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“Anderson certainly lit it up, he was exciting”- 5 talking points: Tiatia’s reactions to first win as Dragons RFC interim head coach.

Dragons RFC brightened their hopes in the Challenge Cup with a crucial 22-14 win at Kingston Park against Steve Diamond’s Newcastle Falcons after a disappointing opening weekend. Tries from Rodrigo Martinez, Aaron Wainwright and Huw Anderson, accompanied by the boot of Angus O’Brien, saw the ‘Men of Gwent record their first away win in almost two years. This win now means that if they can beat Section Paloise (Pau) on the 12th of January and potentially repeat the same fate in Johannesburg against the Emirates Lions, it would lead to a home tie in the last sixteen, but that’s in 2025, so let’s focus on here and now.

1: “Huw Anderson certainly lit it up, he was exciting” – Tiatia comments on the Player of the Match performance.

Huw Anderson made an immediate impact as he made his first start for the Rodney Parade club, and he capped off a standout performance by scoring a scintillating solo try on debut.  

Speaking on the Dragons RFC website, Tiatia said: “I thought the young fellas who got an opportunity, a lot of them stood out. 

“Overall, I’m happy, the majority of the squad have all had a crack and showed their hand.

“Huw Anderson certainly lit it up, he was exciting. We know what he can do, like most young guys they just need a chance and he was very good.

“Really happy for both Nicky and Minto, I really admire the way they carry themselves as young men.

“I asked Minto how old he was and he’s still 18, it was a bit quicker than he was used to, so he got exposed to that intensity and speed.

“Really proud of Paula Latu, coming on after a short week, arriving Monday and able to front up and produce what he can do.”

2: The losing streak away from home came to an end, which has lasted nearly two years.

They last triumphed away from home back in January 2023 when they travelled to France to face Pau. “I’m proud of the effort,” added Tiatia. 

“Really happy that we came out the other side. The boys dug in deep, and there were good moments.

“I thought we capitalised and built a lot of momentum, there were a couple of chances we didn’t take, but I’m really happy.”

3. The standout performers, Wainwright, Lydiate, Anderson, and Thomas  

We’ve already discussed Anderson’s performance, but one player who shined after having a quiet game last timeout was Aaron Wainwright. He was at the top of the list with the most carries made with 22 and second in top metres with 95, 89 metres behind Anderson on 184. Dan Lydiate, who made his 100th appearance for the Gwent side, was at the top of the pile for most tackles made with 15 and played the full 80. He became just the 38th player to join the 100 club, and those appearances spread over 17 years. 

Another player who made a great debut was young Nick Thomas, who had been impressive in both Dragons A games during the Autumn Nation Series vs Scarlets and Ospreys development sides. He looked strong around the breakdown area and carried extremely well. Perhaps with many standout performances, this gives Tiatia some tough choices for the XV against Cardiff Rugby on Boxing Day.  

Continuing speaking on the website, Tiatia said: “I thought the pack were really good from a set-piece perspective.

“Some of our collision work, we have to keep working on both sides of the ball but when we got it right, we built a lot of momentum and played in the right areas of the field.”

4: George Nott injury update, it looked a bad one!

Although many Dragons fans were ecstatic about the win on Sunday, some would say it was bittersweet after George Nott, who, up until the time of the injury, was causing the hosts many problems. Dragons RFC on their X (Twitter) account provided an update stating: “Even more positive news than the result tonight is that George Nott is up and about in the changing rooms. 

“Thank you to all the medical staff from both ourselves and Newcastle Falcons who helped ensure that every precaution was taken.

5: Up next for the Dragons is another Welsh Derby, where they will look for revenge on Boxing Day 

Both teams will come into this year’s festive derby on the back of victories, with Cardiff coming from behind on Saturday night to beat the Toyota Cheetahs 26-10 at the Cardiff Arms Park. The pair, however, faced each other in the last round of URC fixtures, and it finished 31-23 despite a strong start from Tiatia’s men. 

“I just focus on the now, we can’t focus too far ahead,” admitted Tiatia.

“Recovery is a big focus going into the Christmas derbies against Cardiff and Scarlets.

“At the moment it’s about living in the moment, enjoy while we travel home and get the boys to sleep in their beds and then get ready to go again,” Tiatia concluded.

Cardiff RFC’s winning streak came to end as Ebbw Vale fight back from 17-0 down to win.

After losing 29-12 in their last meeting at the Arms Park earlier in the season, the Steelmen got revenge as they recorded a 32-20 victory over the Blue and Blacks. This result means Jason Strange’s men now replace Cardiff at the top of Super Rygbi Cymru table.

Tries from Cameron Davies, Evan Lloyd and a brace from Ryan Jenkins saw the Steelmen record their seventh consecutive win. However, they were made to work for it as tries from debutant Edmund Anya and Alun Rees with both being converted by Fraser Jones who made his first start of the season. It proved not to be enough at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium as the Steelmen successfully defended their SRC Challenger Shield.

