Dragons kick-off the new European Challenge Cup season with a home clash against French Top 14 giants Castres Olympique at Rodney Parade on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm).
Ahead of the game, we take a closer look at all the stats and information you need to know:
Pool 1: Dragons vs Castres Olympique
Officials:
Referee: JP Doyle (Eng), Assistant Ref: Anthony Woodthorpe (Eng) & Andrew Jackson (Eng), Citing Commissioner: Danae Zamboulis (Eng)
Match facts:
- The Dragons and Castres have met twice previously in the Challenge Cup, both fixtures taking place during the 2015/16 pool stages with the home side of the day winning each encounter.
- The Dragons’ last two games in the Challenge Cup have seen them record their biggest victory (59-3 v Timisoara Saracens) and suffer their heaviest defeat (7-49 v ASM Clermont Auvergne).
- Castres have won eight of their nine games against Welsh opposition in the Challenge Cup. Their solitary defeat came in the most recent game, against Dragons in 2015/16.
- The Dragons scored five tries from their maul in the Challenge cup last season, more than any other side in 2018/19.
- Dragons’ Will Talbot-Davies had an average gain of 15 metres per carry in the Challenge Cup last season, the best rate of any player to make 10+ carries.
Tournament Record:
Dragons: P60 - W33, D0, L27. Win Rate: 55%
Castres: P55 – W36, D0, L19, Win Rate: 65%
Tournament facts:
- Four previous tournament winners – Pau 2000, Wasps 2003, Cardiff Blues 2010 and 2018, Stade Francais Paris 2017 - are contesting the silverware this season.
- Leicester Tigers’ Round 1 match against Pau on Saturday will be their first in the tournament.
- Of this season’s competing clubs, Brive have made the most tournament appearances with 111.
- The Italian qualifier, Rugby Calvisano, are back in the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2015/16.
- Julian Arias, who has recently joined the coaching staff at Stade Francais Paris, is in second place in the tournament’s all-time try scorers list with 22 behind Tom Varndell who leads the way on 25.
- Of the players currently registered for this season’s tournament, Jules Plisson of Stade Francais Paris is the leading scorer with 198 points.
- RC Toulon, who return to the Challenge Cup for the first time since the 2011/12 season, were losing finalists in 2010 and 2012.
- Wasps made their last Challenge Cup appearance during the 2013/14 season.
- Following ASM Clermont Auvergne’s victory in Newcastle last season, Franck Azema, who won as a player with Montferrand in 1999, became the first person to win the tournament both as a Head Coach and as a player.
Tickets remain on sale NOW for the European opener with Castres at Rodney Parade. Click HERE to buy your tickets and get ready for the return of European rugby.
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