Dragons still have major role to play in deciding group, says Turner

GWENT Dragons coach Paul Turner insists his team can still have a decisive influence over Heineken Cup Pool One, despite propping up the table.

They now go to leaders Sale Sharks next month as rank outsiders, and will be expected to concede a bonus to the rampant English side currently enjoying a clear five point lead in the group with two matches to play.

Turner was reasonably happy with the way his side performed in the 30-18 defeat at Thomond Park on Saturday and quite rightly made much of the quality of his side’s superb second half try largely created by Michael Owen’s majestic thirty yard pass and finished off in style by Kevin Morgan. It was the kind of attack which Munster would have conjured up only in their dreams if their recent performances can be taken at face value.

“I felt at 10-8 at half time that we could go on and win the game”, said Turner. “At 23-18, there was another pivotal moment when we lost control of the ball and after that the game went from us. I was disappointed that they got the second try and took the bonus away from us. I think we still have a role in deciding what happens in the pool. It’s strange, really, that we’ve done well in our away games and faltered at home. We’ve got to go to Sale and that’s going to be a very difficult task. We haven’t got a strong squad but if we can get players like Owen and Morgan on the pitch, we’ll be a match for most. You want to play your best team all the time but you can’t do that in this day and age.”

Turner has seen both Sale and Munster at the closest quarters and so is in a good position to compare their rival strengths. The fact that Sale have Sebastian Chabal and Sebastian Bruno in their side and are coached by Philippe Saint Andre is very much in their favour when the referee happens to be a Frenchman, he says.

“When we played Sale, we had French officials and when Munster played Sale, they had French officials,” he mused. “I don’t think that works with Sale because there are a lot of French people there these days. Sale have a cutting edge, you’ve got to be very respectful of their back division, they have a number ten (Charlie Hodgson) who is similar to Ronan O’Gara. He can manage a game. Through finance, they’ve put together a big, strong squad and they’re favourites for the group.”