THERE was a mixture of pride and frustration in the away changing room at the Arms Park last Friday night, but once the dust settled there should also have been some remorse.

The way that the Dragons have responded to the dismissal of head coach Bernard Jackman is both admirable and frustrating.

The sacking appears to have galvanised the Rodney Parade region, albeit they have still suffered a pair of away defeats to Clermont Auvergne and Cardiff Blues.

The displays, battling hard against one of Europe’s finest teams and then coming within seconds of a draw in the capital despite playing for an hour with 14 men, give credence to those that propose Jackman had ‘lost the dressing room’, suggestions that hold no water.

Captain Cory Hill dismissed such an idea before the trip to the Stade Marcel Michelin and there was no evidence of a player revolt in Ystrad Mynach.

Naturally there will be individuals who were pleased to see the back of the boss – that is the case in any workplace – but this wasn’t a club in turmoil with cliques and disharmony.

As a result, the axing of Jackman will have led to self-reflection from the players.

When they looked back at that damaging defeat to Leinster, such a meek and shambolic performance, they know that they let down their former boss.

We all have our moments when we know that we should have done better in our jobs, that perhaps we have gone through the motions a little, and a number of Dragons will have put their hands up to that.

The contrast from the Leinster display, and in the comprehensive defeat at Northampton the following week, to the tenacious one in the capital was stark.

The ex-Ireland hooker made mistakes over his 18 months in Newport but it shouldn’t have taken his sacking to rouse the Dragons squad.

They have been given a kick up the backside and responded.

They may not be world beaters but they have the ability to be much better than they have been in the first half of the campaign.

Granted, the Blues were a shambles but the way that the Dragons players scrapped after the red card of Lloyd Fairbrother bodes well and it’s timely given that the board are in the middle of their hunt for a coach.

A batch of interviews have been conducted in person and via video by chairman David Buttress with nationality an irrelevance for the role.

The shortlist will be whittled down and the board need to make sure that this appointment is spot-on if the Dragons are to avoid becoming an irrelevance over the coming seasons.

They need an individual with the ability to make the region punch above its weight and be competitive, no easy task.

It is a very tough job but there aren’t too many openings in professional rugby, so plenty of CVs have dropped into Buttress’ inbox.

Making the right choice is vital – and Ceri Jones’ performance as caretaker boss provides the Dragons with breathing space.

The softly-spoken former prop is just the man for the job, keeping things ticking along while the search goes on a permanent head honcho.

Jones isn’t one for drama, he is a safe pair of hands and commands the respect of the squad, plus he knows the nature of the role.

“I was hugely pleased by the performance against the Blues, so that’s a bit of a high for me, but I am sure there will be plenty of lows as well,” he said at the Arms Park.

The 41-year-old from Usk has been asked to be in charge for the remaining festive derbies against the Ospreys on Sunday and the trip to the Scarlets on January 5.

Those fixtures are followed by Timisoara Saracens and Clermont Auvergne in the Challenge Cup, meaning there is no great rush to make the permanent appointment.

Getting the new man in soon has its perks as they need to shape the little recruitment that can be done on the Dragons’ meagre budget, plus offer fresh deals to those that are entering the final months of current contracts and who will next week be able to legally enter discussions with other clubs.

But there is no dramatic rush and the current coaching team, while still stretched, are more than capable of looking after things and they will no doubt empower the senior players to help drive things.

With everyone pulling together the Dragons can put a few more noses out of joint in the coming weeks and allow the board to take their time and do their due diligence on all the candidates.

This is a golden chance for Jones, Barry Maddocks & Co to make sure they remain part of the management team when a new man takes the reins.

Jones, who appears to be a coach more cut out for assistant duty rather than the big gig, can make a big statement if he oversees the end of the 23-match losing streak in derbies by beating the Ospreys on Sunday.

Opportunity knocks and another big display is essential on Sunday if the Dragons are to retain the backing that their effort in Cardiff earned from their long-suffering supporters, who were once again proud in their team.

It’s sad that it took one man losing his job to do it, but there is the prospect of Rodney Parade rocking this weekend, something that the Dragons haven’t experienced for quite some time.