Welsh rivals throw down gauntlet

Rivals Shaun Connor and Sean Holley have thrown down the gauntlet to their Welsh opponents ahead of the new term.

Dragons' ex-Ospreys fly-half Connor says his side will respond to the challenge and finish above the Blues and Scarlets in the Magners League.

Ospreys head coach Holley says all the pressure is on Newport Gwent Dragons, Cardiff Blues and Llanelli Scarlets.

Connor said: "We'll finish above the Blues and Scarlets." Holley said: "We have very little to prove."

Holley added: "In our game we are always on trial and results tend to dictate that.

"Jonathan Humphreys (Ospreys forwards coach) and I have tended to concentrate on the finer points to do with individual performance.

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"We have been working hard on our culture, development and leadership, which we feel needed a little bit of improvement.

"The players have really responded to that. To that end I genuinely believe that the pressure going into the season is on the other Welsh regions.

"We have very little to prove. We've won trophies, have a lot of players involved in international rugby for our nation and we're very proud of that and long may we continue to do that.

"Going into the season we're looking for consistency and a steady improvement. "With the signings made and lack of silverware in the other regions, then the pressure is completely on those this season."

Connor believes the Dragons - Wales's worst-performing region since they were formed - will not suffer that indignity this season.

Asked by BBC Wales's Scrum V programme which sides the Dragons would finish ahead of Connor replied: "The Scarlets and the Blues."

"At the Dragons we have quality players in all positions whereas maybe in the past we did not"
Shaun Connor

Connor stopped short of predicting that the Gwent region would overhaul his old side the Ospreys, and laid down a challenge to his new team mates.

"The money the region has spent shows ambition and it is now down to the players to perform on the field and take the step forward," he said.

"A major factor is our strength in depth. We have quality players in all positions whereas maybe in the past we did not, and had to throw the youngsters in.

"Hopefully this year we can pick and choose when to blood them."

Connor is one of eight players to move to Rodney Parade in the close season, a list headed by former All Black hooker Tom Willis, the Dragons' new captain.

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