X-Factor Players Will be the Key in United Rugby Championship Welsh Derby

Dragons coach Dai Flanagan says it will be a case of brothers doing battle in Saturday’s east Wales derby against near neighbours Cardiff at the Arms Park (5.15pm, Premier Sports).

He says his players are straining at the leash in anticipation of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship showdown in the capital.

“I’ve noticed there’s been a completely different edge in training this week. It’s a big week, it’s the local derby, it’s Cardiff. The boys are really excited to get stuck into them,” said Flanagan.

“Obviously we were disappointed with certain aspects on the weekend (in a 34-14 defeat to Benetton) and we have been working hard to make sure we are better this week.
“There is no better time to do it than in a local derby against Cardiff. The game will mean exactly the same to them. It’s like brothers, isn’t it?”

Identifying Cardiff’s main threats, former fly-half Flanagan - who had a spell as a player at the Arms Park - said: “Individually, they have got the likes of Willis Halaholo and Jarrod Evans who can pick you apart if you give them time.

“Tomos Williams is an exceptional scrum-half. I played with Tomos when he was 17 at Pontypridd and he had a massive edge to him.

“Taulupe Faletau has been pretty decent as well since he has come on board. If we are being honest, he won them the game against Munster. I thought he was different class in what was an evenly contested game. He was good last weekend again versus the Scarlets. I know he didn’t have much of the ball, but he made his tackles.

“Our job is to make Taulupe just another player for them. That will be tough. He will find ways of breaking us, I am sure, in certain parts. We’ve just got to recover and stick together well.

“I can’t remember him having a bad game. I watched him as a teenager in one of his first games for Cross Keys against Cardiff at the Arms Park when I was still part of the Blues. I remember thinking ‘Wow, who is this No 8?’”

Flanagan continued: “Cardiff have got a lot of talent throughout their squad, a lot of X-factor players, a lot of internationals. We know what’s coming. We have to take away time and space in all elements of the game. If you give people of the quality they have time and space, they are going to hurt you.

“If the game gets unstructured, their players get excited.  We are very respectful of what they have in their 23.

“Cardiff is a big club. It’s the capital city of Wales. Rightly so, everyone wants to have a go at them. We are no different this week. We can’t wait to get stuck into them.
“We have to be urgent, we have to be quick, we have to ball carry well to even stay in the game. Then when we get the opportunity to make decisions, we just need to make good decisions.”

Looking ahead to another Welsh derby clash, following on from last Saturday’s 16-10 victory away to the Scarlets, Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young said: “I don’t think there is much between the four regions. We can all beat each other on the day and this is going to be a close game.
“We are going to see the Dragons coming really determined to do a job at the Arms Park.”