Yendle the last gasp hero in thriller
Prop Luke Yendle crashed over for a dramatic injury time try as Dragons RFC stunned Ospreys 23-21 in a BKT United Rugby Championship thriller at Rodney Parade.
Ospreys had led 21-13 with five minutes remaining before the Men of Gwent battled back with Yendle's try and a conversion from Lloyd Evans sparking wild celebrations from a partisan crowd.
It completed a 13-point haul for Evans in his first competitive game since his arrival from Gloucester, while flanker Harrison Keddie also crossed for the home side.
Ospreys duo Keiran Williams and Ryan Conbeer scored tries while fly-half Dan Edwards added 11 points.
Head coach Dai Flanagan will be delighted with the character shown by his side as Dragons secured their first opening day win since 2013.
Dragons handed debuts to Lloyd Evans and Shane Lewis-Hughes and the former was straight into the action with a successful penalty after two minutes.
Dan Edwards levelled before a try from Keiron Williams sent Ospreys ahead.
The home side hit back when Wales wing Rio Dyer and Aneurin Owen tore holes. Lock Matthew Screech cleverly offloaded to the rampaging flanker Keddie who raced away to score and give Dragons the lead.
Two kicks, though, from Edwards gave the Ospreys a 16-13 lead at the break.
Ospreys squandered an early second-half try after a fine break from Jack Walsh found centre Williams, but he was held up by Joe Westwood and Jared Rosser.
The reprieve was only temporary, though, as more incisive running from Walsh saw him release Conbeer to score in his first competitive game since leaving Scarlets.
Dragons were dealt what looked a terminal blow in the final quarter when replacement James Benjamin was shown a yellow card for persistent maul defence offending.
But Flanagan’s men weathered the storm before Evans gave the home side faint hope with a third penalty before the grandstand finish.
Replacement scrum-half Rhodri Williams made an incisive break and the hosts were patient as they searched for the match-winning score which Yendle and Evans provided.
Timeline:
03m Evans p 3-0
08m Edwards p 3-3
20m Williams t Edwards c 3-10
24m Evans p 6-10
27m Keddie t Evans c 13-10
34m Edwards p 13-13
38m Edwards p 13-16
46m Conbeer t 13-21
77m Evans p 16-21
80m Yendle t Evans c 23-21
Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, Rio Dyer, Joe Westwood (Wilson 51), Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser, Lloyd Evans, Dane Blacker (Williams 51); Rodrigo Martinez (Jones 61), Brodie Coghlan (Benjamin 61), Leon Brown (Yendle 62), Ben Carter, Matthew Screech (Nott 65), Ryan Woodman (Lydiate 65), Harri Keddie (Coghlan 74-78), Shane Lewis-Hughes
Replacements: James Benjamin, Rhodri Jones, Luke Yendle, George Nott, Dan Lydiate, Rhodri Williams, Harry Wilson, Ewan Rosser
Ospreys: Jack Walsh, Luke Morgan, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Ryan Conbeer, Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Jac Morgan, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris
Replacements: Lewis Lloyd, Steffan Thomas, Math Iowerth-Scott, Huw Sutton, Harri Deaves, Luke Davies, Phil Cokanasiga, Max Nagy
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
Attendance: 5,181