The Steelmen found themselves almost straightaway on the front foot inside the visitors 22 after the Blue and Blacks were penalised. From the resulting lineout there was some heroic defending and Cardiff turned over the ball to relieve the early pressure. Kenya Sevens International, Anya was then penalised for a challenge in the air and outside-half Evan Lloyd kicked into the corner.

After the lineout, the hosts were looking for a way through the brick wall defence of the Blue and Blacks and after switching direction of attack, Anya read the attack extremely well and showcased his speed as he ran in the first try of the afternoon from inside his own 22 after intercepting. Fraser Jones added the extras as the Blue and Blacks went into an early 7-0 lead on 12 minutes.

Straight from the restart, the Blue and Blacks won a scrum after the hosts were offside. Then, after a reset, referee Ben Connor awarded the visitors a penalty and Fraser Jones kicked into the 22. The hosts were then penalised again and Cardiff found themselves five metres from the line after a brilliant kick into the corner from Jones. From the catch and drive a powerful driving maul followed and Alun Rees crossed over to score his fourth of the season. Jones added the extras to double the visitors lead to 14.

The hosts were then penalised again after Luke Pollock who started on the wing went into contact as they played the ball on the floor. Fraser Jones then slotted the three to add to the already substantial lead just after the half an hour mark.

The Steelmen then responded accordingly after winning a penalty straight from the restart and Evan Lloyd from a tight angle kicked into the visitors 22. The ball was then spread through the hands and Lloyd offloaded to Cameron Davies who crossed over in the corner to score his sides first of the afternoon. Lloyd added the extras to reduce the deficit to just 10 at the break.

HT: Ebbw Vale 7-17 Cardiff

The Steelmen reduced the deficit even further on 53 minutes after a break from outside centre Cameron Davies, who offloaded to Rory Harries as he put his side on the front foot. With the Blue and Blacks closing in on the scrum-half, Harries then offloaded to Ryan Jenkins who crossed over for the Steelmen’s second of the encounter. Lloyd added the extras as Cardiff’s lead shortened to three points. Prior to the hour mark, Ebbw Vale found themselves in front for the first time in the game. This came from a powerful scrum which resulted in Ryan Jenkins crossing for his second but Lloyd did not add the extras which meant Jason Strange’s men went into a two point lead.

It got worse for the Blue and Blacks as replacement Jarred Williams was sent to the bin after a late hit on Evan Lloyd as Dan Fish’s men went into the final quarter one man down. Lloyd then added another three points to put his side into a five point lead after taking full advantage of the one man advantage.

Jones reduced the deficit after he slotted three points as referee Ben Connor penalised the Steelmen. The hosts responded well as on 73 minutes Lloyd extended their lead back to five points after adding the three points.

With the clock in the red and after numerous penalties inside the Blue and Blacks 22 the hosts scored their bonus point. After continuing to pressure the visitors defence, Evan Lloyd crossed the whitewash for the bonus point for his side. Lloyd added the extras to secure the Steelmen five points which puts them top of the Super Rygbi Cymru table on 43 points

FT: Ebbw Vale 32-20 Cardiff

Cardiff will look to bounce back from just their second defeat of the season as they welcome Newport to the Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday (KO: 17:15).

Saturday afternoon sees Cardiff RFC back to Super Rygbi Cymru action as they head to the Ciner Glass Community Stadium to face Ebbw Vale in a top of the table clash.

Both teams will be eager to get back out after a brief break due to bad weather last weekend as the Steelmen defend their SRC Challenger Shield which they picked up when the defeated Llandovery at Church Bank.

The Shield which is similar to New Zealand’s Ranfurly Shield, as Ebbw Vale are the holders they will defend it at every home game. This will be a great addition and adds another layer of spice to what will be a very competitive meeting between the two sides.

One person to keep an eye out for on Saturday afternoon is winger, Dewi Cross who after 10 rounds has finally passed Lewis Morgan and is now in pole position of the try scoring charts having scored nine tries.

Team News:

Pre-Match Thoughts

Speaking ahead of the fixture head coach, Dan Fish said: “Disappointed the weather got the better of us again on the weekend.

“Really looking forward to going to Ebbw Vale and testing ourselves against a tough team. We have had a good weeks prep and are expecting a physical battle and are well prepared for it.

“We would like to congratulate Steff Emanuel on making his pro debut last week and also like to congratulate the boys who have been selected to represent Wales U20s on Friday.

“There’s a couple of changes to the squad this weekend, the boys coming in have earned the right for their opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing how they go,” Fish added.

Remember the last meeting in Ebbw Vale?

The last time these two met at the Ciner Glass Community Stadium was back at the start of January where it finished 23-9 in favour of the Blue and Blacks.

