Newport Gwent Dragons

Some local sport:

IT WAS another case of so near yet so far last night for Paul Turner and his men after a dogged display by the Newport Gwent Dragons ended in glorious failure.

The Dragons' head coach admitted Cardiff Blues' departing two-try scrum-half Mike Phillips was the difference between the two sides at the Arms Park.

The Dragons made too many mistakes in an open match allowing class players like Phillips, Tom Shanklin and All Black Ben Blair to hit them devastatingly on the break.

But Turner praised his men: "I'm proud of the effort of the players and I think we deserved a bonus point. I think Phillips was the difference."

The first 25 minutes were dominated by the Dragons. "It was a bit like the Munster game when we were 7-3 up and pretty comfortable," Turner said.

"But Luke Charteris clattered into somebody and then Jamie Ringer was in the bin and they scored and the game turned away from us."

He lauded several players: "I thought Dan Lydiate played well when he came on and I think Gareth Maule and the academy players stood up for us, which is good for Welsh rugby with these kids coming through. Richard Fussell and Dai Maddocks did very well and the back row of Ringer, Owen and Bearman were outstanding."

There was a concern for the Dragons and Wales when prop Rhys Thomas left the field after it looked like he had picked up an injury. But Turner said he was not unduly concerned. "He is OK but I will talk to him this morning - it was just a muscle injury."

Blues' coach David Young was not so complimentary either about the Dragons or his own team, despite going top of the Magners League: "I thought both teams were very poor although they both tried to play rugby - if I had been watching on TV at home, I think I would have turned it over."

Tags:Newport Gwent Dragons, Newport, Rugby
link:http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/home.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newport_Gwent_Dragons

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