We take a closer look at the winner of the second second row position in our Ultimate XV for Dragons feature… Ian Gough!
Lock Ian Gough was a stalwart of the Newport pack, making over a century of appearances, before becoming part of the Dragons set-up in 2003.
Gough made the switch to the Ospreys at the start of the 2007-8 season, cementing his position as one of the most valuable players in Wales, before later returning for a second spell at Rodney Parade in 2014.
On the international stage, Gough made his Wales debut in the infamous 96-11 defeat to South Africa in Pretoria in 1999.
Despite a heavy defeat on debut, Gough secured a berth in the Wales squad on a regular basis until 2002. He returned to the international fold for the 2005 Grand Slam campaign, where he featured as a replacement against Italy.
Regularly starting alongside the Ospreys pair of Ian Evans and Alun Wyn Jones, Gough became the senior figure in the engine room of the Welsh side.
Gough was selected for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France as one of four options at lock and his physicality at the breakdown often set Gough apart from his peers.
He played a big role in the 2008 Welsh Grand Slam, being particularly impressive in defence during the Triple Crown victory against Ireland at Croke Park.
He led the Wales team out for the deciding game against France at the Millennium Stadium, winning his 50th cap as Wales secured a famous victory.
Gough became the senior figure in the engine room of the Welsh side...