Tries from Ethan Phillips, Jamie Hill and Dewi Cross saw the Blue and Blacks break Ebbw Vale’s home winning record after a superb second-half performance.

Opposition form

Jason Strange’s men come into the encounter having just lost one of their eight games so far in Super Rygbi Cymru. In fact the Steelmen are undefeated since the pairs last meeting at the Cardiff Arms Park back in September.

Wins against Aberavon (34-22), RGC (31-16), Bridgend Ravens (34-18), Carmarthen Quins (39-11), Swansea (40-20) and a brace of wins against Llandovery (38-29, 31-28). With the Steelmen sitting just two points behind Cardiff on 38 points.

For those Blue and Blacks supporters unable to travel to the Ciner Glass Community stadium on Saturday can stay updated with live updates via our social media channels (X, Facebook and Instagram).

“It’s just the realisation of opportunities missed again”- 5 talking points: Filo Tiatia reacts to defeat in the Challenge Cup for the ‘Men of Gwent’

Dragon’s opened their European campaign with a narrow 18-14 defeat to Top 14 side Montpellier Herault at a stormy Rodney Parade. It was the same old story for the Dragons as they allowed the visitors to go into an early lead at the end of the first quarter which proved costly.

Tries from Madosh Tambwe and Marco Tualeigne, accompanied by the boot of fly-half Aurelien Barreau, saw the visitors into an early lead on a night where points came at a premium. 

The hosts responded efficiently with tries from Taine Basham and Angus O’Brien, but when it came to the crunch in the second half, it was the same old story for what has been a miserable season so far for the Dragons.

1: “We were actually selfish” -Tiatia openly admits his side wasn’t playing as a team. 

“Yeah, pretty sombre, and I think it’s really just realisation of opportunities missed again and yeah, we just weren’t clinical enough,” said interim head coach Tiatia. 

“But also some moments where we didn’t actually play as a team. We were actually selfish with some of the actions, and we’ve just got to learn a little bit faster.

“What I mean by selfish is that could they have gone together, and were they connected.

“That’s what I mean.”

2: Dragons did well to bring back the game to just four points but were unable to add to it

Despite numerous visits to the visitors 22, Tiatia’s men could not convert them into points despite having considerable possession in the second half. But that’s been one of the main narratives so far this season for the Dragons, as they are not clinical enough in the red zone despite all the hard work in the second quarter of the encounter.

Tiatia said: “Well, you know, the character that seemed like the DNA of this place is Gwent rugby and blue collar and try and work really hard for each other. They managed to do that but again, we just got to be better just around opportunities and really executing it.

“You just got to keep growing, you know, and review it, be really honest around some of the things that we need to be better at and that’s what we’re currently doing at the moment. You see moments that were much better than what we were last week. Some of the young guys they learned some valuable lessons.

“They’d be better for it, and that’s why we want to expose some of our youth. Some of them are not quite ready yet, but at some point, they’ve got to be exposed. Otherwise, they won’t get a chance.

3: Is European Rugby not quite the lure it used to be, with many clubs making a lot of changes to their XV

Tiatia said: “ No, I don’t think so. 

“I think it’s a great opportunity to play in the Challenge Cup or any European competition and I think the opportunity to play against Montpellier was a different style that they played, and they’re more forward in some parts. Similar to the way we play against the South Africans.

“Yeah, it was a different challenge and it was a good one. 

“The weather didn’t help. We sort of had the playing against the wind in the first half, and there was no wind in the second half for some parts. So we just had to adapt, and unfortunately, we fell short.” 

4: In terms of positives from the game, despite the spirited fightback, are there really any? 

“Look, I thought some parts of our defensive game, we turned the ball over, we change the momentum that was pleasing,” Tiatia added. 

“I thought our set piece, our line-out, I thought when we got it right, we could actually create momentum off it. More try opportunities didn’t quite get there, but we can build pressure moving forward. So there was a lot of good stuff.”

5; Up next for the ‘Men of Gwent’ is a trip to Kingsholm to face the Falcons 

Next Sunday, Tiatia’s men travel up north to face Steve Diamond’s Newcastle Falcons side in what can be described as a must-win situation if the Dragons have any thoughts of advancing in Europe. Despite a tough start to the season in the Gallagher Premiership, they have recorded in their last outing a win over the Saracens (17-12) after the international break. At the time of writing, Newcastle had yet to start their European campaign, which will be against Pau on Sunday. 

On what Tiatia expects from the Falcons, he added: “Well, they’re similar to this region. They’re tough. They’re a very good hard-working team. 

“They play percentages, had a good look at them. It’ll be interesting to see which side they put out, but they will be tough up there and under no illusions on the assignment that’s ahead next Sunday,” he concluded.

Dragons RFC could not outrun the storm as they narrowly fell short to an opening Challenge Cup victory against Montpellier who triumphed 18-14 in testing conditions. 

