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35
ULSTER
RUGBY
Newport Gwent Dragons head to Ulster with ten first
team players injured, including Captain Lee Byrne, a
further three requiring late fitness tests and Taulupe
Faletau leading a trio of Wales call-ups.
TONIGHT’S OPPOSITION
newportgwentdragons
dragonsrugby
CLUB STATS
//Location
Newport, Wales
//Founded
2003
//Ground
Rodney Parade
//Capacity
9,082
//Last Game
Edinburgh Rugby (A) 24-10 (L)
Sat 11 Oct 2014 at 14.40
//Next Game
Munster Rugby (H)
Fri 21st Nov 2014 at 19:30
//Recent Form
L L W L L
STAFF
// Head Coach
Lynn Jones/Kingsley Jones
//Captain
Lee Byrne
CONTACT
Rodney Parade
Newport
Gwent
NP19 0UU
Wales
Tel
01633 670690
Fax
01633 670696
TICKET OFFICE
Tel
+44 1633 674 990
The Men of Gwent come back into
tonight’s Guinness PRO12 match
after two games in the European
Rugby Challenge Cup.
The Dragons secured a bonus
point win against tough French
side Stade Francais and went into
Round 2 of the Challenge Cup with
a positive attitude. Both the Men
of Gwent and Newcastle Falcons
were top of the table as they were
neck-and-neck with points, so this
game was going to be a nail biter.
The Dragons played with ease and
precision after Richie Rees crossed
the white wash with the first try of
the night followed by Pewtner who
made it over. However it didn’t
stay this way for too long as Hallam
Amos had a clearance kick charged
down, to put the Falcons into the
lead. However the hosts fought
back just before half time with
Taulupe Faletau crossing the try line
and Tom Prydie adding the extras,
only for Newcastle to respond with a
penalty at half time – ending the first
half 15-15. After 10 minutes of the
second half the visitors were leading
27-20 after two tries from them
and just one from the Dragons. In
the closing stages it was 30-26 to
the Falcons and as the Dragons
hammered away at the line as the
clock counted down and kicked
a penalty to the corner, only to be
penalised on the final whistle.
Now with a break in the European
competition the Dragons can look
forward to playing in the Guinness
PRO12. The Welsh Region’s last
game in the PRO12 was against
Edinburgh rugby when they lost
out to a strong Scottish side at BT
Murrayfield. Before that game the
Welsh Region took on the Scarlets
only to be once again pushed out
as the final whistle ended the match
on a score of 26-13.
The Dragons’ only victory in the
PRO12 has been against Benetton
Treviso with a win of 33-15 at
Rodney Parade. It was Man of the
Match Amos, who scored two of
the Dragons four tries in this hard
fought win against the Italians.
Centre Ashley Smith and scrum half
Jonathan Evans also crossed the
white wash for the Gwent side. The
Welsh Region took full control of the
game with real attacking intent and
great defensive skills which showed
in the score line.
As the Dragons sit in ninth place
in the Guinness PRO12 table and
the Ulster men occupy third place;
tonight’s game will prove to be a
timely test against this hard hitting
Irish side.
