We look back in the archives to the 2007/08 season when Dragons booked Heineken Cup rugby with a win over regional rivals Ospreys…
Dragons 18 Ospreys 10, May 6th, 2008
Dragons secured their place in the Heineken Cup as tries from Colin Charvis and Kevin Morgan saw them secure a vital Magners League win over Ospreys on home soil.
Morgan opened the scoring against an Ospreys side missing 17 players to injury and Wales duty.
A thrilling Gareth Owen run helped get the visitors back into the game before the break, the young full-back setting up Shaun Connor for a converted try.
Charvis, though, sealed the win with a second-half score and was delighted with the win.
"It was only a five-metre run-in for my try - credit for the win goes to the entire team,” he said.
"We haven't had a lot of good news here recently and have been struggling for confidence.
"So to bounce back from a heavy defeat on the weekend [to Leinster] with victory over a team like the Ospreys is a real achievement."
The crowd at Rodney Parade was boosted before the game with the news from European Rugby Cup that the best non-automatically qualifying Magners League side would not need to play-off against an Italian team to make the 2008/9 Heineken Cup.
That left Dragons needing just a point to guarantee finishing above Connacht and claiming the prized spot - and a loose pass from Ceri Sweeney set them on their way after just five minutes.
The bounce unsettled the Ospreys defence with Morgan showing the pace to take full advantage.
Sweeney and Connor - the Ospreys fly-half who would join the Dragons next season - exchanged penalties, but it was the home side who held the advantage over the new-look Ospreys.
Centre Jonathan Spratt was sin-binned for killing the ball before Sweeney landed a second Dragons penalty.
Scrum-half Rhys Webb, making his Ospreys debut, was then sin-binned for a high tackle on Richard Fussell to add to the visitors' troubles.
A moment of magic from Owen dragged the Ospreys back into contention and cut the lead to 11-10 at the break.
But after a scrappy start to the second period, it was man-of-the-match Charvis who eased the home side's nerves.
A promising move looked to have broken down when Dollman's pass fell short of Rhodri Gomer Davies, but Charvis gathered dynamically to pile over from short range.
Dragons: Morgan, Wyatt, Gomer-Davies, Dolman, Fussell, Sweeney, W. Evans, Black, Daly, Harrison, A. Jones, Charteris, Charvis, Parks, Owen
Replacements: Emerick for Gomer-Davies (67), Gustafson for Black (61), S. Jones for Daly (61), Robinson for Harrison (65), Hall for A. Jones (69), L. Evans for Owen (49). Not Used: Walker
Ospreys: Owen, Bevan, Taylor, Spratt, Brew, Connor, Webb, James, Hibbard, Griffiths, Lloyd, Bateman, T-Pole, Tandy, Smith
Replacements: Beck for Taylor (71), K. Phillips for Connor (58), Roberts for Webb (67), Shervington for Hibbard (61), Mitchell for Griffiths (71), Powell for Lloyd (67), Tiatia for T-Pole (58)
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
Attendance: 5,500
It was only a five-metre run-in for my try - credit for the win goes to the entire team...