With concerns over whether Storm Darragh would cause disruption like it had done for many sporting fixtures around Wales this weekend, a healthy 4,012 crowd braved the elements at a cold, breezy and wet Rodney Parade. 

The visitors went into an early 18-point lead at the end of the first quarter as both Marco Tauleigne and Madosh Tambwe scored as they were joined by the boot of Aurelien Barreau who slotted eight points from the tee. After that, the hosts’ responded quickly through centurion Taine Basham crossing the whitewash and then prior to the break Angus O’Brien crossed over. 

Overall it was a poor game with many errors but a lot of them were down to the weather as the Top 14 side remained in front by 4 points all throughout the second half despite the hosts having a handful of chances. 

Dragons RFC: 14 

Tries: Taine Basham (25), Angus O’Brien (39) 

Conversions: (25,39) 

Penalties: None 

Montpellier Herault Rugby: 18 

Tries: Madosh Tambwe (12), Marco Tauleigne (20) 

Conversions: Aurelien Barreau (20) 

Penalties: Aurelien Barreau (2, 7) 

Here’s how the ‘Men of Gwent’ rated in their opening round fixture in the European Challenge Cup. 

1- Josh Reynolds: 4

Definitely struggled at times, which then proved to be costly in attack as they couldnt really use the scrum to build a platform. Carried well, but ultimately was miles off matching his opposite number when it came to the crunch.

2- James Benjamin: 4

Was solid at the lineout despite an otherthrow which can be argued made the hosts second try after fly-half Will Reed regathered the ball. He carried well and was great value in defence at times, but went off just two minutes into the second half. 

3- Chris Coleman: 4

Despite not expecting to start the 26-year-old replaced Moldovan international Dmitri Arhip as he dropped out of the starting XV due to illness. This resulted in Coleman playing the full 80 minutes. At times he and his counterparts in the front-row did match them on the odd occasion physically in the scrum, he was an asset in attack but didn’t really have much of a major impact.

4- Joe Davies: 5

Davies who made his first appearance last week against Cardiff, looked okay on his first start at Rodney Parade this season. Probably the only noticeable thing that he did was running a brilliant line in the making of Angus O’Brien’s try on 53 minutes.  

5- Matthew Screech: 6

Good around the breakdown on some occasions, was great in the maul area causing the visitors all sorts of problems by being a real menace by pressurising the visitors causing them into making mistakes. Carried well but could be an injury concern as when he was replaced he went straight down the tunnel. 

6- Ryan Woodman: 5

Good at the lineout, solid at pressurising around the breakdown when needed had a noticeable charge down kick with Dane Blacker. He didn’t really have much of an impact, carried well and was mainly used as the main lifter at the lineout. 

7: Taine Basham: 7

On his 100th game for the region, Basham probably would’ve wanted much better conditions to had played in. At scrum time he was playing in the eight position and was great value in the Dragons defence. He carried well and this was paid off when he scored on 25-miniutes after powering his way over. 

8- Aaron Wainwright: 5

Although having the number eight jersey on, Wainwright was playing on the openside maybe tactically who knows. I wanted to see a bit more from him but he carried well, great runs and was causing the visitors scrum-half Alexis Bernadet all sorts of problems around the breakdown area. Although those moments he did have, you definitely knew about them as the Rodney Parade faithful roared on.  

9- Morgan Lloyd: 5

Argubably the standout player for the Dragons last time out against Cardiff Rugby at the Arms Park last weekend. Lloyd made a well deserved start, starting very impressively as just like his half-back counter part who was very lively. However, there may be some concern as the 22-year-old limped off the pitch just before the break. Like a lot of the backline in this player ratings, Morgan had a really good showing albeit with the conditions being horrendous for a scrum-half. 

10- Will Reed: 6

After playing a few times for Newport RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru, it was great to see Will Reed back in a Dragons shirt and he played like he had a point to prove and gave his side a lot of encouragement when in attack as he was not afraid to take the ball into contact. There was at times some aimless kicking but overall he looked lively when he was on the pitch. 

11- Ewan Rosser: 5

Rosser who I won’t lie, I expected a bit longer of a cameo from him as he was replaced on 49-minutes by his brother Jared. He like many of the Dragon’s was smart when exploiting gaps in behind. Overall didn’t do anything that caught the eye but was just average when comparing him to other players. 

12: Aneurin Owen- 6

Like a lot of the players in the backline and with the conditions not being favourable for running rugby, the 24-year-old who made his pro debut in European competitions in the past had a really good showing. One of his highlights was his great vision in exploiting space in behind and putting on the visitors. He showed great handling skills when some passes from his inside man weren’t the best.  

13- Harry Wilson: 4

At times was poor in defence but in attack was great in cutting angles through Montpellier’s defence. Was great with his handling skills despite the terrible conditions but overall didn’t really make an impact on the game. 

14: Rio Dyer- 5

When he had the opportunity with ball in hand he looked decent and looked hungry to get involved. Sadly Dyer, one of the standout names in this Dragon side he just didn’t have the opportunity to make any big attacking threats. 

