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Page last updated at 17:01 GMT, Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Dragons urged to take opportunity

Magners League
Venue: Rodney Parade Date: Saturday, 12 February 2011 Kick-off: 1400 GMT
Coverage: Updates on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Sport website


Darren Edwards
Darren Edwards also looks after the Wales under-20s side

Newport Gwent Dragons caretaker coach Darren Edwards says the region need to take advantage of weakened opponents who have players on Six Nations duty.

The Dragons are only missing back rower Dan Lydiate and face Edinburgh on Saturday, then Aironi and Glasgow.

And Edwards believes winning these games can keep Dragons' push for a play-off place alive.

"We've really got to work hard on finishing the season off in style," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"We limped home last year where I feel we're in a better place now to finish off with a little bit of strength.

"We are doing it through a Six Nations campaign with weakened squads and I think we've got to take that advantage."

The Dragons have endured a difficult season, winning just five of their 11 Magners League games leaving them ninth in the table.

They also suffered a miserable Heineken Cup campaign in which they lost all six games for the first time in their history.

And on top of that, head coach Paul Turner has been suspended over a "disciplinary matter" and could hear his fate before the visit of Edinburgh to Rodney Parade.

"We face a lot of adversity here at the Dragons," added Edwards, who has won both games since being played in charge on 28 January.

"We were all well prepared on the Thursday before the Friday night game (away to Sale Sharks) so we sort of got on with things.

"And when things go well for you, the bad things kind of get pushed to one side. We're in a good place as a team, but we all miss Paul."

Edwards would not be drawn on whether he would be interested in the job on a full-time basis should Turner lose his job.

"These decisions are made above me," he said.

"While all this is happening with Paul - he's a friend of mine - I would feel quite disrespectful or having a thought process until people above me have sorted the situation out."



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see also
NG Dragons 26-9 Scarlets
06 Feb 11 |  Welsh
Brown returns to NG Dragons board
31 Jan 11 |  NG Dragons
Turner parts company with Dragons
11 Feb 11 |  NG Dragons
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales
RaboDirect Pro12
11 Apr 07 |  Rugby Union
Anglo-Welsh Cup
11 Apr 07 |  Rugby Union


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