:00:23. > :00:38.It is round three of the RaboDirect PRO12 and it is Derby time.
:00:38. > :00:53.John Davies in his 100th game. Who will be best when East meets West?
:00:53. > :01:05.It is the first Welsh derby of the season. The draggers -- the Dragons
:01:05. > :01:10.against the Scarlets. John Barclay making his debut for the Scarlets
:01:11. > :01:16.this evening. A real carnival atmosphere. They are expecting a
:01:16. > :01:25.full capacity crowd. The children are being put through their paces at
:01:25. > :01:32.Rodney Parade. The rain has gone and we are in late evening sunshine.
:01:32. > :01:40.Welcome to the programme. Both sides of the East-West divide are
:01:40. > :01:45.represented here. A quick reminder of the fortunes of both teams so
:01:45. > :01:51.far. There is a revolution underway at Rodney Parade. Last year, the
:01:51. > :01:57.Jones boys were either coaching London Welsh or in the studio. Now
:01:57. > :02:05.they are in charge of the Dragons. Gareth Davies has taken over as
:02:05. > :02:10.chief executive. The big story this season was somebody staying. Toby
:02:10. > :02:19.Faletau has put pen to paper on a new contract and resisting the money
:02:19. > :02:30.on offer over the Channel. There was a dream start when they beat the
:02:30. > :02:36.runners-up from last year. But last week was not so sweet. Defeat
:02:37. > :02:48.against Edinburgh. Tonight, they will come the Scarlets will have
:02:48. > :02:51.also won one match and last another. -- last another. They bounced back
:02:51. > :03:03.to beat Treviso in style. An intriguing encounter awaits. As
:03:03. > :03:10.we saw there, the Jones boys at Intel. How quickly can a new regime
:03:10. > :03:19.in both their philosophy and change the fortunes of a side around? They
:03:19. > :03:24.can do it very quickly. He did a fantastic job at London Welsh last
:03:24. > :03:32.year. He will focus on a couple of areas in the game. One of those
:03:32. > :03:35.areas will be the defence. They have only conceded 20 points so far this
:03:35. > :03:44.season and they will look to maintain that. What is he like as a
:03:44. > :03:50.motivator? He has come in. Nobody knows where he is coming from. Every
:03:50. > :03:56.time he speaks, people hang on his every word. He puts in little
:03:56. > :04:03.differences and finishing touches. The detail he puts in gets people
:04:03. > :04:09.attention. These sites have been renowned for their forward power in
:04:09. > :04:24.the past. What do you make of the pack at the moment? I enjoyed
:04:25. > :04:32.playing for Wales with Thomas. He is up against the shared it with Ken
:04:32. > :04:41.Owens tonight. When I was here, Andrew Coombs was on the fringe. He
:04:41. > :04:49.is now a senior player. He is dragging everyone through. It is a
:04:49. > :04:53.massive change. Toby Faletau is a superstar. Everyone thought he would
:04:53. > :05:00.be moving from Wales. But above statement is that the ambition of
:05:00. > :05:03.the club? They have been able to hold onto himself all credit for
:05:03. > :05:08.that. He gets his team on the front foot. When you get that, you are
:05:08. > :05:13.playing with a different type of ball. He is very powerful and
:05:13. > :05:22.unassuming. He is only going to get better. Big things expected from
:05:22. > :05:33.Toby Faletau this season. We have heard all about the coach. A
:05:33. > :05:37.pleasing start. This is a local derby. Big expectation and a big
:05:37. > :05:48.crowd. Comet today up is this the night? First up, it was a high
:05:49. > :05:58.intensity match. The Scarlets will be highly motivated. It is not just
:05:58. > :06:03.five points we have picked up. We have conceded and at 25 points as
:06:03. > :06:07.well which is a big plus for us. We went to make life difficult for the
:06:07. > :06:16.scallops and we will fight for the points. Any worries about their
:06:16. > :06:20.scrum? It is a challenge for as. We have been preparing all week for
:06:20. > :06:27.many facets of their attack. The scrum is one of those. It is a test
:06:27. > :06:37.for both sides this evening. He was very calm ahead of the big test.
:06:37. > :06:42.Sean Holley is our that is in our analysis track tonight. They have
:06:42. > :06:48.spent a lot of time in the breakdown and on defence this summer. When a
:06:48. > :06:53.debt that takes a bit more time to improve an is the set piece. Nigel
:06:53. > :06:58.Owens will really need to be on his mettle. It is interesting that the
:06:58. > :07:01.new protocols allow the opposition mettle. It is interesting that the
:07:01. > :07:08.to know when the ball has been fed in. It results in a bit of pressure.
:07:08. > :07:16.Nigel Owens will be looking for the crooked feet. Will we see an
:07:16. > :07:19.infringement? Asda have a square scrum and apply a lot of pressure so
:07:19. > :07:32.the number eight has difficulty at his feet. They will need all the
:07:33. > :07:37.scrimmage. It is a crucial area in the game tonight. They will need to
:07:37. > :07:42.be on their mettle for this. Take a look at this. It is crucial to stop
:07:42. > :07:47.a rolling maul by dealing with the lifters. They set up their drive and
:07:47. > :07:51.the Dragons will be looking to strip away those lifters, upon them to the
:07:51. > :07:59.floor and in this case they do not do it. The ball is protected at the
:07:59. > :08:06.back where Roger Wilson is holding it. He eventually makes it easy and
:08:06. > :08:12.scores. In contrast, it is a confident area at the moment for the
:08:12. > :08:17.opposition. Look for the Scarlets to keep the ball and impose themselves.
:08:17. > :08:28.Once they have the upper hand, they have the lightning quick Gareth
:08:28. > :08:33.Davies and Shingler. Danny Wilson has worked on this. They will look
:08:33. > :08:45.to squeeze them. A great new signing for the Scarlets. Look out for him
:08:45. > :08:51.tonight. John Barclay. He missed the first two rounds through injury. We
:08:51. > :09:00.can hear the thoughts of the head coach. It has been no secret that
:09:00. > :09:05.the scrum has been a great weapon. How much of a platform are you
:09:06. > :09:10.looking to get from that tonight? We have dealt with the new law is
:09:10. > :09:14.pretty well. It is something that has gone reasonably well fires in
:09:14. > :09:21.the first couple of games will stop game and every front row and forward
:09:21. > :09:28.pack has different good and bad points. We had to make sure we are
:09:28. > :09:38.right for the money. As a rugby man, how are you -- how excited are you
:09:38. > :09:42.about some of the matchups? There are a feel of them. It is great we
:09:42. > :09:49.have an early chance to have a derby game. Hopefully, it will live up to
:09:49. > :09:59.the billing. The pages in superb condition. We are looking forward to
:09:59. > :10:03.the game. Best of luck. The scrum for the Scarlett has become a
:10:03. > :10:09.powerful attacking weapon. Where has it come from? Danny Wilson has
:10:09. > :10:17.brought a different mentality to the pack. Samson Lee has emerged over
:10:17. > :10:20.the last couple of years. Particularly with the new
:10:20. > :10:29.interpretation of the laws for the scrum. He fits the bill perfectly.
:10:29. > :10:36.He is difficult to deal with. Samson Lee has been earning plaudits. I
:10:36. > :10:42.He is difficult to deal with. Samson have no idea what they do in there.
:10:42. > :10:48.I just stick my head where the head does not shine and do what they tell
:10:48. > :10:54.me. They have hurdles and committing practices when we go away. They do
:10:54. > :11:01.not let many people in. They earn their trust there. It will be a
:11:02. > :11:09.crucial battle. A fascinating insight. The centre battle is a big
:11:09. > :11:14.one tonight. An established international partnership with the
:11:14. > :11:22.Scarlets. Jonathan Davies is back. It is fantastic to see him back. He
:11:22. > :11:29.is electric on the ball and is very quick and powerful. He brings
:11:29. > :11:32.defenders towards him. The two young boys in the Dragons will have their
:11:32. > :11:42.work cut out for them. But by no means will it be one-way traffic.
:11:42. > :11:48.They will be relishing the opportunity to go up against a
:11:48. > :11:52.British Lion. Steve Shingler has withdrawn late with an Achilles
:11:52. > :12:04.injury. Phil Steele can tell us more. He has an Achilles injury.
:12:04. > :12:07.Gareth Owen comes into full back. Rhys Priestland, I understand, will
:12:08. > :12:12.take over the goal-kicking duties for the first time this season. A
:12:12. > :12:22.fantastic atmosphere here. Conditions are fantastic. Newport
:12:22. > :12:32.County play here as do the Newport rugby team. Coming into the stadium,
:12:32. > :12:40.people were wearing dragon shirts. You would not have seen that last
:12:40. > :12:50.season. That is a real good -- feel-good factor here. It is very
:12:50. > :13:00.exciting. We are all looking forward to this. That is Welsh language
:13:00. > :13:05.commentary on the red button. It is time to cross to our commentators.
:13:05. > :13:15.Thank you very much. A great crowd and a great atmosphere. Thankfully,
:13:15. > :13:21.good conditions as well. It is a lovely evening at Rodney Parade. For
:13:21. > :13:49.the returning lions and for the rest of them, it could not be any better.
:13:49. > :13:56.John Barclay will not be 27 until next week. It seems he has been
:13:56. > :14:10.around for a number of years. He will be a big influence tonight
:14:10. > :14:17.because he is a genuine open side. They're with evidence is not a
:14:17. > :14:21.natural open side. It could be quite telling later. The fireworks before
:14:21. > :14:31.hand and the home crowd will be hoping for the same once the game
:14:31. > :14:46.commences. Jason Tovey will have a big part to play this evening.
:14:46. > :15:27.Alice Thomas accepted last position for the Scarlet.
:15:27. > :15:39.-- perfect conditions. Immediately, a first touch for Toby Faletau.
:15:39. > :16:32.Getting a few yards under the belt. The ball goes out of play with just
:16:32. > :16:42.eight minutes played. I expect the Dragons to be quite eager
:16:42. > :16:49.defensively. A very good kicking game. I can imagine very similar
:16:50. > :17:55.tonight for them. Too much for Barclay. One of the
:17:55. > :18:02.Dragons players is down, I am not sure who he is. It is good to see
:18:02. > :18:08.the Scarlet onto the target. It was kicked a couple of times early in
:18:08. > :18:13.the game. That was quite a loose pass there. There is no way Barclay
:18:13. > :18:31.was going to get that. John Barclay missed the beginning of
:18:31. > :18:35.the season with an injury. It does not look good. I think he is all
:18:36. > :18:56.right and getting back on his feet. He definitely lost the ball they
:18:56. > :19:16.are, didn't he? He twisted his ankle as he went over.
:19:16. > :19:34.What a contrast to the deluge last week. The former Blues player, Rhys
:19:35. > :19:39.Thomas. You have to plant that puts to get the strike. -- plans that
:19:39. > :19:58.puts. A penalty on its way. That was an
:19:58. > :20:11.interesting decision for Tovey. Hang on. It will be Tom Prydie. He will
:20:11. > :20:16.have a crack at it. That is what the Dragons will do, they will defend
:20:16. > :20:22.and try to get opportunities. Good tackle. I think he rolls away. There
:20:22. > :20:42.is a penalty. Tom Prydie, in his second year with
:20:42. > :20:52.the Dragons. He does not waste any time. That is a great kick. That is
:20:52. > :21:00.an excellent kick from Tom Prydie, and it is the Dragons. No mistake.
:21:00. > :21:22.One line out. Three points. That is just what the Dragons will
:21:22. > :21:31.have wanted, get the building blocks in place. There was no hang time on
:21:31. > :21:38.its, no chase. They get the ball back and it was a very good kick.
:21:38. > :22:04.Why not compete for it? That is a good drive from the
:22:04. > :22:11.Scarlet 's. I am not sure how legal that is.
:22:11. > :22:15.A very good drive, though. If the referee is happy with it, it will
:22:15. > :22:25.carry on. Great play, Andrew Coombs. A good
:22:25. > :23:11.pace. Strong pace. He goes straight over the top. They
:23:11. > :23:26.cannot shift him. That is a very easy penalty, Nigel Owens.
:23:26. > :23:38.Andrew Coombs stepped up to the plate last year, did a great job.
:23:38. > :23:51.Matthew Screech took it down, all right.
:23:51. > :24:15.What a great kick that is. Great play. Dragons, looking to attack
:24:15. > :24:29.again. The Dragons are certainly in command
:24:29. > :24:45.at the moment. I do not know whether Tom Prydie got
:24:45. > :25:02.it down or not. It is a very close call. It is all about the feet.
:25:02. > :25:20.It is a great tackle. Does he get the ball down? I think he is in. He
:25:20. > :25:28.is in touch. That is a great tackle by Priestland. Good tackle. Superb
:25:28. > :26:15.tackle by Rhys Priestland. The Welsh management. They are
:26:15. > :26:20.keeping a close eye on things as the autumn internationals get ever
:26:20. > :26:29.nearer. That was a great bit of work by Rhys Priestland. It is good to
:26:29. > :26:42.see him back at full fitness. They are really putting Davies under
:26:42. > :27:03.pressure. That was not an easy kick. Jon Davies has got a left foot.
:27:03. > :27:16.Rhys Thomas could not cope with the ankle injury. A chance for the
:27:16. > :27:22.Scarlet 's to clear the lines. They do not have much time.
:27:22. > :27:37.Just watch. Great charge by Toby Faletau. The pressure from the
:27:37. > :27:43.Dragons is relentless. They are not letting the Scarlet get away from
:27:43. > :27:51.their own try line. They really are hounding them at every opportunity.
:27:51. > :27:56.Even though they lost their own ball, every time the Scarlet had it,
:27:56. > :28:00.they have no time at all to settle and clear. This is a great position
:28:00. > :28:29.for the Dragons. Lewis Evans did well to support. The
:28:29. > :28:38.two Dragon centres, always an option. I think that was Barclay.
:28:38. > :28:49.This is like a free play now. Give it a crack. Go for it, just go for
:28:49. > :28:51.it. Evans with the first thrust towards the try line. Lovely ball
:28:51. > :29:03.over the top. They did not need the penalty
:29:03. > :29:18.advantage. Phil Price get the Dragons award for all the pressure.
:29:18. > :29:23.Just watch. Gotze to make the tackle. Two men on the tackle. --
:29:23. > :29:32.got to make the tackle. Great play. His partner is the
:29:32. > :29:48.beneficiary. A lovely strike from Jason Tovey.
:29:48. > :30:08.What they start from the Dragons! Just some there was Rhys Thomas. A
:30:08. > :30:14.left ankle problem. We understand he went over on it so it is a sprain.
:30:14. > :30:28.Is encased in ice in front of me. The Scarlets knew they would have a
:30:28. > :30:38.warm reception at Rodney Parade. The Dragons are on fire in the opening
:30:38. > :30:39.ten minutes. The knock-off came off Jonathan Davies. They were
:30:39. > :30:59.fortunate. No quick flow from the Scarlets. The
:30:59. > :31:05.Scarlett have numbered of correctly. This man is going to come in. He has
:31:05. > :31:10.to stop him. The off-load makes running an. He has to close the
:31:10. > :31:32.ball. The off-load just makes that drive.
:31:32. > :31:44.That was a dreadful pass. They have put themselves under pressure. Just
:31:45. > :31:58.for a moment, the Dragons thought they could sniff a turnover.
:31:58. > :32:01.Advantage was still being played. I think the Scarlets are going to
:32:01. > :32:11.lateral at the moment. They have a lot of ball but they are not making
:32:11. > :32:19.the hard yards. The Dragons are more spread out. I think the Scarlets
:32:19. > :32:28.have got to just take up the middle before they go wide. The Dragons
:32:28. > :32:33.defence is spread well. It is a good tactical game for the Dragons.
:32:33. > :32:43.Nothing fancy. They are taking it up and they are ten points in front.
:32:43. > :32:49.One mistake, penalty kick and a try on the off-load. The Dragons have
:32:49. > :33:30.been very clinical. Nothing silly. The Scarlets just got it away in
:33:30. > :33:45.time. Straight over the ball. There is some fierce competition there.
:33:45. > :33:57.That is against Jack Dixon from Notre tailing off the back feet.
:33:57. > :34:16.They are doing well at the breakdown. Interesting for Rhys
:34:16. > :34:23.Priestland, in the first two games, Stephen Shingler has been the
:34:23. > :34:27.placekicker. After being able to concentrate on his outside half
:34:27. > :34:55.duties, Shingler is absent tonight. That will do nicely for Rhys
:34:55. > :34:59.Priestland and the Scarlett as they get their first points of the
:34:59. > :35:12.evening. A nice easy one for Rhys Priestland to start off.
:35:12. > :35:24.The Scarlets have beaten the Dragons the last ten times.
:35:24. > :35:33.The Dragons this year appear to be a different prospect. They are
:35:33. > :35:41.hounding everything in sight. They have got the ball back. Dan Evans
:35:41. > :36:53.goes straight through. The Scarlett are stretched again.
:36:53. > :37:04.Gareth Owen as down injured. A loose ball. Dan Evans just slept on it.
:37:04. > :37:10.Keeping it alive. Same again from the skipper. Some magic hands
:37:11. > :37:23.keeping the ball alive and away from the touchline. Dan Evans get past
:37:23. > :37:36.his man. Almost up to the try line. They are within striking distance.
:37:36. > :37:41.It is still on. Daniel Evans arrived and the former Scarlett gets a try
:37:41. > :37:51.which took so long in coming. Eventually, they brought the Rodney
:37:51. > :37:58.Parade crowd to raptures. The support kept on coming. A great
:37:58. > :38:08.drive up the middle. It is the pace and the recycling. A quick ball and
:38:08. > :38:15.a late to pass. A lovely run. That was a great tackle.
:38:15. > :38:23.Richie Rees has the confidence to pick his man. A great something
:38:23. > :38:34.tackle from Jonathan Davies. Richie Rees weights and presents to Dan
:38:34. > :38:46.Evans. Well weighted and perfectly weighted. Gareth Owen was on the ten
:38:46. > :38:55.metre line receiving treatment. He lasted a quarter of the game. He was
:38:55. > :39:03.not meant to start. He was a late replacement for Steve Shingler who
:39:03. > :39:11.picked up an Achilles injury. What an opening quarter for the Dragons!
:39:11. > :39:22.The ball was cleared. He only had to get to that man. He holds. He runs
:39:22. > :39:30.up. Great off the ball running by Dan Evans. Good communication. The
:39:30. > :39:41.pace the recycling pushed the defence too far.
:39:41. > :40:04.They are claiming a high tackle on Matthew Screech. Nic Reynolds is the
:40:04. > :40:10.man who has come an. -- come on. The Scarlets have to keep possession
:40:10. > :40:23.now. The forwards have to carry the ball. At the moment, they cannot
:40:23. > :40:24.cope with the Dragons. Ken Owens trying to do what Jonathan was
:40:24. > :41:12.suggesting, carry. Richie Rees comes across and cuts
:41:12. > :41:17.out the danger. The pace of the ball they are recycling makes the
:41:17. > :41:26.difference at the moment. Liam Williams is now back at full-back.
:41:26. > :41:36.Still in play. Toby Faletau sweeps it out immediately to Dan Evans.
:41:36. > :41:42.Jordan Williams pulls out of it that the last moment. If Lewis Evans had
:41:42. > :41:49.been more aware, as it is, the Scarlets could get something from
:41:49. > :41:54.it. The game is playing at an incredible pace. The Scarlets will
:41:54. > :41:57.have to go wide now. They have gone the wrong way. A lot of loose
:41:57. > :42:09.passes. They are taking a lot of possession
:42:09. > :43:06.away, the Scarlets. A lovely step and go from Ken Owens.
:43:06. > :43:33.He could not pick anyone out in the traffic. A lovely run by Ken Owens.
:43:33. > :43:36.Just the loose pass. A lovely step. Just a couple of loose passes.
:43:36. > :44:02.Knock-on. Nigel Owens, grateful of the
:44:02. > :44:14.opportunity for a drop of water. He has an eye for detail. It matches
:44:14. > :44:17.his socks and jersey. He is a fashion icon. He had a haircut this
:44:17. > :44:33.morning ready for the game. The Scarlets needed points and Rhys
:44:33. > :44:55.Priestland supplied them. Plenty for Danny Wilson and Simon
:44:55. > :45:17.Easterby and Mark Jones to be discussing.
:45:17. > :45:23.I think there has been one scrum so far. They have not had a chance to
:45:23. > :46:37.get any pressure. Fast and loose. Great play, Lewis Evans. Wonderful
:46:37. > :47:08.turn over. Jonathan Davies was a tackler,
:47:08. > :47:41.wasn't he? Another great corner cover tackle.
:47:41. > :47:49.Loose ball. The Dragons seemed a lot sharper. Saul the opportunity --
:47:49. > :48:04.they saw the opportunity. What a brilliant tackle, McCusker.
:48:04. > :48:20.That is great corner flagging from McCusker. I think I heard another
:48:20. > :48:26.commentator sneaked behind us. We have been hearing about the
:48:26. > :48:36.off-loading game. , Chevy put into that? -- how much effort have you
:48:36. > :48:43.put into that? You are not worried about it begins fast and loose? We
:48:43. > :48:50.can break the game up. We can make things happen. There was a great
:48:50. > :48:51.tackle there. This is a good spectacle of rugby tonight. Thank
:48:51. > :50:38.you. What a game eight is turning out to
:50:38. > :50:50.be. -- what a game it is turning out to be. A great tackle. Last ditch to
:50:50. > :51:01.get the ball on the floor. Amos just got there. Jonathan Davies new he
:51:01. > :51:24.could just twirl out of it and get the ball back into play.
:51:24. > :51:37.The pass was held till the last moment. It was close. The Scarlets
:51:37. > :51:49.'s are desperate for a score behind -- before half-time.
:51:49. > :51:55.Scott Williams dances his way through. All of that pressure for
:51:55. > :52:08.the Scarlets has turned into points finally. Boy, did they need it. Just
:52:08. > :52:17.watch here. He comes inside. Great step.
:52:17. > :52:25.A lovely step, isn't it? Scott Williams news he was up against the
:52:25. > :52:59.replacement hooker. Priestland wants to make absolutely
:52:59. > :53:17.sure, even though he is well in the 22.
:53:17. > :53:41.Suddenly, it is 2-1. Stop it there. There is a forward bear. -- a
:53:41. > :53:54.forward bear. The whole is too big. That is the defensive area. The gap
:53:54. > :54:00.is too big. Now they are beginning to try and play a bit of rugby
:54:00. > :54:04.again. It cost them early on. I think they were not clinical
:54:04. > :54:06.enough. They had a lots of opportunities and they kicked far
:54:06. > :54:20.too much ball away. Jordan Williams is the smallest
:54:20. > :54:35.player on the field. They needed that, the Dragons. The
:54:35. > :54:47.Scarlets have taken the game by the scruff of the neck. Priestland was
:54:47. > :54:56.hoping, but no, it was inched perfectly by Jason Tovey.
:54:56. > :55:05.The first half has positively flown by. There are four minutes
:55:05. > :55:06.remaining. The Scarlets 's will not want it to end now. They have really
:55:06. > :55:27.come good. The ball was not in his possession.
:55:27. > :55:34.Groves was just a little bit too eager. Fine margins, but as Nigel
:55:34. > :55:37.Owens is explaining, if you are going to take the scrum-half, he has
:55:37. > :56:05.to have the ball in his possession. He has got his hands on it. You
:56:05. > :56:08.cannot blame it Groves for going for it. It is just a matter of
:56:08. > :56:44.interpretation. Nick Reynolds won the battle in the
:56:44. > :56:45.air, but could not control it. That is a lottery. Jonathan Davies was
:56:45. > :57:01.there lurking. Toby Faletau picked it up and went.
:57:01. > :57:43.They have got to give him options. Liam Williams was stretching out his
:57:43. > :58:37.arms. Kept alive by Priestland. One more play. It has been a very
:58:37. > :59:16.entertaining first half. They had back to the changing rooms
:59:16. > :59:20.in what has been a very enjoyable first half. Dragons took the
:59:20. > :59:25.opportunities very well. The Scarlets have clawed their way back
:59:25. > :59:36.into the game. The Scarlets have clawed their way back in. It was a
:59:36. > :59:42.fantastic first have to watch. What was it like to play? We started
:59:42. > :59:51.well. We were disappointed, we have to work harder. If we tighten up our
:59:51. > :59:56.back three, we are looking good. It was really good. We played some good
:59:56. > :00:08.stuff. We will have to start well again on the second half. The
:00:08. > :00:23.Cardiff Blues are trailing against zebra Seabrook.
:00:24. > :00:35.It has been an explosive game so far. The Dragons stretch their lead
:00:35. > :00:44.further. Just when the Dragons appeared to be running away with
:00:44. > :00:50.it, the Scarlets hit back. It is very much game an apt Rodney Parade.
