coaching options. Most sources would have you believe that little has been achieved yet. I've said it before but there could be dire consequences to failing to put things in place for next season. I don't take any pleasure in running down the Dragons for the sake of it, but let's keep it real. They are in a pretty dark place at the moment.

Two full seasons the coaches have had! Look at the stats and it makes poor reading. We only beat the teams everyone else does and we have lost our desire and fight! Dave parade used to be an intimidating place for visitors but not anymore! Change is needed or I along with many others won't renew season tickets!

I would be well to remember how many times the Dragons have lost in the final 10 mins of a game by one score (or less) this season and reflect where we would have been if those results were reflected as wins.

I am not saying we don't need some new coaching techniques, more Hwyl, and a decent half back pairing and an 'old head ' at tight head, but the lads were down, and obviously didn't give up, away from home, against a side with nothing to lose. So credit where due please. Its a WIN.

corpardguy wrote:
I would be well to remember how many times the Dragons have lost in the final 10 mins of a game by one score (or less) this season and reflect where we would have been if those results were reflected as wins.

I am not saying we don't need some new coaching techniques, more Hwyl, and a decent half back pairing and an 'old head ' at tight head, but the lads were down, and obviously didn't give up, away from home, against a side with nothing to lose. So credit where due please. Its a WIN.

Well said Corpardguy, we won when many hoped we would lose. What sort of supporters want their side to lose? There may well be changes in the coaching set up next season and perhaps they are needed and maybe Kingsley Jones may well accept the task but we need to support the current squad for the remaining games and with confidence we could still climb above Edinburgh. The rest is not in our control but encouragement is a must for the remaining home games is the minimum we as supporters can offer to the cause.

corpardguy wrote:
I would be well to remember how many times the Dragons have lost in the final 10 mins of a game by one score (or less) this season and reflect where we would have been if those results were reflected as wins.

I am not saying we don't need some new coaching techniques, more Hwyl, and a decent half back pairing and an 'old head ' at tight head, but the lads were down, and obviously didn't give up, away from home, against a side with nothing to lose. So credit where due please. Its a WIN.

"....and reflect where we would have been if those results were reflected as wins"

Erm they weren't wins, they were defeats. That is the reality. Might as well ponder where we might have been had Graham Henry been head coach for all the relevance it has.

Glad we scraped the win and certainly never want us to lose but face facts, with DE in charge we have disintegrated as any kind of professional outfit. Fact.

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Even a thousand point win over the top team in the world seems insufficient for some so called Dragons supporters or so it seems. The dragons avoided the dreaded defeat by the bottom and winless/draw less team in the league, that's job one done. Now we are just one point from climbing the table one place and going above Edinburgh who are also having a bad season of it and only a losing bonus point keeps that gap in place. It will build confidence for the game this coming weekend so some hard training and prep is top target this week.

Lets come back down to earth and leave the land of dreams well behind us. Leinster at home this week, bonus point win I fancy, not for the home team though I fear.
Is Kingsley the best we can do, because he is from Gwent doesn't really make him qualified, a fresh face from the southern hemishere would be just the job.

Dai Trying wrote:

Robert Shillabeer wrote:
Even a thousand point win over the top team in the world seems insufficient for some so called Dragons supporters or so it seems. The dragons avoided the dreaded defeat by the bottom and winless/draw less team in the league, that's job one done. Now we are just one point from climbing the table one place and going above Edinburgh who are also having a bad season of it and only a losing bonus point keeps that gap in place. It will build confidence for the game this coming weekend so some hard training and prep is top target this week.

Lets come back down to earth and leave the land of dreams well behind us. Leinster at home this week, bonus point win I fancy, not for the home team though I fear.
Is Kingsley the best we can do, because he is from Gwent doesn't really make him qualified, a fresh face from the southern hemishere would be just the job.

Now your the one in cloud coo coo land, a head coach from down under! The money demanded would be far to high and we won't really know what we are getting. Small steps first, Kingsley seems to be very much in the frame at the moment and he has not said no to the idea just yet. As for the game this week, who knows if the supporters get behind the squad instead of on their backs the RP effect can cause an upset, shut bother to turn up if you believe it's a home defeat even before a ball is kicked.