This weekend sees the start of the 2015/16 European Rugby Challenge Cup. The Newport Gwent Dragons have been drawn against the Sale Sharks, Pau and Castres in Pool 2. Sale came 7th in the Aviva Premiership last season while Castres finished 12th in the Top 14 and Pau won the French D2.
On Sunday the Dragons play their opening match against the Sale Sharks at Rodney Parade. Dragons Head Coach Kingsley Jones was Head Coach and Director of Rugby during a 7-year period at Sale, which saw them win the European Shield in 2005 and the Guinness Premiership in 2006.
This season’s Pool draw means the Dragons will face a number of International stars. England fly-half Danny Cipriani set to feature for the Sale Sharks, Castres boast former All Black Sitiveni Sivivatu and Scotland’s Richie Gray while Pau have recruited All Black double World Cup Winner Conrad Smith as well as Damien Traille who has 85 caps for France.
The Dragons went all the way to the semi-final of last season’s competition where they eventually lost 45-16 to Edinburgh at Murrayfield. Supporters at Rodney Parade will fondly remember the quarter-final victory over local rivals the Cardiff Blues. The Dragons came back from 14-3 down to eventually win 25-21 thanks to tries from Hallam Amos and Nic Cudd.
The Dragons had topped a pool which included Stade Francais, Newcastle Falcons and the Buceresti Wolves. The Men of Gwent won at home and away against Stade Francais who went on to win the French Top 14 last season.
European Rugby Challenge Cup 2015/16 - Pool 2 Fixtures
Dragons Vs Sale Sharks – Sunday 15th November – 3:15pm
Castres Vs Dragons – Saturday 21st November – 4:00pm
Dragons Vs Pau – Saturday 12th December – 2:30pm
Pau Vs Dragons – Saturday 19th December – 7:45pm
Dragons Vs Castres – 14th/15th/16th/17th January – TBC
Sale Vs Dragons – 21st/22nd/23rd/24th January - TBC
We caught up with Head Coach Kingsley Jones ahead of Sunday’s match, click below to play:
