2024–25 Dragons RFC season

Dragons RFC
Full nameDragons RFC
UnionWRU
Founded2003
LocationNewport
GroundRodney Parade (Capacity: 8,700)
ChairmanDavid Wright
CoachFilo Tiatia (interim)
CaptainBen Carter
LeagueUnited Rugby Championship
2023–2415th (Welsh Shield: 4th)
1st kit
2nd kit
3rd kit
Official website
www.dragonsrugby.wales
Current season

The 2024–25 season is Dragons's fourth season in the United Rugby Championship, and their 23rd season of professional representative rugby. Along with competing in the URC and its Welsh Shield competition, the club will also participate in the 2024-25 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Senior squad

For player movements before or during the 2024–25 season, see List of 2024–25 United Rugby Championship transfers § Dragons.
Dragons United Rugby Championship squad[a]

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

(cc) denotes the team co-captains, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Wales on residency or dual nationality.
ST denotes a player signed on a short-term deal.
L denotes a player on loan at the club.
Players and their allocated positions from the Dragons website.[1]
  1. ^ Taking into account signings and departures head of 2024–25 season as listed on List of 2024–25 United Rugby Championship transfers.

Transfers


Results

United Rugby Championship

Main table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Leinster 18 16 0 2 542 256 +286 79 35 11 1 76 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2025–26 Champions Cup
2 Bulls 18 14 0 4 542 361 +181 71 44 9 3 68
3 Sharks 18 13 0 5 436 402 +34 55 59 7 3 62
4 Glasgow Warriors 18 11 0 7 468 327 +141 70 40 10 5 59
5 Stormers 18 10 0 8 507 418 +89 66 57 11 4 55 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2025–26 Champions Cup
6 Munster 18 9 0 9 444 429 +15 67 59 11 4 51
7 Edinburgh 18 8 1 9 471 407 +64 66 57 9 6 49
8 Scarlets 18 9 1 8 427 382 +45 50 52 6 4 48
9 Cardiff 18 8 1 9 409 477 −68 63 65 10 3 47 Qualification for the 2025–26 Challenge Cup
10 Benetton 18 9 1 8 393 478 −85 50 65 7 1 46
11 Lions 18 8 0 10 402 440 −38 53 60 5 3 40
12 Ospreys 18 7 1 10 437 454 −17 60 63 6 4 40
13 Connacht 18 6 0 12 420 472 −52 64 62 9 6 39
14 Ulster 18 7 0 11 414 506 −92 59 72 5 5 38
15 Zebre Parma 18 5 1 12 302 503 −201 38 72 3 4 29
16 Dragons 18 1 0 17 335 637 −302 43 92 1 4 9
Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[21]


2024–25 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield Pools
Welsh Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Cardiff (S) 6 4 1 1 147 117 +30 23 14 4 1 23 9
2 Scarlets 6 4 0 2 163 126 +37 20 18 3 1 20 7
3 Ospreys 6 2 1 3 155 156 –1 21 20 1 1 12 12
4 Dragons 6 1 0 5 130 196 –66 15 27 0 1 5 16
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[22]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

Round 1

21 September 2024
15:00
Dragons 23–21 Ospreys (1 BP)
Try: Keddie 26' c
Yendle 83' c
Con: L. Evans (2/2) 27', 84'
Pen: L. Evans (3) 1', 23', 77'		Try: K. Williams 19' c
Conbeer 45' m
Con: Edwards 20' (1/2)
Pen: Edwards (3) 7', 33', 37'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 5,181[23]
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)

Round 2

27 September 2024
19:35
(1 BP) Leinster 34–6 Dragons
Try: Conan 17' m
R. Byrne 37' m
Deegan 46' c
McCarthy 64' m
Larmour 68' c
King 81' m
Con: R. Byrne (2/6) 46', 65'		Pen: L. Evans (2/3) 25', 40'
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Attendance: 18,397[24]
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

Round 3

5 October 2024
17:15
(1 BP) Dragons 30–33 Sharks (1 BP)
Try: Basham 17' c
Coleman 26' m
R. Williams 37' c
Carter 54' m
Con: L. Evans (2/3) 17', 38'
Pen: L. Evans 3'
Reed 58'		Try: V. Tshituka 21' m
Ja. Hendrikse 39' c
Julius 44' c
Hooker 48' c
Mbatha 80'+4
Con: Masuku (4/5) 40', 45', 49', 80'+7
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4,591[25]
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

Round 4

13 October 2024
14:30
(1 BP) Dragons 19–23 Lions
Try: Keddie 14' c
Basham (2) 24' m, 42' c
Con: Evans (2/3) 15', 43'		Try: Q. Horn 10' c
Cairns 51' c
Con: Steyn (1/1) 11'
Nohamba (1/1) 52'
Pen: Steyn (2/2) 28', 40+1'
Nohamba (1/1) 49'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4 237 [26]
Referee: Fillipo Russo (Italy)

Round 5

19 October 2024
19:35
Dragons 21–31 Benetton (1 BP)
Try: Westwood 26' c
L. Evans 49' c
Lewis-Hughes 72' c
Con: L. Evans (2/2) 28', 50'.
O'Brien 73'		Try: Bernasconi 36' c
Avaca 45' c
Manfredi 60' c
Cannone 67' c
Con: Umaga (2/2) 37', 47'
Albornoz (2/2) 61', 68'
Pen: Umaga 32'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4,132[27]
Referee: Peter Martin, Ireland

Round 6

26 October 2024
19:35
(1 BP) Connacht 31–7 Dragons
Try: Boyle 5' c
Blade 19' c
Prendergast 38' m
Forde 73' c
Devine 80' m
Con: Forde (3/5) 7', 20', 74'		Try: Basham 77' c
Con: O'Brien 78'
The Sportsground, Galway
Attendance: 3,128[28]
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi, Italy

Round 7

30 November 2024
17:15
(1 BP) Cardiff 31–23 Dragons
Try: Mann 31' c
Millard 42' c
Sheedy 42' c
Lee-Lo 49' c
Con: Sheedy (4/4) 32', 43', 43', 50'
Pen: Sheedy 7'		Try: Lloyd 64' c
Seiuli 71' c
Con: O'Brien (2/2) 65', 72'
Pen: O'Brien (3) 11', 23', 28'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 9,638[29]
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Round 8

26 December 2024
15:00
(1 BP) Dragons 22-24 Cardiff (1 BP)
Try: Wainwright 14' c
Dyer 19' m
R. Williams 68' c
Con: O'Brien (2/3) 15', 69'
Pen: O'Brien 17'		ReportTry: Williams 32' m
Adams 44' c
Hamer-Webb 56' c
Lloyd 75' m
Con: Sheedy (2/4) 45', 57'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 8,511[30]
Referee: Adam Jones

Round 9

1 January 2025
17:15
Scarlets 32–15 Dragons
Try: Murray (2) 7', 15'
Macleod 29'
Mee 42'
Con: Costelow (3/4) 8', 16', 31'
Pen: Costelow 11'
Lloyd 69'		ReportTry: Basham 49'
Anderson 66'
Con: O'Brien (1/2) 50'
Pen: O'Brien 14'
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Attendance: 7,605 [31]

Round 10

25 January 2025
19:35
Dragons 19–38 Munster
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4,562

Round 11

16 February 2025
14:00
Dragons 20-45 Glasgow Warriors
Try: Benjamin, 10'c
Lewis-Hughes, 41'c
Con: Evans, 11', 42'
Pen: Evans, 2', 26'		[ Report]Try: Matthews, 23'c
Mann, 28'
Horne, 30', 47'c
Weir, 38'c
McBeth, 42'c
Cancelliere, 72'c
Con: Weir, 24', 38', 43', 48', 73'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4,109

Round 12

28 February 2025
20:35
(1BP) Zebre Parma 31-21 Dragons
Try: Licata, 15'c
Stavile, 39'c
Prisciantelli, 41'c
Paea, 59'c
Con: da Re (4)
Pen: Prisciantelli, 79'		ReportTry: Coghlan, 12'c, 25'c
Westwood, 29'c
Con: Reed (3)
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Attendance: 2,348