:00:50. > :01:17.-- game on. For a Welsh derby, the first rung of
:01:17. > :01:23.the season, it has everything you would have wanted. You are expecting
:01:23. > :01:30.a strip scrappy game with lots digs going in. But the Dragons opened up
:01:30. > :01:36.superbly. Just what they wanted. They really came out and put the
:01:36. > :01:43.pressure on the Scarlets. They made the Scarlets play in their own half.
:01:43. > :01:50.They made six handling errors. The pressure, they scored a try but they
:01:50. > :01:57.had a feel of clear cut chances. The Scarlets have realised what is going
:01:57. > :02:06.on and they are playing more down at the other end. Are you surprised at
:02:06. > :02:12.the Temple of the first half? It has been a fantastic game of rugby.
:02:12. > :02:16.There has been a lot of kicking. They have put a lot of pressure on
:02:16. > :02:21.the Scarlets. Richie Rees has been at the heart of everything the
:02:21. > :02:27.Dragons have done. He is creating all sort of problems for the
:02:27. > :02:39.Scarlets. Some fantastic last-gasp tackling. That has saved the
:02:39. > :02:46.Scarlets quite a long. They have come back into the game and put
:02:46. > :02:50.pressure on the Dragons. The Scarlets may be fortunate to be only
:02:50. > :03:00.four points down after the first half. They have been no Scarlets
:03:00. > :03:02.scrums in the Dragons half. Let us look at the first try. It is
:03:02. > :03:23.important to see the build-up. They followed on the far side. The
:03:23. > :03:26.foreword for the Dragons pull back. It is a great off-load but they hold
:03:26. > :03:34.their width and it is a great finish. It was a great off-load.
:03:34. > :03:40.Gareth Owen had no choice but to try and come in and take him. It was
:03:40. > :03:49.brave. You are exposing your ribs on that. We can go to the second try
:03:49. > :03:56.now. Only about ten minutes after that, the Dragons went further ahead
:03:56. > :04:03.on the scoreboard. Dan Evans scored that. It is important that we look
:04:03. > :04:13.at the build-up. It happened a long way back. The coach will like this.
:04:13. > :04:20.It is around the halfway line. It is about exploiting off-load and
:04:20. > :04:26.putting people into space. Quick passes and then getting to the quick
:04:26. > :04:31.men. A bit of elevated play. Matthew Screech looks like he will check it
:04:31. > :04:39.out but then he comes behind the Dan Evans. Dan Evans works hard to get
:04:39. > :04:45.on the outside and that is a great score from the Dragons. I guess
:04:45. > :04:48.there was a point there when we thought Toby Faletau had taken the
:04:48. > :04:53.wrong option. But they chose the composure at the Dragons have got to
:04:53. > :04:59.carry on and scored the try. They have great energy as a team. They
:04:59. > :05:03.have good efficiencies in the breakdown. They are keeping their
:05:03. > :05:13.width in an attack individually. They made it difficult for the
:05:13. > :05:18.Scarlets. Dan Evans loved that. Absolutely. He would have enjoyed
:05:18. > :05:25.that. It looked as if it was one-way traffic up until that. But the
:05:25. > :05:34.Scarlets strike back? They had made 45 carries in and only 16 were over
:05:34. > :05:41.the gain line. That is a line-out in the half. Scott Williams looks like
:05:41. > :05:47.he will carry the tape on the Jonathan Davies. They switchblade.
:05:47. > :05:50.They pulled back from the line-out and Gareth Davies does well to
:05:50. > :06:00.exploit the forwards. You can see all of the defensive structure is or
:06:00. > :06:08.that -- is not organised for the Dragons. They exploit the space and
:06:08. > :06:14.the feet of Scott Williams does the work. They have tightened things up
:06:14. > :06:22.as the first half progressed. They were pretty loose in the first 20
:06:22. > :06:26.minutes. When you go away from home, you do not want to be like that.
:06:26. > :06:32.They allowed the Dragons to rattle them. It was what the Dragons
:06:32. > :06:42.wanted. They want to get in amongst them and make them make mistakes.
:06:42. > :06:53.That first trip sort of set the tone. It went into touch and frumpy
:06:53. > :06:58.and from the ensuing line-out they kicked the first three points. It
:06:58. > :07:04.set the tone for the first 20 minutes. An intriguing second half
:07:04. > :07:32.on the way. There's plenty more action coming your way this weekend.
:07:32. > :07:45.You cannot paper over the cracks. We have to expose them and gouge them
:07:45. > :07:51.out and filled them in properly. That is a possibility that you can
:07:51. > :07:58.play better than your opposite number but the selectors will look
:07:58. > :08:01.at you. You have to educate their thinking and expand the thought
:08:01. > :08:13.process. They are in charge of their destiny.
:08:13. > :08:25.Intriguing stuff there from the coach. He adds laying down the law
:08:25. > :08:43.there for the Dragons. A close encounter for the Cardiff Blues.
:08:43. > :09:00.We can go back to the touchline now. Phil is with Gareth Davies. He is
:09:00. > :09:10.now the chief executive of the Dragons. That drop goal against
:09:10. > :09:20.Newport. What year was that? I think it was every year. What did you
:09:20. > :09:26.think of the first-half performance? It was a good game. The Dragons
:09:26. > :09:33.started stronger and the Scarlets came back in the closing minutes. A
:09:34. > :09:39.cracker of a game. It is a good product tonight. What are the
:09:40. > :09:47.problems facing you as new chief executive? The performances will be
:09:47. > :09:52.critical. A sustainable business moving forward is important. I think
:09:52. > :09:58.the whole question of the region, the identity, the fact a product
:09:58. > :10:02.like tonight should be available for everybody in Monmouthshire and
:10:02. > :10:08.Newport to be able to enjoy and feel proud of the team. What is it like
:10:08. > :10:25.to be applauded by a Rodney Parade crowd? I never thought I would see
:10:25. > :10:28.the day. I am sure some of the old diehards in Cardiff will think I am
:10:28. > :10:36.a traitor. But it is a great opportunity. We can keep the coach
:10:36. > :10:43.very animated in the coach at half-time. We spoke about the
:10:43. > :10:51.motivation. Have you seen anything from the way the Dragons are playing
:10:51. > :10:56.that has his improvement? The control and the confidence. They are
:10:56. > :11:01.actually playing. The Dragons have not beaten the Scarlets for the last
:11:01. > :11:07.ten games. They have come here and all of a sudden you see a different
:11:07. > :11:12.team. All of a sudden, they are putting off-loads together. They
:11:12. > :11:18.have had their own in the scrums and they are holding their own. In the
:11:18. > :11:24.second half, they need to keep the pressure on the Scarlets like they
:11:24. > :11:30.did in the first 20 minutes. Can the Scarlets pull this back? It'll be
:11:30. > :11:36.interesting to see if the Scarlets can hold up the tempo. If they can
:11:36. > :11:42.maintain that, it should be a can hold up the tempo. If they can
:11:42. > :11:47.fantastic game. The players are about to take to the pitch for the
:11:47. > :11:48.second half. Welsh language commentary continues on your red
:11:48. > :12:02.button now. No changes to either side from what
:12:02. > :12:08.I can see so far to the side that finished the first half. I dare say
:12:08. > :12:16.they will be chances for the people on the bench if the game carries on
:12:16. > :12:25.at the same pace. Interesting, I think confidence as Ian Gough said.
:12:25. > :12:29.It is nice to see the ball in hand and they are looking far more
:12:29. > :12:36.confident. The Scarlets were a little bit uneasy and kicked a bit
:12:36. > :12:49.too much ball away. They went lateral far too much. For the
:12:49. > :12:58.Dragons, I feel territory as vital. -- is vital. They have to play in
:12:58. > :13:01.the heart of the Scarlets. Richie Rees into the gap. Immediately,
:13:01. > :13:28.pulling the Scarlets out. Rob McCusker does the first job of
:13:28. > :13:52.taking the pressure off. Rhys Priestland takes it downfield.
:13:52. > :14:02.Good controlled play. I think Rob McCusker may have taken a knock from
:14:03. > :14:39.Liam Williams when they went up for that high ball.
:14:39. > :14:46.Liam Williams just watched the balance. Jordan Williams tries to
:14:46. > :14:54.blag the corners. He does so successfully. That will just put
:14:54. > :15:01.them back on their haunches a little bit. Territory will be a crucial
:15:01. > :15:10.factor. That is where the set piece might become very powerful. They
:15:10. > :15:24.cannot afford to make mistakes in this area.