15- Angus O’Brien: 6

Although some patchy areas in his game, O’Brien was one of the standout players for the Dragons. The 30-year-old who is getting used to being captain was running all around the Rodney Parade turf and was certainly one of the play makers in the hosts attack. He moved to outside-half after Will Reed went off, and was controlling the game expertly from there as well with some brilliant decision making adding pressure onto the visitors who were vulnerable for large parts of the second-half. 

“Didn’t really capitalise on the opportunities”- 5 talking points: Interim Dragons Head Coach Filo Tiatia reacts to the Welsh Derby defeat at the Arms Park 

Dragons RFC fell to their 19th successive defeat against Cardiff Rugby in a scrappy United Rugby Championship match against. You have to go back to Boxing Day 2014 when the Dragons last tasted victory in the Welsh Capital, and for the opening 30 minutes, Tiatia’s men were well in the game but at crucial times failed to capitalise on their chances. This was the game’s story for the ‘Men of Gwent’ as the hosts turned the game on its head either side of halftime.

Tries from Alex Mann, Harri Millard, Callum Sheedy, and Rey Lee-Lo secured victory for the Blue and Blacks who now sit in fourth place in the URC. However, there was a spirited comeback from the visitors as replacements Morgan Lloyd and Aki Seiuli scored late on.

Still, it was too little too late as Cardiff recorded a 31-23 victory. This result now means the Dragons have sunk to the bottom of the URC after Zebre Parma’s 22-17 win over the Ospreys. 

1: “Didn’t really capitalise on the opportunities”- Tiatia admits that his side failed to capitlise on Cardiff’s slow start.

The Dragons were up 9-3 in the opening half hour, but you can argue that it should’ve been more as Captain Angus O’Brien missed two very makeable kicks early in the game. However, that lead didn’t last long as replacement Mann powered his way over after ill discipline from the visitors as that opened the door for the Blue and Blacks to get into the game. 

“Dissapointed, we built a lot of pressure and momentum in that first half. Didn’t really capitalise on the opportunities. And, yeah, I think the biggest learning is the players need to accelerate where we’re at, just around the learning when there’s momentum and, yeah, just missed opportunities, said Tiatia.

“I really enjoyed the fight back, the character, and some of our young guys that come on, got an opportunity, they sparked a bit of life in the Dragon and we’re chasing the game, but part of that learning is that we just can’t chase the game and we just got to make sure that we poke our nose through the gaps and we build momentum and build the scoreboard.”

2: Standout performer, 22-year-old Morgan Lloyd who made a significant impact. 

Lloyd who’s been playing a lot this season for Pontypool RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru, came onto the pitch on 54 minutes in replacement of Rhodri Williams. 10 minutes later, the replacement showed a brilliant show and go as he blitzed through the hosts defence for his first ever Dragons try. 

“Well, there’s a lot of high points, but he was certainly one,” said Tiatia. 

“Rhodri (Williams) was very good at nine as well. And I think some of the young guys that got an opportunity to come on, you could see some of the potential.”

3: 19 consecutive wins now for the Blue and Blacks, does that affect the mentality of the Dragons?

The last time the Dragons had tasted victory over the Blue and Blacks was back in 2015 when they won in the Challenge Cup Quarter finals under Lyn Jones who is now the head coach of Netherlands Rugby. That day back in April 2015 saw as they were known then Newport Gwent Dragons record a 25-21 victory, but have yet to repeat that fate. Tiatia’s men get another shot at Cardiff on Boxing Day when they return to league action after Europe. 

Tiatia said: “I don’t think so, the past is the past. 

“I think we can learn from the past and we don’t get stuck there. And, yeah, congratulations to Cardiff. They finished on the right side of the ledger, but I think for this young group, we’ve got an exciting opportunity just to keep building, keep improving.

“There we some good moments in the game, we just got to have more of them.” 

4: Frustration in the 22 not to take the points, which was the same story of the first block for the Dragons. 

“Look, I think the players are learning and look, I’m going to keep encouraging them to take the points, when on offer,” added Tiatia. 

“And as a skill set that we just need to keep working on. The decisions that they are making on the field, I’m pretty happy with it. It’s just when we do have our foot on their throttle or on the stroke, it’s how do we make sure that we maximise it and get points. 

5: Attention turns to Top 14 side Montpeillier in Europe with a quick six day turnaround. 

Dragons begin their European Challenge campaign as they host Montpellier Herault Rugby, on Friday at Rodney Parade. The French side sit in ninth place in the Top 14 and will come into the encounter on the back of a tryless game against Bordeaux Begles where they lost 9-6 to the second-place side. 

“The French are unpredictable and will be interesting to see what team they bring to Rodney Parade next Friday. It’s a short turnaround and yep, we’re looking forward to that challenge. They’ve got some very good players, interesting style, with the way they play,” said Tiatia.