Round 13

22 March 2025 (1 BP) Dragons 30-34 Ulster (1 BP) Rodney Parade, Newport  
17:15 Try: Owen, 1'c
, Anderson, 20'c
Williams, 34'c
Con: Reed (3)
Pen: Reed, 14', 47', 63'
 Report Try: Hume, 9'c
Herring, 28'c, 44'c
Wilson, 70'c
Con: Doak (3)
Cooney
Pen: Cooney, 65', 80'
 Attendance: 5,950

Round 14

28 March 2025 (1 BP) Edinburgh 38 - 5 Dragons Hive Stadium, Edinburgh  
19:35 Try: Harrison (2)
D Graham
Schoeman
Venter
Currie
Con: Thompson (3)
Scott
 Report Con: Wainright
 Attendance: 6,240

Round 15

19 April 2025 Dragons 23 - 31 Scarlets (1 BP) Principality Stadium, Cardiff  
17:30 Try: Rosser, 26', 46'
Hewitt, 42'
Con: O'Brien, 43'
Pen: O'Brien, 40', 58'
 Report Try: Thomas, 20'
Hepburn, 51'
Fifita, 55'
Murray, 72'
Con: Lloyd, 21', 51', 56', 73
Pen: Lloyd, 81'
 Attendance: 28,328
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron

Round 16

26 April 2025 (1 BP) Ospreys 57 – 24 Dragons Swansea.com Stadium  
15:00 Try: Spencer, 25'
Lake, 34'
BWarren, 45'
Giles, 50', 78'
Dan Edwards, 56', 59'
Hardy, 71'
Morgan-Williams, 79'
Con: Dan Edwards, 26', 35', 46', 51', 60'
Walsh, 79'
 Report, 2 Try: Rees-Weldon, 23'
R Williams, 55'
Rosser, 65'
Con: O'Brein, 24', 55', 66'
Pen: O'Brien, 18'
 Attendance: 4,677

Round 17

10 May 2025 (1 BP) Stormers 48–12 Dragons Cape Town Stadium  
18:15 Try: Simelane, 2', 80'
Senatla, 36'
Ungerer, 50',
Willemse, 56'
Hartzenberg, 73'
de Wet, 78'
Con: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 2', 37', 57'
Willemse, 74', 79
Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 48'

Cards: Moerat, 40' to 50' 		Report Try: Wainwright, 44'
Blacker, 71'
Con: Evans, 71'

Round 18

17 May 2025
15:00
Bulls v Dragons
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

European Challenge Cup

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Montpellier (2) 4 4 0 0 131 41 +90 19 6 3 0 19 Home round of 16
2 Ospreys (4) 4 3 0 1 111 116 −5 16 17 3 0 15
3 Pau (7) 4 2 0 2 119 108 +11 10 10 3 1 12
4 Lions (14) 4 2 0 2 122 103 +19 18 13 2 0 10 Away round of 16
5 Dragons 4 1 0 3 61 116 −55 8 15 0 1 5
6 Newcastle Falcons 4 0 0 4 55 115 −60 8 16 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[32]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
Pool matches

Dragons were eliminated after the pool stages, finishing fifth in their pool.

Round 1

6 December 2024
20:00
(1 BP) Dragons 14–18 Montpellier
Try: Basham 26' c
O'Brien 39' c
Con: O'Brien (2/2) 27', 40+1'		ReportTry: Tambwe 12' m
Tauleigne 19' c
Con: Barreau (1/2) 20'
Pen: Barreau (2/2) 3', 8'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4,012
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

Round 2

15 December 2024
15:15
Newcastle Falcons 14–22 Dragons
Try: Radwan 36' c
Hearle 46' c
Con: Wilkinson (2/2) 37', 47'		ReportTry: Martínez 15' c
Wainwright 49' m
Anderson 59' c
Con: O'Brien (1/2) 17'
C. Evans (1/1) 60'
Pen: O'Brien (1/1) 34'
Kingston Park, Newcastle
Attendance: 2,801
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)

