We look back in the archives to the 2006/07 season when Dragons surged into the European Challenge Cup last four by blitzing Brive on home soil…
Dragons 39 Brive 17 - Saturday, March 31, 2007.
Brive Dragons powered into the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup as a Kevin Morgan brace saw them make light work of Brive at Rodney Parade.
The French conceded six tries with Dragons captain Morgan adding to scores from Adam Black, Jamie Ringer, Aled Brew and a penalty try. Fly-half Ceri Sweeney added nine points with the boot.
Filimone Boleavucu and Suka Hufanga (2) claimed tries for Brive, but Dragons advanced to face Clermont-Auvergne in the semi-finals.
Brive, threated with relegation from the French top-14, fielded an under-strength side and it took the Dragons just five minutes to breach their defences.
Good work from Colin Charvis, Michael Owen and Black took play to within five metres of the try line and a pop-pass from Alex Walker sent Morgan over.
Morgan's second try soon followed thanks to some great turnover work from Paul Emerick as the USA centre ripped the ball from Tim Clark to set up a counter-attack.
The Dragons had a four-man overlap but Morgan had the speed to race away down the right and arch his way in under the posts.
Brive hit back with Hufanga sending Boleavucu over in the right corner. Luciano Orquera added an excellent conversion to bring the French side within three points.
However, the Dragons hit back with two quick-fire tries to take a 24-7 advantage into the break.
First prop Black charged over from close range and then referee Wayne Barnes awarded a penalty try when Brive centre Ludovic Valbon knocked down Peter Sidoli's pass while lying on the ground.
Torrential rain greeted the resumption and Brive were soon in bigger trouble as a poor defensive line-out allowed flanker Ringer to grab the loose ball and dive over.
Charvis was sent to the sin-bin and Brive took advantage with two successive lofted kicks from Clark sending Hufanga over twice in quick succession.
But, despite that wobble, Dragons steadied the ship and Aled Brew rounded off a fine afternoon, with the wing the recipient of some fine running from Morgan and replacement Aled Thomas.
Dragons: K Morgan (capt); G Wyatt, P Emerick, N Brew, A Brew; C Sweeney, A Walker; A Black, B Daly, L Harrison, I Gough, P Sidoli, C Charvis, J Ringer, M Owen
Replacements: S Jones, J Corsi, D Maddocks, L Charteris, N Fitsemanu, G Cooper, A Thomas
Brive: N Le Roux; F Boleavucu, L Valbon, S Hufanga, A Palisson; L Orquera, T Clark; P Lafond, J Djoudi, P Capdevielle, C Petre, C van Rensburg, S Azoulai (capt), A Maleyrie, D Chouly
Replacements: J Campo, P Toderasc, F Domingo, J Bonvoisin, J Pejoine, M Petitjean, S Bonetti
Attendance: 7,112
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).
The French conceded six tries with Dragons captain Morgan adding to scores from Adam Black, Jamie Ringer, Aled Brew and a penalty try...