“So, again, we’ve just got to keep learning.

“I think every game it doesn’t really matter the size of the man or the dog or however you want to frame it, but I think it’s just around the mentality of competing and competing at their best and being the best version. 

“We’ve done a lot of work around when we play against bigger teams, we’ve just got to be more clinical around our technique, but also just whatever our mass is,” Tiatia concluded. 

Cardiff Rugby player ratings vs Dragons RFC as Cardiff move into the top quarter of the United Rugby Championship table at the Arms Park despite an attempted fightback from the Dragons. 

The Dragons haven’t recorded a win in the Capital since 2014 and for almost 30-minutes they were in with a shout. However, after that quiet opening 30-minutes the hosts got into gear and scored four tries which ultimately took the game away from the visitors.

There were some positives as when Evan Lloyd came on, he seemed to add value to the visitors attack scoring once and also replacement Aki Seiuli scored but it was too little too late for Filo TiaTia’s Dragons side. 

As tries from early replacement Alex Mann, Harri Millard, Callum Sheedy and Rey Lee-Lo proved to be the difference as Cardiff now move into the top five of the URC. 

Cardiff Rugby: 31 

Tries: Alex Mann (31), Harri Millard (40+2), Callum Sheedy (42), Rey Lee-Lo (50)

Conversions: Callum Sheedy (31, 40+2, 42, 50) 

Penalties: Callum Sheedy (6) 

Yellow Card: Josh McNally (34)  

Dragons RFC: 23

Tries: Morgan Lloyd (63), Aki Seiuli (71)

Conversions: Angus O’Brien (63, 71) 

Penalties: Angus O’Brein (10, 23, 27) 

Yellow Card: Brodie Coghlan (40+ 1)

Here’s how Cardiff Rugby rated on a big day in the Welsh Capital:

1. Ed Byrne- 4

Although he was only on the pitch for just about ten minutes and was replaced by Corey Domachowski, former Leinster man Byrne carried well and was good value in the hosts’ defence early on as the Dragons were starting to grow into the game.

2. Dafydd Hughes- 6

Similar to many of the players for Cardiff Rugby, Hughes was strong at the set piece and helped in making some plays for his side. Despite a nervy start in the lineout early on, the man who joined from the Jersey Reds back in 2023 was much more influential in attack but overall was a quiet performance from the 27-year-old. 

3. Kieron Assiratti- 6

Having featured in all of Wales’s Autumn Internationals against Fiji, Australia, and South Africa, Assiratti had a great return to league action having racked up 64 minutes. In that period, he was solid in the scrum and when needed in attack, showed some excellent handling skills and was one of many disruptors in stopping the Dragons’ attack. 

4. Josh McNally- 5

Despite the yellow card in the first half it didn’t prove to be a costly one for the hosts as they went in at the break 17-9 up. Around the breakdown area, he was great at pressuring both Dragons scrum-halves Rhodri Williams and Morgan Lloyd when they attempted to clear. The former Sergeant in the Royal Air force who arrived from Bath at the start of the season had a solid showing. 

5. Teddy Williams 4

One of the quieter players on the pitch, with maybe a lot of his work going unnoticed, but he carried well in attack and, like many of the players was great in halting the Dragons attack once they started going.  

6. Ben Donnell- 5

He went off injured, and Gethin Jenkins, in the post-match presser, could not indicate what the injury was, but Donnel for the length of time he was on, added value to Cardiff’s defence despite the Blues being slow to get going and his replacement Mann was incredibly good. 

7. Thomas Young- 5

Compared to his counterparts in the back row, Young didn’t really make an impact on the game, he carried well but I won’t lie I expected a lot more from one of the more experienced players on the pitch. 

8. Alun Lawrence- 6

In his attack, Lawrence’s carries were clever and decisive in breaking holes in the Dragons’ at times soft defence. He was constantly busy and was overall solid.

9. Aled Davies- 6

Davies looked very solid in the time he had on the field before eventually being replaced by Ellis Bevan. He showed some great handling skills and was of the main protagonist’s with the hosts attack constantly keeping the visitors guessing. 

10. Callum Sheedy- 8

Try scorer, Sheedy showed some much needed experience in the hosts attack early on and was the main dictator of his sides attack. The kicks at goal were great and like a lot of the backline you can make the argument that he could’ve been named as Player of the Match. 

11. Harri Millard- 8

One of the standout players, who has been injury-prone, was exceptional, and there could be an argument that he should’ve been named player of the match after scoring an incredible try. This came from showing excellent footwork in beating several defenders and, on a few occasions when going into contact he was getting over the gain line despite him not playing in his favoured 13 shirt.  

12. Ben Thomas ©- 8

Thomas was one of the standout players for Wales in the Autumn and he carried this form over into his return at the Arms Park. He looked comfortable in attack and was a great asset in defence which helped massively due to his side’s slow start. 