:15:24. > :15:33.He found his skipper that time. Toby Faletau tries to win a little more
:15:33. > :15:42.time for that partnership. Rees and Tovey did not have the
:15:42. > :16:25.happiest time at the Blues. Good play, Ken Owens. Offside, isn't
:16:25. > :16:31.he? I am not sure if he was offside. I thought Ken Owens may have
:16:31. > :16:35.dislodged the ball there. We will have to see that. Gustafson does
:16:35. > :16:59.well. Just feel momentum. The Scarlets
:16:59. > :17:08.have to pick the tempo up. The ticking has been more accurate for
:17:08. > :17:13.the Dragons. -- the kicking. All the points for the Dragons came in the
:17:13. > :17:17.first quarter. Starlets are clawing their way back, they were clawing
:17:17. > :17:53.their way back before half-time. The Scarlets 's are back within a
:17:53. > :18:09.point. I just feel the Dragons need to get something, though.
:18:09. > :18:37.Toward an Williams, he can play ten, he can play 15. -- Jordan Williams.
:18:37. > :18:52.Evans was defending deeper. Good kick. We have not seen the material
:18:52. > :19:05.Jordan Williams that we have seen in the past.
:19:05. > :19:22.Happy birthday, Jordan Williams, 20 years old today. 20! Do you remember
:19:22. > :19:37.those days? Are -- no. Ross Wardle is only 21.
:19:37. > :20:09.The Dragons have held their ground and managed to clear the deck. How
:20:09. > :20:15.close was that desperate defence from the Dragons? You can see what
:20:15. > :20:22.he was trying to do. He cocked his arms back and went for the long
:20:22. > :20:29.pass. He looks, he looks. Evans is up. Unfortunately, for the Scarlets,
:20:29. > :20:35.it is a great tackle. Great communication. Brilliant play.
:20:35. > :21:02.Brilliant defence by the Dragons. John Barclay was creating the block.
:21:02. > :21:12.He was talking to me about that before the game. Eight minutes into
:21:12. > :21:17.the second half, the Dragons need to get some ball and hold the ball.
:21:17. > :21:25.They have kicked away a lots of possession because of the quality of
:21:25. > :21:37.the kicking of the Scarlets. Look at that. 76% territory. Gustafson is
:21:37. > :22:24.throwing the ball in line now, so there is a lots of pressure on him.
:22:24. > :22:32.The Scarlets have not had the opportunities in this game to get
:22:32. > :22:37.the scrum dominance going. Rhys Priestland fancies a shot from a
:22:37. > :22:49.couple of metres inside the Dragons half. It is a lot about competence
:22:49. > :22:57.with Priestland. If he was not confident, he would not have done
:22:57. > :23:05.this one. They have got to stay square as they are driving. The
:23:05. > :23:16.Dragons are just wheeling it around. Scarlets won the penalty.
:23:16. > :23:28.53 metres is asking a lot. Even for someone who has kicked every single
:23:28. > :23:57.one successfully tonight. He had a good look at that, didn't
:23:57. > :24:00.he? We were looking here. No-one was sure what side of the post it went
:24:00. > :24:35.on. Good yard, good yard. That has gone backwards but that is
:24:35. > :24:40.OK. That is a brilliant recovery kick.
:24:40. > :25:00.At last, the Dragons have got a foot in Scarlets territory will stop --
:25:00. > :25:11.territory. They wanted to go towards the touch line, but on its went and
:25:11. > :25:16.on and on. He can see the funny side of it.
:25:16. > :25:25.He is taking a bit of stick. You could easily see where he kicked
:25:25. > :25:38.that ball. The assistant referee hasn't got its hopelessly wrong. --
:25:38. > :26:01.has got. That lying there, look. -- the line.
:26:01. > :26:08.Scarlets not committing too many to the breakdown. The Dragons get a
:26:08. > :26:25.penalty anyway. He likes to get stuck in! Jonathan
:26:26. > :26:34.Davies, calm down, boy, calm down. I do like that in a scruff --
:26:35. > :26:42.scrum-half. Just keep it right, OK? I thought he was a gentleman for a
:26:42. > :26:49.minute! He turned it all away to slow.
:26:49. > :27:19.He is offside. The scrum-half comes in.
:27:19. > :27:26.The Dragons have spent no time at all in Scarlets territory in the
:27:26. > :27:36.second half, but they are the ones to get the point when they matter.
:27:36. > :27:41.We can speak to you the Scarlets 's forward coach. That's kicked apart
:27:41. > :27:50.there, what have you been doing different? We have tried to play a
:27:50. > :27:55.little bit more rugby. The Dragons have capitalized on our errors. We
:27:55. > :28:01.got back into the game, which was great, but hopefully we can stay in
:28:01. > :28:07.the right areas. Any reason that you have not got that big scrum going
:28:07. > :28:12.yet? It is just not a game for scrums. There were more line outs
:28:12. > :28:31.than scrums. There will be some talking points
:28:31. > :28:36.for Sunday. A prop changer for the Dragons.
:28:36. > :28:45.I would like to see Jordan Williams having a crack.
:28:45. > :28:56.He needs a little bit more confidence at this level.
:28:56. > :29:05.Halfpenny has just got a penalty for the Blues. The Blues got there first
:29:05. > :29:36.try of the season. The crowd, just under 7000.
:29:36. > :29:38.Priestland takes a bit more stick. Priestland has done well there. They
:29:38. > :30:55.thought they had lost it. It is a very open game. He plays for
:30:55. > :31:03.position. Territory is on the minds of both sets of players. The
:31:03. > :31:12.momentum is shifting once again. After ten minutes, the Scarlets had
:31:12. > :31:19.it all. Now, it is the Dragons. Getting those points on the board is
:31:19. > :31:49.vital. They need to put the pressure on them. The Dragons are confident.
:31:49. > :31:58.They are running back at every opportunity. They are trying for it.
:31:58. > :32:26.But they do not need to at the moment. The pass was on as well.
:32:27. > :32:45.Shingler is again the line-out target. A bit of space there. The
:32:45. > :33:02.Dragons develop again. Jason Tovey floated out to Tom Prydie.
:33:03. > :33:14.They put the ball over the top. Just forced out by Jonathan Davies. A
:33:14. > :33:29.field demi- runners have created space. A lovely pass.
:33:29. > :33:47.There are still opportunities. Watch the demi- run. If the ball goes
:33:47. > :33:53.here, the whole is there. But they throw those long missed passes. If
:33:53. > :34:01.they lock up, the demi- runner has done his job. He had fixed Jonathan
:34:01. > :34:14.Davies. The kick or the long pass should be the last option. Richie
:34:14. > :34:15.Rees has had an excellent hour. Jonathan Evans comes on to replace
:34:15. > :34:34.him. It is a big call Richie Rees going
:34:34. > :34:50.off. He has played exceptionally well.
:34:50. > :36:04.Create Java by Toby Faletau. -- great gathering by Toby Faletau.
:36:04. > :36:12.The demi- run is working extremely well for the Dragons. -- the demi-
:36:12. > :36:47.run. A complete new front row for the
:36:47. > :37:19.Scarlets. Rhys Priestland was back waiting
:37:19. > :37:38.it. Dan Evans took his time and
:37:38. > :38:13.approached the touchline before departing at -- depositing it.
:38:13. > :38:33.The Dragons weight -- waste no time. I think George Earle hurt himself. A
:38:33. > :38:39.turnover ball, I think. A dangerous ball flicked on by Jonathan Davies.
:38:39. > :38:48.Again, Jordan Williams does not get the chance.
:38:48. > :39:17.The Dragons started with a win but lost out on a draw against Edinburgh
:39:17. > :39:49.in the closing minutes of their second game.
:39:49. > :40:57.It is going one way then other. It is the turn of the Scarlets again.
:40:57. > :41:18.They have still got possession. 15 phases. They need something to show
:41:18. > :41:44.at the end of it. Tom Prydie had to stay in touch there.
:41:44. > :41:56.Take them on. He is looking to get the step going. He was well covered
:41:56. > :42:29.by Matthew Screech. Great defence by the Dragons. A
:42:30. > :42:44.hundred pass by Josh Turnbull. -- a hurried pass. They have lasted. That
:42:44. > :43:05.man was isolated. Dan Way get the support he wanted. It is on.
:43:05. > :43:13.That is superb defence from the Dragons and then to get it 50 metres
:43:13. > :43:19.away from danger. The most important thing has been their discipline.
:43:20. > :43:45.They have not given a penalty away. They put themselves under pressure.
