Ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against Wasps at Rodney Parade, we turn back the clock for a #ThrowbackThursday and look back at our victory when the teams met in 2013….
Dragons 20-8 Wasps - November 16th, 2013
Dragons defeated Wasps 20-8 in the LV= Cup with tries from wingers Matthew Pewtner and Ashton Hewitt – on his home debut - sealing victory at Rodney Parade.
The hosts were 13-8 in front at the break courtesy of a try from Pewtner and two penalties and a conversion from full-back Rhys Jones against a try from flanker Matt Everard and fly-half Joe Carlisle's penalty.
A try from home wing Hewitt, converted by Jones, was the only score of the second half. Both sides needed to sink their teeth into the competition at the second attempt having lost in round one. The Dragons went down 21-13 to Scarlets in Llanelli while Wasps were stung by Saracens at Adams Park.
After Jones and Carlisle exchanged early penalties, it was Wasps who had the first try chance when wing Tom Howe went storming up the right flank only for his pack to infringe at the breakdown.
Dragons were having problems competing among the front row with Wasps' Ricky Reeves, Neil Cochrane and Phil Swainston in control.
After a slow start, the match livened up in the second 20 minutes of the half. Jones booted the second of his penalties from 35 metres to put the Dragons back in front but Wasps were on the front foot on the right where Howe, Jonah Holmes and Tommy Bell were causing problems.
It was from that area that Wasps got their reward with a well-worked try when they took an attacking line-out and drove Cochrane over from five metres.
However, the two-point lead - Carlisle failed with the conversion - lasted only minutes as Dragons grabbed an excellent breakaway try which ended with debutant lock Cory Hill putting in Pewtner on the right.
After a nasty incident - where Jonathan Evans was smashed full in the face by the ball when Jones tried to clear from the 22 - the plucky home scrum-half picked himself up and nearly got Dragons a second try.
Another breakaway, this time from inside their own half, saw Wasps centre Ben Jacobs produce a try-saving tackle.
Tempers flared after another less-than-eventful 20-minute period when the sides engaged in a battle that required referee Steve Lee to issue a general warning to both captains.
As the atmosphere heated up inside Rodney Parade, so did the home side's belief as they began to gather the momentum they needed to close in on the victory.
It did not help Wasps' cause when the punches started flying again and, this time, the referee had had enough and sent replacement lock Kearman Myall to the sin bin.
Replacement wing Harries started Hewitt's great solo effort for the try that sealed the home win as the latter danced around the defence to score.