13. Rey Lee-Lo- 8

The outside centre was outstanding in attack as he ran some beautiful lines that almost startled the Dragons’ defence at times. At 50 minutes, the 37-year-old scored a well-deserved try after easily breaking through the visitor’s defence. He was also great value in defence shutting off many opportunities in the Dragons’ backline.

14. Josh Adams- 8

It was great to see the 59-cap winger back in a blue and black shirt after a long period out on the sidelines due to a hernia operation and a terrible time with his knee which kept on filling up with blood so it was great to see Adams get the full 80. Adams was training with the Welsh squad in the autumn and looked great on his return at the Arms Park. He was quality in attack and almost all the time got over the gain line as he broke easily through a poor Dragons side. 

15. Cam Winnett- 6

Named player of the match, Winnett was certainly one of the standout players for the hosts with his carrying ability being on point as he seemed to breeze past the visitors defence. He was great under the high ball despite some handling errors which sometimes proved costly early in the game. 

Dewi Cross, who has now scored 50 points this season, scored a brace, which was accompanied by tries from Tom Bowen and Alun Rees. The Blue and Blacks now have six wins in Super Rygbi Cymru. 

The deadlock was broken on 2 minutes as Kieran Meek slotted the opening three points as the Blue and Blacks were penalised for being offside.

This was followed after the visitors won a free-kick, and Scott Matthews took it quickly and put his side metres out. Then, after several phases, Matthews powered his way over to score the opening try. The hosts responded accordingly as Player of the Match Harri Wilde added the Blue and Blacks’ opening points of the encounter after Pooler were penalised around the breakdown.   

After numerous penalties inside the visitors’ 22, Dewi Cross crossed over in the corner after the ball was spread quickly to the outside. Moments later, the visitors found themselves inside the hosts 22 after winning a penalty at the scrum. However, from the resulting lineout, after kicking to the corner, the Blue and Blacks won back possession and Harri Wilde kicked to relieve pressure on the Blue and Blacks’ defence. 

Dewi Cross crossed the whitewash again on 35 minutes, and this came from great vision by scrum-half Ethan Lloyd, who went quickly to the blindside and offloaded to Cross to score his tenth of the season. Wilde added the extras to put his side into a 15-10 lead at the break. 

HT: Cardiff 15-10 Pontypool 

It was a quick start to the second half. After Pooler was penalised for handling in the ruck, Harri Wilde kicked to the corner. Some heroic defending from the visitors followed, meaning Pooler turned the ball over. Ill discipline was proving costly again for the visitors as after Pooler was penalised for a high tackle, the hosts kicked to the corner.

However, the visitors turned the ball back over at the lineout this time, but Harri Ford could not find touch with his clearance kick, and Dewi Cross kept the ball in play. However, after many phases, the ball was lost forward. Then, the first try of the second half came on 52 minutes from a brilliant break from Elijah Evans.

The outside centre then drew the last man and offloaded to Tom Bowen, who crossed over for his seventh of the season. A red card for the visitors then followed this as Dan Hill high-tackled Dewi Cross on 61 minutes. A powerful catch and drive came from the resulting penalty kick into the corner, and Alun Rees crossed over for his third of the season. After winning a penalty on 80 minutes, Harri Wilde kicked the ball dead as Cardiff recorded another bonus point win in Super Rygbi Cymru.

FT: Cardiff 27-10 Pontypool

Seven Springbok try scorers sealed a 12th successive defeat for Warren Gatland’s Wales side who see no light on the horizon with their next ties in the new year against two strong outfits in France and Italy.

Gatland described the defeat as “a really tough game,” he added: “I cannot question how hard our players tried out there, I thought they gave absolutely everything.”

South Africa came out of the blocks quickly scoring their first of the match in the sixth minute. A break down the right flank ended in Franco Mostert piercing through the Welsh line after a smart pass from Jaden Hendriksen kept the attack alive, Jordan Hendriksen converted the extras to make it 0-7.

Minutes later the Springboks made it 0-12 when loosehead lock Eben Etzebeth dived across the white paint following a ruck in centre field, a quick one-two around Blair Murray with teammate Kurt-Lee Arendse was enough for him to score his first try of the autumn friendlies. Hendriksen struck the conversion wide of the posts.

The onslaught continued, but Wales were given a lifeline when South Africa captain Siya Kolisi drop the ball on the tryline to make it three scores in the opening 16 minutes. Despite the drop the visitor’s winger Kurt-Lee Arendse made it 0-18, the ball was shifted across the line quickly into the hands of their no.11 who drove towards the tryline line, making Murray miss and to extend his sides lead.

South Africa didn’t take their foot off the gas, in the 28th minute a kick to the corner was contested between Costelowand Arendse but dropped, with Aphelele Fassi waiting to pounce on the ball and score, after the play TMO ruled it a no try with the ball failing to make contact with the ground. Five minutes later the visitors saw another chalked off after a Jaden Hendriksen knock-on in the ruck denied Kolisi his glory.

