WILL Rowlands admitted it will be difficult for Dragons RFC to beat anyone this season if they continue to give away as many penalties as they did in Saturday’s season opener.

Dragons gave away 21 penalties to Edinburgh’s 10 as they fell to a comprehensive 44-6 defeat on matchday one of this season’s United Rugby Championship.

After a promising opening 20 minutes, which saw the Dragons lead through two JJ Hanrahan penalties, Edinburgh took control of the game and ran in seven unanswered tries.

Making matters worse, Lloyd Fairbrother was yellow carded for a late tackle while on a warning shortly before half time, with the scores at 12-6.

Edinburgh took full advantage of their extra man, scoring a penalty and a try either side of the break and ensuring that Dragons could not regain the momentum.

South Wales Argus: Will Rowlands attempts to make up some ground against Edinburgh. Picture: Huw Evans Picture Agency.Will Rowlands attempts to make up some ground against Edinburgh. Picture: Huw Evans Picture Agency. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Speaking after the game, Rowlands said a lack of discipline – an issue he admitted had plagued the team throughout last season as well – cost Dragons in Scotland.

“We’re really disappointed,” he said. “We didn’t give a good account of ourselves in a lot of areas.

“We’ve been much better and it's the challenge here of trying to stamp out those stupid mistakes we make in the game.

“It makes it impossible to build a foundation to play any sort of rugby on.

“There are obviously a few areas we need to go away and work on.

“We let them come into the game with the driving maul in the second half and it became a good foundation to play from for them.

“For me the biggest area, as we have said in the pre-season and last season, is our discipline.

“Those errors kill us, and you are not going to give yourself a chance to beat anyone if you’re giving away 20 penalties a game.

“We’ve got to be much better.”