Centre Max Clark is aiming to help Dragons maintain the club’s unbeaten start to their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign tomorrow (Saturday) when they host Pau in a match that is live on S4C.
Dragons returned home to the snow and ice this week, following their mini South African tour.
While the tour trip failed to bear that elusive win on South African soil, Dragons did pick up three crucial points in their opening round draw against the Lions, making an unbeaten start to the Challenge Cup.
Clark – who has made six appearances so far this season - believes the positives from that performance will help the Dragons in their quest to qualify for the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.
“It’s an exciting time for me, personally, with the European games and the Welsh derbies coming up,” he said.
“These are the games all the boys want to be involved in. I’ve heard a lot of good things, so I really want to put my best foot forward.”
Pau currently sit 11th in the Top 14, seven points away from a relegation spots. But the Top 14 is such a tight league at present, they are only four points from a top six position. So, the French side will pose a significant threat.
Dragons have three wins from nine games in the URC but have received many plaudits for being far more competitive and also entertaining under Head Coach Dai Flanagan.
And despite their narrow league defeats to the Lions and the Stormers, the Dragons appear to have closed the gap against South African opposition.
“We head into the game in a very confident mood, we are aware of what we need to work on, but we are back home, which is huge for us,” adds Clark.
“We have prepared for the best of Pau, but we know we can take them on.
“It is great to play teams from different countries and cultures. You can get a good sense of where you are as a team. I think we have been able to find strengths and weaknesses that maybe we wouldn’t have found otherwise.”
Flanagan has made a big impact since he took charge, with the Dragons now sitting second in the Welsh Shield table.
But Clark knows these next few weeks are crucial to keep the momentum going.
He added: “There has been a lot of change since the start of the season, but we have really found our identity and the way we want to play pretty quickly.
“We have improved a huge deal and by performing well in Europe and competing with the best teams and more good results will show how far we have come as a group.”
S4C – Saturday, 5.15pm: Dragons v Pau. Live coverage of the match between the Dragons and Pau in the EPCR Challenge Cup, from Rodney Parade. Kick off 5.30pm.
There has been a lot of change since the start of the season, but we have really found our identity and the way we want to play pretty quickly...
