The web is struggling to find anything at all to say about a poor and tryless game played in terrible conditions between two teams hit by injury in the run up to the match – Scarlets‘ Stephen Jones even ricked his neck in the warm up.
The Guardian credits the Scarlets with fighting hard at least, and sees the Llanelli outfit buildling some positive domestic momentum from their Heineken Cup win. Lacklustre Dragons – although they came close to five points twice in the first half – drab game, forgettable opening, there’s not a great deal to celebrate in this one.
BBC Sport also credit Scarlets with a good win in face of a poor Newport performance and thinks the Welsh coaching team will be concerned by injury worries for Stephen Jones (back injury here) and Mark Jones, who had to go off. Man of the match for the Beeb and another Wales contender was Scarlets‘ Dafydd Jones, who said: “The pack went well but we weren’t happy with our game, too many basic errors. Conditions were tricky and made it difficult.” Asked about his Wales chances he diplomatically praised current incumbent Martyn Williams, saying, “If he’s fit he plays.” Dragons coach Paul Turner was understandably – and some unkind folk would say characteristically – downbeat, pointing to his sides injuries but admitting, “At the end of day we were just not there and were second best in every department.”
WalesOnline has little to say about the game and focuses on Warren Gatland’s worries about Stephen Jones, Luke Charteris and Wayne Evans as he prepares to name his squad for the Autumn Internationals. With several other prospects tied up with English clubs outside the Welsh regions’ player-release agreement with the RFU, options could be thin for Gatland.
The Dragons local paper South Wales Argus calls their side ‘wretched’ but does allow a little leeway for the terrible injury list at the Newport side.
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