NEWPORT Gwent Dragons endured another away day to forget after being beaten by Munster in Cork. Here are five things we learned from the 45-17 loss to the Guinness PRO12 leaders.

1: Basics, basics, basics

In many ways it was an odd game, as the Dragons weren’t completely dismantled, but it was a one-sided affair thanks to Munster being their usual wonderfully solid, uncomplicated selves.

Like the national German football team of years gone by, the league leaders (who have won 13 from 14 in the PRO12 and Champions Cup) just do everything with ruthless efficiency. They grasp their opportunities, play accurately and more often than not they put points on the board when in enemy territory.

Whereas you can count the errors made by a Munster side on the digits of one hand, the Dragons have the habit of shooting themselves in the foot.

They need to take a leaf out of Munster’s books for their trip to Galway next week: forget about the flash stuff, just do the simple stuff well.

2: Key moments

Without Hallam Amos, Ashton Hewitt or even Ed Jackson, the Dragons are sorely missing game breakers who can create something out of nothing.

They need someone to conjure a moment to give them belief on the road. Think Newcastle away in Europe in 2015 when Amos was inspirational.

But they also have to recognise vital spells better and it was infuriating in Cork that Carl Meyer had a nightmare few minutes just as they had close the gap to 14 points on the stroke of half-time (granted, still a big deficit).

They needed to get back to the changing rooms at 24-10 but instead the full-back flung a wild pass into touch near his line and then was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on that also cost a penalty try. Game over.

3: Negative perceptions

It must be made clear that the referee, Scotland’s Mike Adamson, did not decide the outcome of the game in Cork.

However, you sometimes get the feeling that the Dragons’ past failings can hinder the present, especially when going to face the league leaders on their own turf. Rarely do they get the rub of the green.

One key call undoubtedly went against the Dragons and caused heads to slump.

With the score at 10-3 they were pressing on the line with penalty advantage but it disappeared shortly before Tyler Bleyendaal intercepted and set up Andrew Conway for a 90-metre breakaway score.

A potential leveller, or at least a penalty to make it 10-6, was instead a cruel seven-pointer for the hosts.

4: Outstanding Ollie

Flanker Ollie Griffiths shifted from openside to blindside in the absence of injured back row forward Ed Jackson and put in a determined display in defeat.

The 21-year-old from Newbridge is a huge talent and kept going until the bitter end, grafting away at the breakdown and putting in some huge hits.

At 6ft 1ins and 100kg, he isn’t the biggest flanker around but rarely is he put on his backside, in fact it was the Munster players who were whinging about rough treatment in the first half.

Griffiths is an all-action back row forward and the Dragons have to find a way of getting him more involved with ball in hand.

5: The streak

Another defeat chalked up makes it 21 on the spin away from Rodney Parade in the Guinness PRO12.

This loss must be put in context, the Dragons haven't won in Munster since the first year of regional rugby.

However, they could desperately do with a boring, no frills success on their travels or rugby’s equivalent of a win after a goal when the ball bounces in off the striker’s backside.

The Dragons just have to find a way because this away form will see them finish 10th again and potentially head into next season with the unwanted sequence still hanging over them.