Round 3

12 January 2025
15:15
Dragons 15–24 Pau
Try: Wainwright 37' m
Dyer 77' c
Con: Lloyd Evans (1/1) 77'
Pen: Lloyd Evans (1/1) 13'		ReportTry: Mondinat 52' c
Jooste 63' m
Con: Desperes (1/2) 53'
Pen: Desperes (1/1) 11', 23', 28', 47'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 4,009
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)

Round 4

18 January 2025
17:15
(1 BP) Lions 60–10 Dragons
Try: Horn (2) 8' c, 48' m
Francis 15' c
Venter (2) 22' c, 65' c
Mafura 26' c
Lombard 56' m
Visagie 61' m
Rass 80' c
Con: Francis (4/4) 9', 16', 23', 27'
Lombard (2/5) 66', 80'
Pen: Francis (1/1) 3'		ReportTry: Latu 53' c
Con: Reed (1/1) 54'
Pen: Reed (1/2) 7'
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Attendance: 2,562
Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)

Home attendance

End of season

Domestic League EPRC Challenge Cup Total
League Fixtures Total Attendance Average Attendance Highest Lowest League Fixtures Total Attendance Average Attendance Highest Lowest Total Attendance Average Attendance
2024–25 United Rugby Championship 9 69,601 7,733 28,328 4,109 2024–25 European Rugby Challenge Cup 2 8,021 4,010 4,012 4,009 77,622 7,055

References

  1. ^ "Dragons Squad". Dragons Rugby. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Solomone Funaki: Tonga forward to join Dragons". BBC Sport. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Harry Wilson: Dragons sign NSW Waratahs centre for 2023-24". 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Steve Cummins: Ex-Scarlets lock joins Dragons from Pau". BBC Sport. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Shane Lewis-Hughes: Cardiff forward to join Dragons". BBC Sport. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Oli Burrows: Dragons sign hooker from Exeter". BBC Sport. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d "Today's rugby news as Gatland prepared to 'go through pain' and Welsh regions announce raft of new deals". WalesOnline. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Lloyd Evans joins Dragons after leaving Gloucester". BBC Sport. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Dragons announce nine departing players". BBC SPORT. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Dragons leaver with remarkable record confirms move to English Championship". South Wales Argus. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  11. ^ "New Signing – Nathan Evans – NEWPORT RFC". Black and Ambers. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Bradley Roberts: Back injury prompts Wales and Dragons hooker to quit". BBC Sport. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Lloyd Fairbrother: Dragons prop forced to retire aged 32". BBC Sport. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Western Force sign 'extremely physical' former Highlanders midfielder". Rugby Pass. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  15. ^ "TEAM NEWS | Saracens Storm v Edinburgh 'A'". Saracens. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Old Glory DC Signs Welsh Center Steffan Hughes for 2025 Season". Old Glory DC. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Utah Warriors bring 4 international stars to Wasatch Front for 2025 MLR season". KSL News. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Los Angeles Complete Big Signing of Puma Gonzalo Bertranou". Americas Rugby News. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Ollie Griffiths: Dragons and Wales flanker retires at 29". BBC Sport. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Leon Brown: Wales and Dragons prop retires aged 28". BBC Sport. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  21. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  22. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  23. ^ "Dragons Fixtures and Results", 22 Sep 2024
  24. ^ "Leinster stutter on way to bonus-point win v Dragons", RTE, 29 Sep 2024
  25. ^ "Dragons Rugby Fixtures and Results", 7 Oct 2024
  26. ^ [1], 14 Oct 2024
  27. ^ "Dragons Fixtures & Results"
  28. ^ "Dragons defeated at Dexcom Stadium", Dragons RFC, 26 October 2024
  29. ^ "Cardiff Rugby Fixtures & Results"
  30. ^ Dragons Fixtures & Results
  31. ^ [2]
  32. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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