Head Coach Dai Flanagan wants his Dragons to show a true identity and play ‘a Gwent way’ when the new BKT United Rugby Championship season kicks-off this Saturday at Rodney Parade.
The Men of Gwent welcome Welsh rivals Ospreys to Newport for a derby that is sure to generate a big spectacle on home soil.
Ahead of the big date, Flanagan has spoken about the progress made in pre-season and how he now hopes that can turn into a statement performance on day one.
“The things we’ve really focused on over the last eight or nine weeks is being a high-performance team. You'll see good athletes, top end professionals, entering the field in better shape and lasting longer.
“There will also be an identity, a Gwent way, and if you watch certain parts of pre-season games, you can start seeing that. Hopefully on Saturday you'll see us put that into one performance.
“It's the Gwent way with a big pack, uncompromising, tough to play against.
“My experience with Gwent growing up was going to Newbridge, Pontypool, Ebbw Vale to watch these teams, and it’s tough, it's physical, it's big.
“But certain parts of Gwent, like Newport, add this stardust and a style of play everyone's proud to be part of. In Gwent we have a blend of both and that's what we're looking to.
“Pre-season has been tough. But the players have worked extremely hard, and they've flourished through it, they've relished it,” he added.
“They've come in to get better every day and we've seen a massive shift behavioural and physically.
“We've seen elements in each pre-season game, when we have put mix and match teams out, of what we can do, what we can bring, and we're excited that we're ready to go.”
Meanwhile, Flanagan has given his first squad update of the week ahead of the team announcement on Friday.
“Everyone got through the Bath game and we will have three or four into the 23 as well, which will be good for us,” said Flanagan.
“Elliot (Dee) is still a week or two away from being fit to return from injury while Taine (Basham) needs consistency of training because he has had a rather difficult summer with niggly issues around tendonitis.
“We will get them both right and they will be back right pretty soon.”
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There will also be an identity, a Gwent way, and if you watch certain parts of pre-season games, you can start seeing that. Hopefully on Saturday you'll see us put that into one performance...
