Newport Gwent Dragons Looking Forward To South Africa After Ospreys Win
The Newport Gwent Dragons had a massive win over the Ospreys this Saturday. It was a statement victory for the Dragons in a South Wales derby. Newport will look to carry this momentum forward as they head to South Africa. Head coach Dai Flanagan talks about the performance against their rivals and the upcoming tour.
The Upcoming Tour
The Dragons have only had one win this season. They beat the Ospreys 20-5 in Rodney Parade to get their first victory of the year. They will now head to South Africa to face the Sharks and Lions. Flanagan says he looks forward to the trip.
“We have always looked forward to South Africa with the good weather and the fast tracks. We can look forward to it even more now,” said Flanagan.
“If we can reproduce the attacking performance that we did against the Ospreys, with a bit more accuracy, then we can score points. It’s an opportunity for us to go out there and go after teams.”
First Win
After suffering a string of tough defeats, Flanagan’s side put an end to a poor run of form. He talks about finally getting a win.
“I asked the group to take the shackles off because we looked like we were playing within ourselves. I said to ignore the results, let everyone else talk about them.”
“I know that they had the red card, but we moved the ball, and we were dominant with our speed and tempo. When we are brave and back ourselves, it’s a joy to be a part of this.
“I was a little fearful [when missed chances to kill the game off] because winning is a habit and so is losing, so it’s nice that the boys expressed themselves and got a good result at the end of it.
“The pressure can be massive because the players read everything that is written, and you would be naïve to think that they didn’t.
“They are good people in that changing room that are so desperate for success, so it’s nice that we can give a little back with that victory.
“Those post-match feelings are why we do it, why we put up with all of the stress, late nights and the times when we don’t speak to our families too much after losing.”
All quotes via South Wales Argus
The Dragons will be travelling to South Africa looking to get a couple more victories.