URC Focus: Mindset shift and maul madness offer positives for Dragons ahead of Europe
Filo Tiatia guided Dragons to the last four of the Challenge Cup in 2025/26
©Inpho Photography
It was another busy weekend of United Rugby Championship action, with the third round of the season producing plenty of talking points.
While the Scottish teams currently lead the way, with both Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors unbeaten, there were mixed fortunes for the Welsh sides in Round Three.
Cardiff went into the weekend unbeaten before facing Leinster at the redeveloped Laya Arena. They fell to a 29-5 defeat despite an impressive performance from Taine Basham, an encouraging URC debut for Matty Young and a first appearance for new signing Semisi Paea.
However, it was a weekend in which supporters of West Wales clubs Ospreys and Scarlets celebrated their sides' first wins of the campaign, despite uncertainty surrounding their futures.
Nigel Davies' Scarlets found themselves 21-7 down at half-time against Benetton but fought back, with Blair Murray and Ellis Mee impressing alongside the uncapped Macs Page, before fly-half Sam Costelow kicked a winning penalty with less than three minutes remaining to secure a 27-26 victory.
Mark Jones' Ospreys, meanwhile, claimed an impressive 38-31 derby win over Dragons on Friday night, securing their first victory in Newport since 2021.
There was still plenty for the Rodney Parade club to take from the defeat, though. Dragons claimed two match points and have collected nine points from their opening three games, compared with two at the same stage of last season.
With the Challenge Cup also returning, what can Filo Tiatia's side take from their opening performances into a competition in which they reached the semi-final stage last season?
Switch in mindset has brought improvement, but Dragons lacked clinical edge in derby defeat
There has been a clear improvement in Dragons' performances over the past 12 months. A notable turning point came last December, when they convincingly beat Connacht 48-28 in Newport in the league, following a 23-21 comeback victory over Lyon in the Challenge Cup.
They have shown further resilience at the start of the current season, drawing with Benetton after trailing 19-7 at half-time before coming from behind to beat Scarlets in Newport. In that derby, they produced a strong second-half performance and held off a late response from their Llanelli-based opponents, scoring in the final play.
Head coach Tiatia has acknowledged that his side have worked on their mindset, although it remains an area for further growth.
Friday night's defeat against Ospreys showed there is still room for improvement, particularly when it comes to finishing chances during a stop-start contest in which the lead changed hands repeatedly.
Dragons matched the Ospreys' tally of eight offloads across the opening three rounds as they created space out wide with some slick handling.
Number eight Harrison Keddie had an early opportunity when a dart down the blindside saw him break clear, only for him to lose possession while attempting to break through the tackle of Ospreys full-back Tom Rogers.
Anzelo Tuitavuki was also a threat and should have put Che Hope over for a try in the 29th minute. He broke down the flank, but his pass to the scrum-half failed to find its target.
Tuitavuki carried for 129 metres and eventually got his try after 55 minutes. Replacement Angus O'Brien found space following a decoy line from Fetuli Paea before releasing Hope, who sent an out-the-back pass to his supporting wing. Tuitavuki then beat the covering defence of Rhys Davies to score.
It was an encouraging feature of Dragons' attacking play, with the side showing a greater threat out wide. However, they were not as clinical as their opponents when entering the 22, averaging 3.1 points per entry compared with the Ospreys' 4.7.
That is an area they will hope to develop over the coming weeks.
Maul madness following law change, but front-row concerns remain
While some of Dragons' attacking patterns did not quite click, the rolling maul has been a constant threat this season. Elliot Dee's tally of five tries after three games is particularly impressive.
Dee, Brodie Coghlan and Oli Burrows combined for 14 tries last season, and the maul has continued to deliver at the start of this campaign. Welsh international Dee scored against Benetton before adding two tries against Scarlets.
A change in the enforcement of the laws has made defending the maul even more difficult, with defending players required to detach and move to the back of the maul once they have moved beyond the ball.
In previous seasons, defenders could attempt to disrupt the maul by coming around over the top of the ball carrier. The change has benefited Dragons, with Dee scoring twice against the Ospreys alongside a penalty try in the closing moments of the first half.
However, Dragons also conceded three tries from the Ospreys' maul, with Ross Moriarty crossing in the first half before captain Sam Parry scored twice after the break.
It is a feature of the game that appears increasingly difficult to defend. Glasgow Warriors also scored four maul tries in their 36-19 victory over Connacht last weekend, providing another example of the challenge facing coaches and players as they look to find ways to stop the tactic.
Despite benefiting from the change, Dee believes the new enforcement will help the game.
"It definitely gives the attacking team an advantage, as soon as you slip up the side you have to get out of there now,” Dee said.
"It's hard to stop because you are retreating to the back and it gives a second or two of less weight. It's a good rule, and it's good for the game."
However, one concern for Dragons supporters will be the number of players unavailable for selection in the coming weeks.
The injury problems began before kick-off, when flanker Thomas Young was ruled out of the match-day squad. Three props then left the field during the game, resulting in uncontested scrums.
Tiatia confirmed that Welsh international Dillon Lewis is available to play, which will offer some reassurance to Dragons supporters after tighthead props Rob Hunt and Chris Coleman both left the field through injury last Friday night.
On the other side of the scrum, Rodrigo Martinez also departed after just 10 minutes.
What can Welsh teams expect as the Champions and Challenge Cups return?
Dragons will be the first Welsh side in action in the European competitions, hosting Top 14 side Perpignan on Friday night.
The two teams met in the opening round of last season's tournament, when the French side claimed a 41-17 victory over Dragons at the Stade Aimé Giral.
Perpignan currently sit ninth in the Top 14, having won three of their opening six matches.
Cardiff return to the Investec Champions Cup and will be looking to become the first Welsh team to win a match in the competition since 2023.
They face a tough test against high-scoring Northampton Saints on Sunday. Northampton's 71-48 victory over Bath prompted plenty of debate about the current state of the game.
Scarlets will entertain Newcastle Red Bulls in Llanelli, with former fly-half Stephen Jones returning as assistant coach with the Gallagher Prem side.
Despite making a raft of new signings over the summer, Newcastle have yet to win a match in their opening three domestic fixtures despite positive displays against Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Ospreys will continue their travels after trips to South Africa and Newport when they head to Tbilisi on Saturday to face Black Lion.
The Georgian side have been invited to compete in the Challenge Cup alongside the Toyota Cheetahs and have been part of the competition since 2023. They have previously beaten Welsh opposition, defeating Scarlets during their first campaign.
