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Dans une poule 2 d'European Rugby Challenge Cup homogène
Newport Gwent Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones is relishing the prospect of welcoming former club Sale Sharks to Rodney Parade.
The former Wales flanker spent seven seasons at the Sale helm, and welcomes them to South Wales for the first time when the Dragons kick-off their Pool Two campaign on Sunday. And he knows the size of the task that awaits having been on the inside at Sale four years ago.
He said: “I watched Sale Sharks against Harlequins and they are a quality side. But we look forward to that, it’s my old team and I have a lot of friends there. I signed a few of the lads that are playing for them now so I’m looking forward to seeing them, they were all 16 or 17 when I was there!
“I know a lot about there individuals and their coaches and they are playing really well. We look forward to that tournament like we did last year, it’s a big tournament for us. We need to improve in our exits and our finishing.”
Sale came out on the wrong side of a tight contest against Harlequins, but TJ Ioane reckons they can conquer last season’s semi-finalists if they carry on producing the same level of performances.
He said: “I think we are producing a lot of good rugby at the moment, and hopefully we can continue that and build on it heading into next week's European game against Newport Gwent Dragons. We just need to work on the things which didn't go too well for us, and carry on with what did go well.”
Match Facts
- Newport Gwent Dragons have won seven of their last nine Challenge Cup games but will be looking to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since January 2014.
- The Dragons have won 12 of their 17 home matches in the Challenge Cup, including the last three in a row in which they have scored a combined 124 points.
- The Dragons won their last Challenge Cup game against English opposition, however they had lost eight of their previous nine clashes against teams from England before that.
- Sale Sharks have won eight of their nine clashes against teams from Wales, however the most recent of which came in the 2001/02 Final when they beat Pontypridd.
Newport Gwent Dragons made the perfect start in the European Challenge Cup with a bonus-point win over Sale Sharks. - 15/11/2015 17:23
Newport Gwent Dragons made the perfect start in the European Challenge Cup with a bonus-point win over Sale Sharks.
Lyn Jones’ side reached the semi-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup in April. And they took a major stride towards going one better this season with this result.
Ollie Griffiths, Rynard Landman and Adam Hughes all crossed in the first half. But it was not until five minutes from time that Matthew Screech finally secured maximum points after James Mitchell and Jonathan Mills replied in a brief Sale comeback.
Dragons have now won their opening game in five of their six campaigns in this tournament. They had only scored nine tries in their previous seven games, but it only took them five minutes to take the lead against Sale at Rodney Parade.
Elliot Dee made ground but it was the half-break and well-timed pass of scrum-half Sarel Pretorius that cleared a path for Griffiths. The flanker sped over for this his first try for the region though Dorian Jones failed to convert from wide.
Sale responded through their forward power as Brian Mujati, James Flynn and Jon Mills all went close during a sustained 15-minute spell. But defiant last-ditch defence kept the Sharks at bay.
Mujati thought he had scored after Andrey Ostrikov surged forward but was ruled out having illegally played the ball from a ruck. Dragons punished Sale for not taking their chances when Pretorius triggered a second try against the run of play.
The South African darted through and Jones released lock Landman to gallop over from 20 yards out before adding the conversion. Dragons had their tails up and were rewarded for turning down a kick at goal with a third try before half-time when Hughes angled his run for a 17-0 lead.
Despite starting the second facing a breeze, Sale slashed the deficit with two tries in the space of five minutes.
Scrum-half Mitchell latched onto Nick Macleod’s pass to score under the posts. Jones kicked a penalty but replacement prop Phil Price was binned for pulling down a maul less than two minutes after stepping off the bench and Sale skipper Mills dived over from close range.
Jones helped Dragons weather the storm with his second penalty after Brok Harris went close. And once Price was back on the field, the hosts went in search of a bonus point.
Charlie Davies was held up over the line before. But advantage was being played and replacement lock Screech dived over from close range from the resulting penalty.
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