It was the first win for the Dragons since Friday 4th January but their 18-10 win over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade means there will be four Welsh regions in next season’s Heineken Cup.
Kevin Morgan opened the scoring against an unfamiliar Ospreys line-up, who were missing seventeen players to injury and Wales duty. A thrilling Gareth Owen run helped get the visitors back into the game before the break, the young full-back setting up Shaun Connor for a converted try.
Colin Charvis, sealed the win with a second-half score and now the Dragons are now out of Connacht’s reach at the bottom of the Magners League table. Both sides had been fighting to make the play-off match between the highest non-qualified Magners League team and the third-placed Italian Super 10 club for the 24th spot in Europe’s premier tournament.
Following confirmation yesterday that the Italians will not be putting a team forward for the play-off, last night’s win for the Welsh region means they will automatically return to Europe’s top table for another season.
Each season Wales automatically have three teams in the Heineken Cup and along with Ireland, could potentially earn a fourth though the annual 24th place play-off match. Paul Turner’s Dragons qualified for the Heineken Cup this season by defeating Calvisano in the play-off, while the previous season they were relegated to the European Challenge Cup when they lost to Parma in the one-off match.
Newport Gwent Dragons 18 Ospreys 10
Dragons: Morgan, Wyatt, Gomer-Davies, Dolman, Fussell, Sweeney, W. Evans, Black, Daly, Harrison, A. Jones, Charteris, Charvis, Parks, Owen.
Replacements: Emerick for Gomer-Davies (67), Gustafson for Black (61), S. Jones for Daly (61), Robinson for Harrison (65), Hall for A. Jones (69), L. Evans for Owen (49) Not Used: Walker
Ospreys: Owen, Bevan, Taylor, Spratt, Brew, Connor, Webb, James, Hibbard, Griffiths, Lloyd, Bateman, T-Pole, Tandy, Smith.
Replacements: Beck for Taylor (71), K. Phillips for Connor (58), Roberts for Webb (67), Shervington for Hibbard (61), Mitchell for Griffiths (71), Powell for Lloyd (67), Tiatia for T-Pole (58)
Att: 5,500
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
