Turner: Dragons can finish with blaze of glory

Apr 25 2008 by Andy Howell, Western Mail

ON the weekend when the Ospreys are left to rue what could and perhaps should have been a Heineken Cup semi-final appearance, the Dragons are looking to damage the big spenders’ European hopes for next season.

If a team made up largely of Wales’ Grand Slam heroes, bolstered by crack New Zealanders Justin Marshall, Marty Holah and Filo Tiatia, had produced anywhere near its best, they would surely have been facing Munster in the last four of Europe at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.

But a mistake-riddled performance at Vicarage Road saw them crash out of the Heineken Cup courtesy of a shock 19-10 quarter-final defeat to underdogs Saracens.

The Ospreys might have bounced back to win the Anglo-Welsh EDF Energy Cup with a devastating demolition of English champions Leicester Tigers at Twickenham a fortnight ago but they’ve only managed to come out on top in five of their 14 fixtures in the Magners League.

Lyn Jones’ men are seventh in the table, a place and six points ahead of the Dragons, and the last thing they would want is the embarrassment of finishing behind the Gwent, or any other, region in the final standings.

They would then have to suffer the embarrassment of attempting to qualify for a wildcard spot in next season’s European showpiece via a June play-off with the third-placed finishers in the Italian championship.

Ospreys’ go head-to-head with the Dragons twice, host Edinburgh and go to bottom side Connacht in their remaining fixtures in the Magners League.

The Dragons also have home and away fixtures with champions-elect Leinster so have to be massive underdogs to claim an automatic spot in Europe’s premier club and regional tournament.

But the Gwent outfit’s coach Paul Turner sounded an upbeat note, claiming they can eclipse the Ospreys and claw their way into the Heineken Cup through the front door.

“If we win our last four games,” he replied, when asked about their chances of qualifying automatically.

“We are well aware of the challenge on Friday night, but we don’t go on the field to lose.”

Dragons have never won at the Liberty Stadium, but have troubled the Ospreys on their last two visits, going down 12-6 last season and 15-9 the previous campaign.

Popular prop Adam Black, who becomes the first player to play in 100 matches in Celtic League history, vowed the Dragons wouldn’t be cannon-fodder.

“There’s a good team and squad here and we always seem to do OK at the Liberty and seem to raise our game a bit,” he said.

“You like playing against the best and it’s a good benchmark.”

They have lost their last six matches, throwing away victory against Connacht at Rodney Parade a week ago by failing to convert chances into points.

But Black insists morale is still high despite a number of players leaving Rodney Parade at the end of the campaign.

“The biggest thing about losing is that we don’t accept it. We will always try to bounce back and there’s no better way to do it than go to the Liberty Stadium, which is not as daunting a place as many think,” he said.

“It’s a lovely stadium with great facilities and changing rooms, but it’s still XV against XV out on the field.

“We are not sulking after the losing run, we are ready to play and win.

“The best thing at the Dragons is that we class ourselves as a family and I believe there is still that feeling here.

“Even the boys who are leaving are desperate to play in the last couple of games, and I don’t know that the other regions have got that.”

Ospreys have given Wales Grand Slam star Gavin Henson another week to recover from the ligament damage to his left ankle he suffered against Saracens.

Coach Lyn Jones said: “Friday night’s game looks sure to be another tough challenge.

“Welsh derby matches always are, but it is a fixture that we must win if we are to achieve our double aims of Heineken Cup qualification for next season and to finish as the highest placed Welsh side.

“We have two games on the sides immediately above us, both against the Dragons, and if we can win both of those we will move up to fourth place, ahead of the Scarlets.

“The message we will be giving the players ahead of the match will be a simple one: ‘Go out there and win’.”