Josh McNally admitted frustration lingered after Friday night’s derby defeat to the Scarlets, but believes the response since has set Cardiff up to attack the Boxing Day clash with the Dragons with renewed focus.

Speaking at the Vale Resort on Monday, the lock reflected on a performance that created plenty but failed to deliver when it mattered most.

“It was very frustrating,” McNally said. “Straight after the game it felt like we hadn’t converted opportunities, but you don’t quite realise how many chances you’ve had until you review it properly. It’s pleasing that we’re creating them, but we’re nowhere near good enough to not get those over the line.”

Cardiff’s review centred on efficiency, with McNally highlighting how uncharacteristic it was to come away with so little from repeated visits into scoring areas.

“It was an interesting review because we are creating chances but not finishing. We’ve prided ourselves on our goal-line work all year – our pick-and-go has been good, our maul’s been good – so to not come away with points like we have done all season is disappointing. If we convert just one of those opportunities, we probably see the game through.”

Despite the short turnaround and the challenges of a Christmas derby week, McNally felt the clarity from the review had been valuable.

“It’s given us a real focus going into this week. It’s a mentally draining period, but the emotional side takes care of itself with derbies. The key is staying focused, not changing too much, and moving quickly onto the next job.”

Training standards, he added, have remained high, with the squad responding well after the weekend.

“The boys have come in really well, recovered well and trained hard. Even the RFC boys have come in and trained really well. It’s a good, resilient group. We’ve got a day off, then we’re back in on Christmas Eve to sharpen a few things up.”

Attention now turns to the Dragons at Rodney Parade, a fixture Cardiff have dominated in recent years, though McNally insisted history has barely been mentioned.

“We haven’t really spoken about that. The Dragons have been building nicely this year and going down there is always physical. They’re starting to click and get outcomes. For us, it’s about what we want to do and putting that on the park, hopefully creating another set of opportunities and righting the wrongs from the weekend.”

McNally also reflected on wearing the player mic against the Scarlets, an experience he took in good humour.

“No one else wanted to do it, so I was happy to take it on,” he joked. “Eighty minutes of heavy breathing probably isn’t the best content, but it gives an insight into what we’re like on the pitch. That’s the reality of being a forward.”

Asked about the ownership shown by players in the aftermath of defeat, McNally was clear that accountability within the group has grown.

“We’ve held our hands up. It wasn’t catastrophic, but there were detail and decision-making moments we could have handled better. We probably needed a bit of a reset. We’ve got expectations and standards now, and the review reflected that.”

Crucially, he stressed that one result – or even a tough run of fixtures – will not define Cardiff’s season.

“This group is growing. Regardless of how this block goes, it shouldn’t define us. We’ll keep going, keep learning and keep improving. There was disappointment, but the way we reviewed it today shows where this group is at, and that’s something we can be proud of as we head into the weekend.”