Ahead of this Saturday's big EPCR Challenge Cup clash with Gloucester, we look back in the archives for #ThrowbackThursday to the 2015/16 season when Dragons stunned the English Premiership giants in a European epic…
Gloucester 21 Dragons 23, April 9th, 2016
Dragons produced one of the region’s greatest performances in Europe as they stunned Gloucester at Kingsholm to reach the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup.
Scrum-half Charlie Davies grabbed the crucial score - a close-range try after 76 minutes - to put the holders out and end their 15-game unbeaten European run.
Dragons fly-half Dorian Jones kicked five penalties and Carl Meyer one in a close-fought game that will live long in the memory.
England back-rower Ben Morgan and Steve McColl scored home tries while Greig Laidlaw kicked 11 points.
Dragons, who were without Director of Rugby Lyn Jones who missed the match through illness, started at a high tempo but went behind when Morgan galloped down the touch line to score after 11 minutes.
Laidlaw landed two penalties to Dorian Jones' four successes from six attempts in the first half.
Both scrum-halves Sarel Pretorius and Laidlaw were yellow-carded in that period, with Dragons holding a surprise 12-11 lead at the break.
Further points from the tee built on the visitors' lead but Gloucester levelled the scores after the hour when McColl ran onto James Hook's grubber for Laidlaw to convert.
The Scotland scrum half landed another penalty on 72 minutes before Dragons' gamble to kick for the corner rather than at goal paid off I fine style.
A 12-man maul from the line-out was halted, but Davies crashed over from close range.
Dragons held out for the remaining three minutes to spark wild celebrations from their fans on the final whistle.
Gloucester: Tom Marshall; Rob Cook, Henry Trinder, Mark Atkinson, Stevie McColl; James Hook, Greig Laidlaw (c); Paddy McAllister, Richard Hibbard, John Afoa, Tom Savage, Mariano Galarza, Sione Kalafamoni, Matt Kvesic, Ben Morgan.
Replacements: Darren Dawiduik, Yann Thomas, Paul Doran-Jones, Elliot Stooke, Gareth Evans, Callum Braley, Ollie Thorley, Jacob Rowan.
Dragons: Carl Meyer; Adam Hughes, Tyler Morgan, Adam Warren, Hallam Amos; Dorian Jones, Sarel Pretorius; Phil Price, Elliot Dee, Brok Harris, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Lewis Evans (c), Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Boris Stankovich, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Ed Jackson, Charlie Davies, Angus O'Brien, Geraint Rhys Jones.
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Attendance: 10,501