:43:45. > :43:54.They are very good. One little thing there, they took the second row on
:43:55. > :44:01.the outside shoulder, maybe he could have gone on the outside. They ran
:44:01. > :44:05.on the act straightaway. It was easy for the second row to close him
:44:05. > :44:16.down. Straight at him and then the out would be better.
:44:16. > :44:49.George Earle took a knock earlier. He has been replaced.
:44:49. > :45:09.That is a great kick. That is a superb kick from Tom Prydie, and
:45:09. > :45:10.that could be the match winner, because the Scarlets now need a
:45:10. > :45:39.converted try just to draw level. They have weathered the storm, the
:45:39. > :45:52.Dragons. All square. 16 all. I think we picked the right game tonight.
:45:52. > :46:00.This guy has got to run straight at the second row, then go on the
:46:00. > :46:07.outside and run it on. He runs across and does not force the check.
:46:07. > :46:19.Once you make in check, you can get him on the outside and make it two
:46:19. > :47:00.and one. -- two on one. Final ten minutes and still a one score game.
:47:00. > :47:09.They have got to keep it going. The Scarlets 's are throwing everything
:47:09. > :47:37.at them in the last ten minutes. Good hands, Josh Turnbull. Scarlets
:47:37. > :47:51.still have it. You do not want to go there! And the answer. A little bit
:47:51. > :47:59.narrow, the Scarlets. They have gone very, very narrow, this car lets. --
:47:59. > :48:08.the Scarlets. They have to force a bigger gap in the defensive line.
:48:08. > :48:28.The Dragons are giving it everything, aren't they? Just
:48:28. > :48:31.looking for that little chink in the armour of the Scarlets. The Dragons
:48:31. > :48:41.just need to get their hands on the ball now. Just get the ball into the
:48:41. > :48:44.Scarlets half. They have been solid tonight, the back line. Wardle,
:48:45. > :49:10.Dixon, anus -- Amos. Very impressive. The Jones, former
:49:10. > :49:26.Dragons hooker, now part of the coaching centre here.
:49:26. > :49:32.Time is slowly heading for the Scarlets. Just eight minutes
:49:32. > :49:51.remaining. The need to get a converted try to get back on terms.
:49:51. > :50:02.The Dragons lost 16-13 in Edinburgh. After losing heavily to Leinster in
:50:02. > :50:04.the opening game, the Scarlets are very relieved to be away from
:50:04. > :50:58.Treviso. I think they lost their footing. A
:50:58. > :51:08.very difficult that, isn't it? That is a big decision, because field
:51:08. > :51:14.position for the Dragons, keep possession... Certainly going
:51:14. > :51:18.forward, then he just goes down. Whether he goes down or slit, I
:51:19. > :51:28.think that is a tough call. -- or slit. They have got nothing to drive
:51:28. > :51:54.against and there is only one place to go, and that is down.
:51:54. > :52:02.The Dragons will want to spend as much time as possible with ball in
:52:02. > :52:10.hand. It does not matter if they do anything with it. Tovey goes for the
:52:10. > :52:19.Hail Mary. Liam Williams is away and running.
:52:19. > :52:29.He could not get the ball in. They just switched off, the Dragons. They
:52:29. > :52:34.kicked it a little bit too far and the chase was not good. The Scarlets
:52:34. > :52:41.are doing exceptionally well. It was just overrun a little bit
:52:41. > :52:54.maybe. I do not think you can do right this
:52:54. > :52:57.game off until that very last whistle. Something is always capable
:52:57. > :53:26.of happening. They have got Kris Burton on the
:53:26. > :53:43.bench, the of trillion international -- the Australian international.
:53:43. > :53:50.Price got things going for the Dragons.
:53:50. > :54:02.The Dragons went ahead. 17-13 at half-time. Two penalties in the
:54:02. > :54:11.second half, although the game hasn't lost any its excitement. --
:54:11. > :54:23.any excitement. That is pressure, isn't it? Pressure
:54:23. > :54:40.from the scrum. They will do a scrum again, do you
:54:40. > :54:45.think? They have got to sharpen up a bit, the Scarlets. The clock is
:54:45. > :54:55.ticking away. They are taking their time. Get it up. Oh, yes. Zebre are
:54:55. > :55:09.ahead. Leinster have drawn back level...
:55:09. > :55:27.Treviso have drawn back level to Leinster.
:55:27. > :55:43.Good scrum for the Scarlets, very good rum. -- very good scrum. Catch
:55:43. > :55:46.and drive. If you get a scrum, you go for the scrum. That is all you
:55:47. > :55:58.can do. Why are they wasting their time? There is only a few minutes
:55:58. > :56:14.left. How close can Rhys Priestland get them?
:56:14. > :56:26.The Scarlets need a converted try to get back on level terms. Where the
:56:26. > :56:33.try is a scored will also be vital. Scoring it is the first job.
:56:33. > :56:51.Scrum. I would definitely go scrum. Line out is much more messy.
:56:51. > :56:58.Jake Ball will need a bit of treatment first. The clock has been
:56:59. > :57:12.stopped. I thought there was a very good driver here. Do you see how it
:57:12. > :57:13.took McCusker out? Blues gained back a point. 50 minutes to go in that
:57:13. > :57:43.one. Just 90 seconds remaining to stop at
:57:43. > :58:02.the moment, the Scarlets need a converted try.
:58:02. > :58:12.I thought Richie Rees was the man of the match. Andrew Coombs has led
:58:12. > :58:24.from the front and has been in then. He has been in men, carrying and
:58:24. > :58:40.defence. -- in men. The home crowd to try and cheer the
:58:40. > :58:50.team home. I would not get a penalty try. You have got to try and make
:58:50. > :58:56.him score from there. The kick is a little bit tougher if the scrum is
:58:56. > :59:01.strong. Andrew Coombs now knows that one effort is all he needs from his
:59:01. > :59:08.team. The defence has been outstanding all evening. The
:59:08. > :59:13.Scarlets scrum has been a weapon that they are aware of, and they
:59:13. > :59:18.managed to not give away too many scrums tonight, but now, right at
:59:18. > :59:31.the death, they have to hold out the force of this scrum. The clock
:59:31. > :59:32.ticks. This will be the final play. Can the Scarlets pull it out of the
:59:32. > :00:06.fire? Time. It is another flat full stop another
:00:06. > :00:32.chance for the Scarlets. I suppose the play has not been
:00:32. > :00:46.completed. They are changing the rules every day.
:00:46. > :01:07.Drama at the end. Everyone realises exactly what is at stake.
:01:07. > :01:11.Nigel Owens said he would stay there all night until the scrum is
:01:11. > :01:26.complete. Can they complete the scrum this
:01:26. > :01:39.time? It is a penalty for the Scarlets. Scrum. They will go down
:01:39. > :01:53.again. That is no doubt about that. -- there is no doubt about that.
:01:53. > :01:57.Ten minutes to go for the Cardiff Blues. They need a converted try to
:01:57. > :02:22.win. A dramatic end to what has been a
:02:22. > :02:33.terrific game. The scrum has taken more than three minutes. This will
:02:33. > :03:01.decide the outcome. The pressure is on.
:03:01. > :03:11.Not a single supporter has left the ground. The Scarlets are not going
:03:11. > :03:23.to get this out of the scrum, are they?
:03:23. > :03:33.Here we go again. The Scarlets drive again. It has been lost at the
:03:33. > :03:40.crucial time. The Dragons are away and Toby Faletau puts the ball off
:03:40. > :03:46.the park. A tremendous celebration at Rodney Parade. For the first time
:03:46. > :03:52.in 11 games, for the first time in six games, the Dragons have beaten
:03:52. > :03:58.the Scarlets. What an effort that has been from the homicide led by
:03:58. > :04:08.Andrew Coombs. -- from the home side, led by Andrew Coombs. A second
:04:08. > :04:17.win for the Dragons. What a precious when and how have the fans and the
:04:17. > :04:25.team loved that! They were under the cosh in the last few minutes. They
:04:25. > :04:35.did not buckle and they lost control at the back of the scrum. That was
:04:35. > :04:45.it. Great scenes at Rodney Parade. What is that of the season for the
:04:45. > :04:50.Dragons! They went off to a flyer and scored a couple of tries in the
:04:50. > :04:54.opening quarter. The Scarlets clawed their way back at half-time to
:04:54. > :04:59.within one point just after half-time. At two more penalties for
:04:59. > :05:04.the Dragons and it had a terrific attitude and determination and
:05:04. > :05:10.defence means they are the ones to celebrate with a victory. A
:05:10. > :05:15.hard-fought game. A losing bonus point for the Scarlets. A precious
:05:15. > :05:25.win for the Dragons. They are victorious.
