Scrum half Rhodri Williams believes Dragons have a bright future to look forward to - as he looks to help inspire a strong end to the Guinness PRO14 season.
Williams has enjoyed a strong first campaign at Rodney Parade after making the move over the bridge from Bristol Bears – playing 18 games in all competitions.
The 25-year-old is aiming to be in the line-up when Dragons return to league action this Friday night in Edinburgh (kick-off 7.35pm).
And he insists there is plenty to play for the rest of the season as Dragons look to claim a crucial away win and momentum for the years to come.
“It is a big target now of ours to get that away win and tick that off,” he said.
“The Welsh derby and winning against the Ospreys was huge so this away win is a big thing for us and something we are targeting.
“We’ve got to put the hard work in behind the scenes to get that over the next few months.
“It was always going to take time to click but we haven’t been far off this season,” he added. “We have been disappointed with a lot games where we haven’t got the result we wanted.
“You look at our last game with Munster, when we played in horrendous conditions, and it is games like that we need to win.
“The more we can grow and improve as a team then those results swing the other way and we win those tight games.
“I’m confident about the future. We’re not far off. Some games have not gone our way, but we have been in the game. If we can put in an 80-minute performance than we can go against the very best.”
Dragons travel to Scotland to face an Edinburgh side buoyed by the club’s recent run in the Guinness PRO14 and journey to the last eight of the Heineken Champions Cup.
However, Dragons did win the corresponding home fixture in November and Williams believes the team can take confident from that display.
“Edinburgh are a quality side who have improved massively,” he said. “Quality coaches have gone up there and they have got better, but we will do our analysis and prepare ourselves for that game as best as we can.
“It does help having beaten them at home, we will take confidence from that game. But you are only as good as your last game so we know we need to perform to get the right result.
“On a personal level, the season has gone not too bad for me,” he added. “There are things I need to work on, you are never the finished article and if you believe you are you are in the wrong game.
“I will just keep working hard with the coaches here. I am really enjoying my time here.
“There is real competition for the jersey. Rhodri (Davies) showed what he could do in the European games and Tavis (Knoyle) has experience and quality skills. You have to keep performing or somebody else will step up.
“The season hasn’t gone as we would have liked, but we are growing as a region. We take each game as it comes now and we have some big fixtures to face. There is plenty to play for.”
CLICK HERE to secure your tickets for the Dragons final home game in Newport this season as Ulster come to Rodney Parade for the Guinness PRO14 clash on 3 March (ko 3pm).
The Welsh derby and winning against the Ospreys was huge so this away win is a big thing for us and something we are targeting...
