Captain Aneurin Owen urged Dragons to adopt the same physicality when they face Ospreys in another massive BKT United Rugby Championship derby fixture this weekend.
The Men of Gwent were left frustrated in the capital last time out as Scarlets edged an absorbing JDX encounter.
Filo Tiatia’s men now make the trip west to the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday afternoon to face Ospreys – themselves looking to bounce back after a capital loss to Cardiff Rugby.
Owen acknowledges Dragons will need to be more accurate and cost out costly mistakes and penalties in Swansea.
But he also believes the physicality they showed at Principality Stadium must now be the standard for the final three rounds with Ospreys first up before a trip to South Africa.
“I thought we turned up physically. We spoke about it in the week ahead of the game and I felt our defence was a big improvement,” he stated.
“We were physically there, but it was a result that sums our season up. Little mistakes and penalties have cost us games when we have been in games.
“We have got to finish chances and cut the mistakes out.
“We have got to pick ourselves back up, we have another derby to look forward to, and go again physically and are also mentally strong,” he added.
“We must turn up with that physicality every week. In terms of mindset, we are there, the boys are working extremely hard, but we must learn quicker to get rid of those costly small errors.
“Our discipline must be better. We take a foothold in a game like that (against Scarlets), get in the lead, but we are just not able to close it out.
“We have got another derby now and we have to go again and get up for it because it’s another big game and another opportunity.”
We have got another derby now and we have to go again and get up for it because it’s another big game and another opportunity...
