Ulster Rugby v Dragons

THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW… ABOUT THE DRAGONS!

01

08 09

Previously known as Newport Gwent Dragons, the WRU this summer purchased the club and its Rodney Parade ground and officially registered the side as the Dragons. Former Ireland coach Declan Kidney was appointed Head Coach in 2004 – but before taking charge of a game he had a change of heart and instead took up the reins at Leinster. The Newport-based club’s most successful year in the new Celtic League was its first – finishing 3rd in 2003/4. As one of Welsh rugby’s five new regional sides in 2003 the Newport Gwent Dragons was intended to draw its players from the Ebbw Vale and Newport clubs. Number 8 Michael Owen famously skippered Wales to its first Grand Slam in 27 years in 2005. Dragons' Gareth Cooper and Michael Owen toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2005 in New Zealand, and in 2013 Dan Lydiate and Taulupe Faletau played in Australia. The club has played in three European Challenge Cup semi-finals and reached the last four of the Anglo-Welsh Cup once.

The club’s record points-scorer is Jason Tovey with 776 points, while winger Aled Brew is the record try-scorer with 43. After guiding the Dragons to its best ever finish in the league in 2003/04, Head Coach Mike Ruddock was appointed as Wales’ coach and immediately won the Six Nations Championship Grand Slam. This season’s captain, lock Cory Hill, was one Warren Gatland’s so-called ‘Geography Five’ - called in to the Lions’ 2017 tour of New Zealand as short-term injury cover.

DRAGONS

02 03 04 05 06

10

07

41

www. ULSTERRUGBY .com