Head Coach Dai Flanagan insisted there was lots to be optimistic about after the clash with Hollywoodbets Sharks – but conceded the manner of the late defeat was ‘hard to swallow’.
The Men of Gwent went toe-to-toe with the South African powerhouses as the teams served up a nine-try BKT United Rugby Championship classic at Rodney Parade.
Tries from player of the match Taine Basham, Chris Coleman, Rhodri Williams, and Ben Carter secured a try bonus point.
But a 21-point burst from the visitors around half-time and score in the fifth minute of injury time saw the Sharks snatch the win and leave Dai Flanagan’s men with two points instead of a home maximum.
“There is lots to be optimistic about, but it was that ten-minute blip and some skill set that cost us the outcome at the end,” said Flanagan.
“It’s a step forward, we took a few more chances this week and the kicking game first half was spot on. It gave us entry and energy.
“It’s just hard to swallow when you lose that late on. It’s the other side of it after we beat Ospreys late on.
“We didn’t have to put ourselves in that position if we had been better after half-time. That is the learning for us.
“The try before half-time was a little too easy for them to score, after just scoring ourselves.
“If took them four minutes with the last play to get the win and we are a bounce of the ball away from finishing it off.
“Aneurin (Owen) makes a good read, but the ball bounces the wrong way, and we lose the game. If it bounces another way, we are another five points on the board.”
Flanagan was keen to take the positives from the performance and vowed to remain process driven to ensure long-term growth in the team.
“We’re really focused on process not outcome. We must be because we don’t just want to win these games; we want to win a lot more games. If we focus on outcome week by week we will never grow,” he stated.
“Certain parts of the game were positive. Our scrum held out well, our launch attack was good, our physicality was there against one of the most powerful teams in the league. We’ve got to continue to do that.”
Flanagan was also had praise for back row duo Taine Basham and Shane Lewis-Hughes after impressive home displays.
“Taine was all-action, as we know he can be, and that’s the start from him,” he said.
“Shane’s been excellent too. He had a massive impact at the start of that game, with two turnovers and set piece work. He has transformed the maul D with Sam Hobbs as coach.
“It gives confidence to our pack to believe if teams want to go five metres out last minute, we will stop them.
“We have to remain process focussed, be as physical as we are being and recover well. That is our focus to make better players for this club.”
There is lots to be optimistic about, but it was that ten-minute blip and some skill set that cost us the outcome at the end...
