Dragons determined this time

May 18 2007 Darren Witcoop, Western Mail

JUNE 2, 2006 – the darkest day since the Dragons’ inception.

The changing room doors had been firmly shut and it wasn’t until almost an hour later that the shell-shocked players emerged with their chins on the floor and the Gwent outfit at their lowest ebb.

They had just suffered the ignominy of a humiliating and embarrassing home play-off defeat to minnows Overmach Parma in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Almost 12 months to the day since being bundled out of Europe’s elite on their own patch, it will be a case of deja-vu when the Dragons face a winner-takes-all clash with Calvisano.

The bruises may have slowly healed following that grim, humbling evening at Rodney Parade, but the scars can fade with victory in the do-or-die contest against the Italian outfit.

But can lightning strike twice? Not if Dragons coach Paul Turner has anything to do with it.

“We are in a better shape than last year when we lost and, if we play well and to our capabilities, that should be enough,” he said.

“It was a bad time for us last year when we came a cropper, but the memory is still there and we hope to wipe that out of our systems by taking our chance tonight.

“Not qualifying wasn’t a train crash as I thought we could develop as a team.

“And we’ve done just that in the European Challenge Cup as we made the semi-finals and have also learned how to deal with high-pressure games.

“We just didn’t feel we had enough strength in our squad to compete in the top European competition.

“We are a still a small squad which tests our resources – that’s not an excuse it’s reality. But I can assure you this year is different and we want to be in the Heineken Cup next season.”

The Dragons’ tie takes on critical importance with a consortium of Gwent businessman behind plans to fund a takeover.

Proposals include plans for a new stadium, state-of-the-art training facilities and money to spend on players to strengthen the squad for next season.

And, without doubt, the investors would certainly rather see Leicester Tigers or Stade Francais rather than the likes of Bucuresti or Connacht.

Because in bald monetary terms, qualification is the rugby equivalent of football’s Uefa Cup rather than the Champions League.

The £600,000-plus bonanza is the minimum sum of money that the cash-strapped Dragons can net and one they can ill-afford to miss out on that the competition guarantees.

“The investment is a huge decision and the sooner it’s made the better for everyone,” said Turner

“We need to replace guys who have left and it depends what market we get into at who we look for.

“The budget and the finance will obviously dictate that, so we will have to wait and see.

“But there’s no doubt new faces are needed still as, despite our progress this season, we still have a long way to go.”

He continued, “The squad is improving and the young kids that have come through have proved a revelation.

“It was only six weeks ago that we demolished Brive in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

“We are what we are, but we need to take it to the next stage now which is governed by variables, which includes winning this evening.

“Hopefully some investment will come into the region, but we need Europe to bring the crowds in and any potential investors out there would want that as well.”

Calvisano are not a side who have pulled up too many trees in European rugby in recent seasons, despite the national side’s vast improvement.

Having qualified for the Heineken Cup for the last six years, Calvisano – with established Italian international stars such as Roland de Marigny, Paul Griffen and Andrea Scanavacca among their leading names – head to Gwent in the unfamiliar territory of playing their first play-off encounter.

But Turner says his side have done their homework in having seen the Italians frustrate the star-studded Ospreys twice in the Heineken Cup pool stages this season.

“We have looked at them closely and we will certainly not be taking them lightly, especially with last season in mind,” he added.

“Calvisano will be physical, well-directed by Griffin and have a number of players who have shown they are no mugs at international level.

“They are a good, organised and experienced side which the Ospreys found. They are competitive and there will be no surprises on that count. The game will certainly tell us where we are and all it’s systems go to improve our squad for Europe next year.”

The Dragons will have to qualify without Colin Charvis, who failed to recover from a knee injury, though Kevin Morgan has passed a fitness test to lead the team. Ian Gough and Gareth Baber will play their last games for the region, while the outgoing pair of Gareth Cooper and Aled Brew have travelled with the Wales squad in Australia.

Your at-a-glance guide

Dragons
Team: K Morgan (capt); G Wyatt, P Emerick, G Maule, M Thomas; C Sweeney, A Walker; A Black, S Jones, L Harrison, I Gough, L Charteris, J Bearman, M Owen, J Ringer.

Replacements: B Daly, J Corsi, A Hall, D Lydiate, P Dollman, A Thomas, G Baber.

Player to watch – Michael Owen: With the No.8 heading out Down Under in 24 hours time, expect another strong end-of-season display to cap a decent campaign for the forgotten man of Welsh rugby.

Calvisano
Team: P Buso; L Nitoglia, M Pratichetti, J Downey, W Spragg; R de Marigny, P Griffen; G Bocca, L Ghiraldini, L Cittadini, M Ngauamo, V Bernabo, A Zanni, J Purll, A Persico.

Replacements: D Vigne, G Intoppa, R Moore, N Cattina, P Patelli, M Gallinetti, C Zanoletti.

Player to watch – Roland de Marigny: The Italy full-back replaces injured Andrea Scanavacca at fly-half but has already tasted victory over Wales this season, 23-20 in the Six Nations.

Referee: Rob Debney (England)

Form Guide: Dragons: Despite their strong home record, six defeats from their last seven games in all competitions is hardly the form the Dragons would have wanted.Calvisano: The regular Heineken Cup whipping team lost out to Arix Viadana in their league’s top-four play-off with Viadana and Treviso claiming automatic European Cup spots.

Darren Witcoop’s verdict: Surely, with home advantage, the Dragons won’t come a cropper again.