Wales finally applied some pressure to South Africa, driven by the home crowd a hard fought two minutes of attacking play was teed off with a Rio Dyer try, who ran the ball in from the South Africa 22. Welsh fly-half Costelow was unable to convert the extras, ending the first half 5-26.

The second 40 was no different and summed up by a poor kick from Wales’s Tom Rogers who skewed it to their own 22, which gave his side little rest bite in a match where they are second best in all areas of the pitch. Gatland’s side lacked discipline throughout the affair, conceding 15 penalties, which gave the visitors utter control of the match.

Fassi managed to get onto the score sheet in the 55th minute after a cheeky fake pass from Arendse wrong footed Rogers, Arendse found Fassi on the outside who ran the ball home. Seven minutes later substitute Gerhand Steenekamp joined the scorers list, he snuck the ball onto the tryline despite attempts to swat the ball clear.

Springbok fly-half Hendriksen made it 5-45 four minutes from fulltime, a quick pass from Cobus Reinach into his path gave him the space to make it 15 points on the night.

James Botham earned a consolation try for Wales in the final attack of the game where the visitors proved their world number one status.

Starting Line-ups: 15-Blair Murray, 14-Josh Hathaway, 13-Max Llewellyn, 12-Ben Thomas, 11-Rio Dyer, 10-Sam Costelow, 9-Elis Bevan, 8-Taine Plumtree, 7-Jac Morgan, 6-James Botham, 5-Christ Tshiunza, 4-Will Rowlands, 3-Archie Griffin, 2-Dewi Lake (cptn.), 1-Nicky Smith

Replacements: 16-Ryan Elias, 17-Kemsley Mathias, 18-Keiron Assiratti, 19-Freddie Thomas 20-Tommy Reffell, 21-Rhodri Williams, 22-Eddie James, 23-Owen Watkin.

Starting Line-ups: 15. Aphelele Fassi, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Jesse Kriel, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 1. Thomas du Toit, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Franco Mostert, 6. Siya Kolisi (cptn.), 7. Elrigh Louw, 8. Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Marco van Staden, 20. RG Snyman, 21. Cameron Hanekom, 22. Cobus Reinach, 23. Handre Pollard

Wales will play their last Test match of the year tomorrow at Principality Stadium, where they will entertain the World Champions.

World number one and back-to-back World Champions South Africa head to the Welsh capital, to play a Welsh side that are closer to Hong Kong in the World rankings than themselves.

Perhaps this shows how much of a disastrous year 2024 has been for Welsh Rugby. 

Wales come into the game on the back of 11 consecutive defeats, and a loss tomorrow against the Springboks will leave them without a win in a calendar year for the first time since 1937 (Albeit that year Wales only played three games).

Wales come into the encounter after losing to Australia last Sunday. This was Wales’s 17th loss out of 23 Tests under Warren Gatland, and they have now slipped to a record lowest ranking position of 11th in the World. The last time South Africa visited Cardiff, it finished 52-16, and more recently, back in June, the Springboks won 41-13. 

Team News: 

Gatland has made four changes to his side that lost 52-20 against Australia, with Sam Costelow coming into the XV replacing Gareth Anscombe, who drops onto the bench.

Dragons’ winger Rio Dyer gets his first start of the Autumn as Taine Plumtree comes back into the starting lineup ahead of Aaron Wainwright. With Adam Beard out with a knee injury, he is replaced by Christ Tshiunza. Freddie Thomas could potentially make his debut as he is named on the bench.

Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks side has made seven changes from the side that beat England 29-20 at Allianz Stadium. In the half-backs, brothers Jordan and Jaden Hendrikse are starting, and Welsh-qualified Cameron Hanekom is set to make his debut from the bench. 

Pre-Match Thoughts: 

Speaking after the Captain’s Run, Max Llewellyn said: “Yeah, it’s been a pretty tough week, obviously, following the result we had, but I don’t know, we’ve been working really hard, and I can’t fault the boys at all with how hard they’re working. And we’re just looking to try to do some stuff right, really. 

“And it’s obviously going to be tough challenge this week against one of the best teams in the world, but go out there with the confidence of we’ve got nothing to lose.

“People aren’t really expecting too much, so we’re just looking to try to get a bit of a better performance.

“I think we all understand personally and as a team, we haven’t performed to our potential and how well we could be doing that. So just being able to do this doesn’t matter who your opponent is, it’s an opportunity to show how well we can perform as an individual and as a team.

“Like I just alluded to then, in terms of like the boys understand we haven’t been performing well enough, so it definitely comes into it. 

“But in terms of, like, the confidence going to a game, there’s always a belief that you can win, otherwise you’re in the wrong sport, you’re in the wrong industry,” Llewelyn said.