:05:25. > :05:36.A dramatic end to a hugely enjoyable game at Rodney Parade. Phil Price
:05:36. > :05:41.with the first and then Dan Evans scoring against his own team with
:05:41. > :05:49.the second. It looked as if the Dragons may run away with it but the
:05:49. > :05:54.Scarlets struck back. They came back within four points. No tries in the
:05:54. > :06:00.second half. Rhys Priestland got the Scarlets back within one point. But
:06:00. > :06:05.a penalty for Tom Prydie was enough to seal victory. Scenes of
:06:05. > :06:13.celebration. The scenes are still going on behind this. A very happy
:06:13. > :06:31.home crowd behind us. The statistics tell a different story.
:06:31. > :06:40.The Dragons have one. They have broken the duck against the
:06:40. > :06:50.Scarlets. The players and supporters are lapping up the applause. Do you
:06:50. > :06:55.think the Dragons deserved it? I think they did. You need something
:06:55. > :06:59.special to win away from home. The Dragons looked like they were on the
:06:59. > :07:05.ropes in the second half. They picked it back up after ten minutes
:07:05. > :07:12.into the second half. They started a hassle the Scarlets again. Both
:07:12. > :07:21.sides looked tired at the end. I think they were worthy of the win.
:07:22. > :07:25.They will be happy with a win. It was a fantastic advert for the
:07:25. > :07:30.league. Compelling and even until the last minute, it could have been
:07:31. > :07:35.a very dramatic ending. I thoroughly enjoyed watching as a spectator.
:07:35. > :07:45.They played some great rugby today. A very solid game. The individual
:07:45. > :07:53.spacing they kept an attack really asked questions from their
:07:53. > :07:56.opponents. That is the first win against the Scarlets in 11
:07:56. > :08:04.attempts, six years, how does it feel? Great. They are a tough team
:08:04. > :08:13.to beat. We believed in ourselves tonight. You are down on the
:08:13. > :08:17.statistics. That is right. Our defence has improved so much. Our
:08:17. > :08:22.discipline is good and we believe in the system. Credit to the boys and
:08:22. > :08:31.the substitutes coming on. Everybody gave everything. We cannot ask any
:08:31. > :08:41.more. What is the difference this season? It is belief. The coaches
:08:41. > :08:45.have belief in us. That is no doubt here. We want to challenge people.
:08:45. > :08:56.We look forward to our next game in Munster. You go there not as
:08:56. > :09:04.also-rans but with a real chance. We are comfortable with our defence. We
:09:04. > :09:12.went to improve. We will work hard on that. Hopefully things will go
:09:12. > :09:24.well for us. What do you think of your father? Good. Good. The
:09:24. > :09:31.Scarlets are gutted. They came off second best tonight. Andrew Coombs
:09:31. > :09:44.is a man of few words. He is emotional also it has been a real
:09:44. > :09:53.journey. When he first got his international call at, he was a back
:09:53. > :09:57.row and playing for Newport. He stood up and he has and said the
:09:57. > :10:03.critics. It is what you have to do. He is still doing it now. He came
:10:03. > :10:07.through late and it proves to any youngsters out there, you always
:10:07. > :10:13.have a chance. Keep working hard and keep the motivation going. The
:10:13. > :10:17.rewards are there at the end. We have mentioned that it has been a
:10:18. > :10:26.rewards are there at the end. We great advert for the league. What a
:10:26. > :10:38.game exclamation mark I thought two teams entered into it and was went
:10:38. > :10:42.for it. We are quick to chastise poor games. There was some great
:10:42. > :10:53.skill out there and lots of individual flair.
:10:53. > :11:01.He keeps the ball on the chest and transfers it from one hand to the
:11:01. > :11:10.other. They get outside and challenge the heavy defending
:11:10. > :11:21.positions. On the angle, he rakes it 60 yards. A big man, willing to off
:11:21. > :11:30.load. Difficulty with two players underneath. Jason Tovey, not known
:11:30. > :11:37.for his bravery, another ball. At eyes on all the time. Excellent
:11:37. > :11:40.stuff. This is what we call a jackal. Andrew Coombs reading it and
:11:40. > :11:47.getting peace deal. He turns the ball over for his team. It lets
:11:47. > :11:54.tackle and the inside shoulder. Saving a try from Toby Faletau. Do
:11:54. > :12:02.not underestimate the pressure and the technique. It was an enthralling
:12:02. > :12:10.first derby of the season. Great composure from Tom Prydie there. We
:12:10. > :12:20.have messages coming in saying it is a great advert for the game. A game
:12:20. > :12:23.like this is. You had three players in the under 20s World Cup this year
:12:23. > :12:30.full stop it is fantastic to see them coming through for the regions.
:12:30. > :12:38.Some of the skills alluded to their is what is part of the good work
:12:38. > :12:46.going on. We can speak to the losing coach now. It was a fantastic game
:12:46. > :12:55.to watch. The Scarlets played their part. We gave the Dragons too much
:12:55. > :13:02.advantage early in the game. They got up to 17 points without as
:13:02. > :13:10.really doing too much and that, we did get back into the game and we
:13:10. > :13:19.showed some good stuff. But it was always going to be difficult to claw
:13:19. > :13:26.it back. We will have to have a look back at the scrum incident. It seems
:13:26. > :13:31.we were fully formed and they disintegrated. Those are the breaks.
:13:31. > :13:36.They were a well drilled and skilled side. We have to take it on the chin
:13:36. > :13:47.and make sure we do not give advantage away early on in the game
:13:47. > :13:51.again. They were effective in the contact area early on. We dealt with
:13:51. > :13:58.that in the second half. A good round of rugby. They played
:13:58. > :14:07.effectively. I have no issue with that. We, at times, are our own
:14:07. > :14:13.worst enemy. We need to deal with it. Unfortunately, we did not do
:14:13. > :14:20.that early on in the game. Thank you. Simon Easterby giving credit
:14:20. > :14:26.where it is due. Belief was the word Andrew Coombs kept mentioning. What
:14:26. > :14:33.struck me was the fact they were having to -- willing to have a go.
:14:33. > :14:46.If the game was played on paper, when you look at the experience of
:14:46. > :14:55.the Scarlets, to mould 18 and 19 euros in a team against experienced
:14:55. > :15:00.seniors, it is pretty impressive. The Dragons have a bit of solidarity
:15:00. > :15:06.and they try to make this a fortress at Rodney Parade. They have put a
:15:06. > :15:13.marker down. All of a sudden, they have beaten the runners-up from last
:15:13. > :15:17.year and the Scarlets. With a bunch of youngsters as well.
:15:17. > :15:26.We spoke about the fact that, these guys, if they had a problem with
:15:26. > :15:35.centres, they did not show it tonight. They focused on a couple of
:15:35. > :15:40.areas and they believed in what they were doing in those areas
:15:40. > :15:47.defensively. They were efficiently in the contact area. I was mostly
:15:47. > :15:53.impressed with their attack today. First receivers were stepping up. It
:15:53. > :15:58.was a joy to watch them play. I think we can go to a man who has
:15:58. > :16:11.probably got a very raw smile, Kingsley Jones. 18 minutes is enough
:16:11. > :16:16.punishment -- 80 minutes is enough punishment. Great belief shown from
:16:16. > :16:23.the players. They stuck it out. Fantastic. The players deserve a lot
:16:23. > :16:30.of credit. Are you fearing the worst -- were you fearing the worst? I
:16:30. > :16:35.felt tonight we got the ball away from the scrum quickly and that was
:16:35. > :16:39.a strategy that we had. Honestly, the referee tonight, the game was
:16:39. > :16:44.fantastic all stuff I wish I had been up in the box washing it --
:16:44. > :16:49.watching it. I am sure it was a great game to watch. I feel that
:16:49. > :16:56.Nigel Owens got nearly everything right. Some of the off-loading play
:16:56. > :17:02.of the Dragons in the first 20 minutes was a joy. We want to be
:17:02. > :17:08.positive. Our kicking game was excellent, but we still felt there
:17:08. > :17:18.were opportunities. A fly off came on and on the wing. Well done, enjoy
:17:18. > :17:21.the night. I am sure he will. We can see the Dragons players are
:17:21. > :17:27.celebrating. Lyn Jones leading the charge of moments after the final
:17:27. > :17:33.whistle. Lyn Jones has joined us in the studio this evening. Relieved?
