Dai Flanagan: Dragons boss says Cardiff defeat 'lowest' point in career

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan acknowledged his job is under pressure after suffering a record loss to rivals Cardiff in the Boxing Day derby.

Flanagan apologised to fans after Dragons conceded nine tries in the 55-21 humiliation at the Arms Park.

The Newport-based region end the year bottom of the United Rugby Championship (URC) after just one win in eight.

Flanagan said afterwards: "I've been in rugby a long time and this is the lowest I've been."

The 38-year-old is in only his second season of his first head coaching role after he was appointed in June 2022.

He won just four of 18 games in the league last season though did take Dragons to the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup.

He was powerless to prevent the likes of Ross Moriarty leave as Welsh rugby went through drastic cost-cutting last summer, but pressure will grow after this latest loss.

"I'd imagine I'll come under pressure and rightly so," he said.

"I've watched football and rugby for years where people ask if you're the right guy and it's not for me to say.

"I'm quite eyes wide open to the world. It's my first gig and I'll go about my business as I always do."

Dragons are under new owners following the completion of the takeover led by chairman David Buttress and former Pontypool scrum-half David Wright in September.

However speculation over the new role of former head coach Paul Turner sparked tensions between Flanagan and the owners last month.

He said: "It's tough, it's difficult [but] it's been tough and difficult for many people before me.

"It's up to me to make sure I improve this team. It'll take time, the whole thing takes time, but we can't accept that."

Dragons became only the third team in 23 years of the URC to concede seven tries in a half and at one point trailed 50-7 before two second half tries.

It was the Dragons 18th league defeat in a row to Cardiff, the fourth under Flanagan.

"There was a good buzz around the group before the game and then you see that first half and it's difficult to understand why," he said.

"But we've got to figure out why because that's not acceptable in a derby game against your local rivals.

"We massively froze, collectively and individually. They put some pressure on us and we cracked. Again, we're sorry. I'm personally sorry. That's not acceptable.

"It's really difficult. I really enjoy working with this group of players and I have high expectations of them. I believe they're super talented. But they have to prove that to me. Today, it wasn't there, was it."