**Friday’s rearranged clash between Dragons and Benetton in Newport was ultimately a very frustrating evening for the home side, a match which highlighted their progression this season but also just how much work there is to be done in terms of squad development.** In the build-up to the match it was a fixture which offered plenty of positives – Dragons gunning for a sixth straight Rodney Parade victory for the first time since 2009 – but seemed to be largely derailed by worries over Dan Biggar’s fitness and Sam Davies’ international call-up as cover. In the end, with Biggar playing excellently in 80 minutes at Twickenham, Davies wasn’t required by Wales, but his absence on the pitch in Newport starkly laid bare just how good the fly-half has been for his region this year. Benetton, in a fantastic away performance, ended up winning 37-25 with tries for Luca Sperandio, Tomas Baravalle, Angelo Esposito and Hame Faiva outdoing three in response from Dragons. Did Dragons miss their chief playmaker on the night? Who better to ask than director of rugby Dean Ryan: “It was poor on lots of fronts, disappointing on a lot of fronts,” said Ryan.