:17:33. > :17:38.Yes. There is always a sense of relief at the end. But we are very
:17:38. > :17:43.pleased with the standard of Robbie. I thought we were very good today
:17:43. > :17:54.and our breakdown work was excellent. -- the standard of rugby.
:17:54. > :17:57.Nigel Owens is a world-class referee. He picked up the legalities
:17:57. > :18:03.in the opposition and we were very, very pleased with the standard that
:18:03. > :18:13.we put them together. We are not a complete aside yet, but at least we
:18:13. > :18:17.have some belief and confidence. You've used the word police and a
:18:17. > :18:27.lot of your players have used that word. -- belief. You seem to be
:18:27. > :18:33.giving the players to have a go out there. It is about empowering your
:18:33. > :18:43.players and that is what we do. That takes time. Experiences are
:18:43. > :18:48.wonderful things. There are experienced players out there. They
:18:48. > :18:54.knew the game and they know when to and when not to. We are getting the
:18:54. > :19:00.balance right at the moment. If we are to achieve our goals, we need to
:19:00. > :19:06.achieve them on the back of back -- victories. That makes it easier for
:19:07. > :19:12.everyone. Munster next up. You mentioned empowering your players.
:19:12. > :19:17.We have seen you playing this week. We have had cameras in the Dragons
:19:17. > :19:23.camp, and we will see the results of that on Sunday's programme. Here is
:19:23. > :19:29.a little taste. We have got to expose them, Dowd 's them out and
:19:29. > :19:37.fill them in properly. -- gouge them out. There is a possibility that if
:19:37. > :19:44.you play better than your opposite number, that means... You need to
:19:44. > :19:50.develop trust with the players that they can make their own decisions on
:19:50. > :19:54.the field all stop you need to expand their thought process. -- on
:19:54. > :20:03.the field. You need to expand their thought process.
:20:03. > :20:10.Intriguing stuff and well worth a watch. Tune in for that and seven
:20:10. > :20:16.o'clock -- at seven o'clock on Monday night... Sunday night. How
:20:16. > :20:21.impressed have you been with the way things have been going with the
:20:21. > :20:27.Dragons? There is a real sense of positivity. When you go into a new
:20:27. > :20:31.set up, you have to focus on the fact that you cannot change
:20:31. > :20:35.everything at once. Belief will come within the group because they will
:20:35. > :20:39.work hard and make sure they deliver things for the team. From that, they
:20:39. > :20:44.can grow. We have certainly seen that here with the Dragons. You
:20:44. > :20:51.mentioned Munster next up. What will you be working on next week? We will
:20:51. > :20:56.be celebrating tomorrow! We are interested in the opposition at the
:20:56. > :21:03.moment. We can play really well and improve our game was stopped there
:21:03. > :21:07.are still areas for us. -- our game. There are still areas for us. It is
:21:08. > :21:14.just growing in confidence and knowing when to kick. Just small
:21:14. > :21:17.things, but that comes. This week, everything is the same. You have got
:21:18. > :21:23.to trust the coaching process to develop a better players. If we are
:21:23. > :21:28.true to our players come and they will eventually play international
:21:28. > :21:33.rugby. Congratulations again. Have a little tipple. Thank you for your
:21:33. > :21:40.time in the studio tonight. Richie Rees was one of the man -- men of
:21:40. > :21:45.the match. He spoke to fill a few moments ago. Richie, it was a
:21:45. > :21:50.fantastic game to watch. What was it like to play in? These are the sort
:21:50. > :21:57.of games that you want to play in as a player. Full credit to everyone.
:21:57. > :22:02.Take us through the last three or four scrums. I am probably not the
:22:02. > :22:08.best person to ask. The boys were criticised at the start of the
:22:08. > :22:17.season. They were superb today. Full credit to them. What was the crowd
:22:17. > :22:27.like? When they are on your side, it makes that extra 10%... It helps
:22:27. > :22:34.with the scrums. You are on a little bit of a role. What will happen in
:22:34. > :22:44.Munster? We will take each game as it comes. We are looking to build
:22:44. > :22:51.for the next two or three years. That makes a happy change. Cheers.
:22:51. > :22:57.Old substitution at the time. Up to that point, Richie Rees had been
:22:57. > :23:02.outstanding. As much as we talk about the coaching process and
:23:02. > :23:10.setting targets for the team, you need individuals on either side to
:23:10. > :23:14.make things tick. As a nine, he is going to need to be one of the best
:23:14. > :23:18.players. I thought he was a superb today, the way he picked his head up
:23:18. > :23:24.and saw what was in front of him and was where he needed to be. It was
:23:24. > :23:27.fantastic. The grounds that he covered. You have got to give him
:23:27. > :23:40.full credit for his individual performance. He is always a tough
:23:40. > :23:45.player to play against. He is a pain in the bum. He is in your face. He
:23:45. > :23:50.is only a small guy but he is a Tahrir. He is in a key position and
:23:51. > :23:53.is a good communicator. That showed the link between himself and Tovey
:23:53. > :24:01.in front of him. That was a key area. I thought he was superb. I was
:24:01. > :24:06.surprised when he went off after 60 minutes. Richie Rees is enjoying
:24:06. > :24:12.life at the Dragons, but his former team is having a bad night. The
:24:12. > :24:18.Blues have lost to Zebre tonight. The Blues did go ahead through the
:24:18. > :24:22.first try. A great rate there. Things were finished off, but they
:24:22. > :24:28.got pretty bad for the Blues after that. Two tries in total for Zebre.
:24:28. > :24:38.This puts the Italians ahead. The lead was extended. Great hands
:24:38. > :24:48.for the third and deciding try from a new signing. The final score,
:24:48. > :24:56.30-25. The first victory Zebre have ever recorded, and that is enormous
:24:56. > :25:00.at that -- at this point. Blues will be disappointed. They had a
:25:00. > :25:03.reasonable start. You would have thought they would have a
:25:03. > :25:14.comfortable win but unfortunately that will not happen. Treviso have
:25:14. > :25:21.ended up beating Munster. The Dragons of course be to the
:25:21. > :25:28.starlets. In Glasgow have had an impressive season, and they won
:25:28. > :25:33.against Leinster. Glasgow have gone top and beaten three from three.
:25:33. > :25:39.Munster going to second. The Dragons have leapt into third. They are in
:25:39. > :25:45.the top four, and Leinster are in fourth. The Ospreys are hoping to
:25:45. > :25:51.keep their great start to the season. There will be a lot of talk
:25:51. > :25:55.about that one. The Ospreys have named their side this afternoon for
:25:55. > :26:02.that match. Where do you see that when going? Only one way. The
:26:02. > :26:07.Ospreys have had a good start. They have been preparing for this game. I
:26:07. > :26:13.do not see anything other than the Ospreys at winning. They need a
:26:13. > :26:22.bonus point. Thank you. All the lines are back. Their front five
:26:22. > :26:30.looks pretty powerful. They've got quite a few people back. Can you see
:26:30. > :26:34.any other outcome? The prediction is great on paper. The only thing I
:26:34. > :26:37.worry about is that if you bring a lot of players back in its disrupts
:26:37. > :26:42.what they have been doing. They have played superbly and had a really
:26:43. > :26:46.good game at Treviso. They went after Leinster and snatched the draw
:26:46. > :26:49.at the end, but you have to hope this guys come in and it does not
:26:49. > :26:56.disrupt the flow of what they have been doing so far. That is the only
:26:56. > :27:01.worry. The bonus point could win, but it doesn't quite go like that. I
:27:01. > :27:07.would not say where cluster are in the table. They have got Northampton
:27:07. > :27:14.tomorrow. I am really looking forward to the game tomorrow. A
:27:14. > :27:17.sell-out crowds. Fantastic team. Northampton have had a great start
:27:17. > :27:21.to their in season. We need to win tomorrow so there is a bit of
:27:21. > :27:28.pressure on us. I am looking forward to the match. It'll be good to see
:27:28. > :27:33.George. All the very best. Thank you for coming tonight. And you two as
:27:33. > :27:37.well. It has been a memorable might for the Dragons at Rodney Parade,
:27:37. > :27:43.and it was of course the first Welsh Derby of the season. The starlets
:27:43. > :27:48.came in very confident. They have -- the starlets came in very confident.
:27:48. > :27:56.They beat the Dragons on this very ground on New Year's Day 2008.
:27:57. > :27:57.Dragons are off to Munster and the Rodney Revolution is firmly
:27:57. > :28:01.underway.