Backs Coach Barry Maddocks is hoping Dragons will reap the benefits of the ‘mini pre-season’ they have enjoyed ahead of the return to Guinness PRO14 action.
Dragons have not played a league game since the derby day victory over Ospreys on January 5 and no rugby fixtures at all since the European home win over Enisei-STM last month.
Maddocks admits the coaching team have had to manage the squad’s time and workload wisely – particularly after the league game with Benetton Rugby was postponed last weekend.
But he is confident the players will respond positively when they travel to Scotland to resume action against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday evening (kick-off 7.35pm).
“We’ve had some good blocks of training. It has been good for us to get some recovery in for some of the boys to get them back into the frame too,” he said.
“We missed out last week which is a shame as we were ready for a game, but we go again this week.
“It’s been a bit like a mini pre-season block for us. We have kept the intensity of sessions up there and have been fortunate enough to go do Cardiff Blues for a training session to get some physicality.
“We did some unit sessions and tried a few elements out. You get so used to defending like we do and attacking like we do, so when we flip it with a change-up it stimulates the players.
“We did a team session and got the physicality in. We did sessions that were eight to ten minutes at most, and it is going at each other full-on.
“We have tried to change things up to make sure we are as best prepared as we can be when we get back in PRO14 action.”
Watch the Dragons when they welcome their South African side Toyota Cheetahs to Rodney Parade on Saturday, February 29 (kick-off 5:15pm). Click HERE to buy your tickets and join us for more top Guinness PRO14 action.
It’s been a bit like a mini pre-season block for us.... We have kept the intensity of sessions up and have been fortunate enough to go do Cardiff Blues for training...
