2024–25 Dragons RFC season

Dragons RFC
Full nameDragons RFC
UnionWRU
Founded2003
LocationNewport
Ground(s)Rodney Parade (Capacity: 8,700)
ChairmanDavid Wright
Coach(es)Filo Tiatia (interim)
Captain(s)Ben Carter
League(s)United 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

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.[2]


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:[3]
  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[4]
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[5]
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[6]
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 [7]
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[8]
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[9]
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[10]
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[11]
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 [12]

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[13]
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. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  3. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Dragons Fixtures and Results", 22 Sep 2024
  5. ^ "Leinster stutter on way to bonus-point win v Dragons", RTE, 29 Sep 2024
  6. ^ "Dragons Rugby Fixtures and Results", 7 Oct 2024
  7. ^ [1], 14 Oct 2024
  8. ^ "Dragons Fixtures & Results"
  9. ^ "Dragons defeated at Dexcom Stadium", Dragons RFC, 26 October 2024
  10. ^ "Cardiff Rugby Fixtures & Results"
  11. ^ Dragons Fixtures & Results
  12. ^ [2]
  13. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.