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2025–26 Dragons RFC season

Dragons RFC
2025–26 season
Head coachFilo Tiatia (interim)
PresidentDavid Wright
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

The 2025–26 season will be the Dragons RFC's fifth season in the United Rugby Championship, and their 24th season of professional representative rugby. Along with competing in the URC and its Welsh Shield competition, the club will also participate in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

United Rugby Championship

Matches

26 September 2025 (1 BP) Ulster Ireland 42 – 21 Wales Dragons Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast  
20:05 Try: Izuchukwu 12'
Timoney 28'
McCann 34'
Z. Ward 36'
Doak 42'
Stewart 80+3'
Con: Doak (5) 13' 29' 34' 38' 43'
Flannery 80+4'
 Report[1] Try: Wainwright 0'
Rosser 16'
Lewis-Hughes 49'
Con: De Beer (3) 2' 17' 50'
 Attendance: 9,563[2]
Referee: Colby Griffin
3 October 2025 Dragons Wales 17 – 17 South Africa Sharks Rodney Parade, Newport  
20:05 Try: Wainwright 15'
O'Brien 26'
Con: de Beer (2/2) 16', 27'
Pen: de Beer (1/1) 66'
Cards: Coleman Yellow card 73' 		Report[3] Try: Orie 8'
Tshituka 38'
Con: J. Smith (2/2) 9', 39'
Pen: J. Smith (1/1) 19'
 Attendance: 4 889 [4]
Referee: Filippo Russo
11 October 2025 (1 BP) Glasgow Warriors Scotland 49 – 0 Wales Dragons Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow  
17:30 Try: Steyn (10')
Horne (25', 62')
Brown (43')
Hiddleston (47')
Matthews (67')
Con: Hastings (11', 26', 43', 48')
Horne (62')
Lancaster(68')
 Report Cards: Dyer Yellow card 80'+1 Attendance: 6,802
17 October 2025 (1 BP) Dragons Wales 17 – 24 Wales Cardiff (1 BP) Rodney Parade, Newport  
19:45 Try: Coghlan (7')
Carter (72')
Con: de Beer (8', 73')
Pen: O'Brien (80')
 Report
Scoreboard 		Try: Mann (2')
Faletau (14')
Dan Thomas(20')
Southworth (61')
Con: Sheedy (14')
Ben Thomas (62')
 Attendance: 7,483[5]
Referee: Federico Vedovelli
25 October 2025 Dragons Wales 19 – 19 Wales Ospreys Rodney Parade, Newport  
17:30 Try: R Williams (38' c)
Coghlan (60' c)
Burrows (76' m)
Con: de Beer (40', 61')
 Report Try: Deaves (15' m)
Cokanasiga (20' c)
Hopkins (46' c)
Con: Edwards (20', 47')
Cards: Kasende Yellow card 80' 		Attendance: 5,511[6]
Referee: Ben Breakspear
28 November 2025 Dragons Wales 10–24 Ireland Leinster (1 BP) Rodney Parade, Newport  
19:45 Try: Screech (31' c)
Con: de Beer(32')
Pen: O'Brien(47')
 Report Try: Soroka (4' m)
Kenny (44' c, 59' m)
Snyman (78' c)
Con: Byrne (45', 79')
Cards: Mangan yellow card 29' to 39'
Penny yellow card 38' to 48'
McGrath yellow card 80' to f.t.' 		Attendance: 4,244[7]
Referee: Morne Ferreira South Africa
20 December 2025 (1 BP) Dragons Wales 48 – 28 Ireland Connacht (1 BP) Rodney Parade, Newport  
19:45 Try: Burrows 17' c
Hope (2) 25' c, 61' c
Rosser 32' c
penalty try 40'+4
Dyer 51' c
Con: O'Brien (5/5) 18', 26', 33', 52', 62'
Pen: O'Brien (2/2) 43' , 46'
 Report Try: Gilbert 0' c
Prendergast (2) 66' c, 74' c
Jansen 80+2' c
Con: Gilbert (4) 1', 67', 75', 80+3'
Cards: Boyle Yellow card 40'+5 		Attendance: 4,188
Referee: Ruairidh Campbell (SRU)
26 December 2025 Cardiff Wales 22 – 19 Wales Dragons (1 BP) Cardiff Arms Park  
15:00 Try: Sebastian 20' c
Mann 30' m
J Adams 47' c
Con: Sheedy (2) 21', 48'
Pen: Sheedy 70'
Cards: McNally Yellow card 78' 		Report Try: Hope (2) 7' m, 32' c
penalty try 78'
Con: O'Brien, 32'
Cards: Keddie Yellow card 57' 		Attendance: 12,125
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
1 January 2026 (1 BP) Dragons Wales 28 – 5 Wales Scarlets Rodney Parade, Newport  
15:00 Try: de Beer 8' c
Burrows 43' c
Richards 48' c
Roberts 75'
Con: O'Brien (4/4) 9', 55' 49' 78'
Cards: Cuckson Yellow card 23' 		Report Try: Mee 35' m
Cards: Douglas Red card 42' 		Attendance: 8,369[8]
Referee: Ben Connor (WRU)
23 January 2026 Munster Ireland 22 – 20 Wales Dragons (1 BP) Musgrave Park, Cork  
19:45 Try: Gleeson 39' c
Coombes (2) 57' m, 65' c
Con: Butler (2/3) 40', 66'
Pen: Butler 75'
 Report Try: Coghlan 17' c
Richards 53' c
Con: O'Brien (2/2) 18', 54'
Pen: O'Brien (2) 11', 30'
Cards: Beddall Yellow card 19' 		Attendance: 8,422
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SCO)
31 January 2026 Ospreys Wales 19 – 13 Wales Dragons (1 BP) Brewery Field, Bridgend  
19:45 Try: Morgan-Williams 33' c
Lloyd 74' m
Giles 80' c
Con: Walsh (2/3) 34', 80+1'
 Report Try: de Beer 18' c
Con: O'Brien 19'
Pen: O'Brien (2) 47', 58'
Cards: Diamani Yellow card 73' 		Attendance: 5,281
Referee: Ben Connor (Wales)
28 February 2026 Dragons Wales v Italy Benetton Rodney Parade  
17:30
21 March 2026 Stormers South Africa v Wales Dragons TBC  
17:30
28 March 2026 Lions South Africa v Wales Dragons Emirates Airline Park  
14:30
17 April 2026 Dragons Wales v South Africa Bulls Rodney Parade  
19:45
24 April 2026 Zebre Parma Italy v Wales Dragons Stadio Lanfranchi  
19:45
9 May 2026 Dragons Wales v Scotland Edinburgh Rodney Parade  
19:45
16 May 2026 Scarlets Wales v Wales Dragons Parc y Scarlets  
17:15

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Glasgow Warriors 11 9 0 2 310 155 +155 44 21 7 1 44 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
2 Leinster 11 8 0 3 301 234 +67 44 31 7 1 40
3 Stormers 10 8 0 2 274 161 +113 34 20 4 0 36
4 Ulster 10 7 0 3 302 208 +94 42 28 6 2 36
5 Cardiff 11 7 0 4 232 203 +29 34 28 5 3 36 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
6 Munster 11 7 0 4 227 218 +9 33 29 5 2 35
7 Bulls 10 5 0 5 263 258 +5 38 37 4 1 25
8 Ospreys 11 4 2 5 239 263 −24 36 40 4 1 25
9 Sharks 10 4 1 5 222 258 −36 33 32 5 1 24 Qualification for the 2026–27 Challenge Cup
10 Lions 10 4 1 5 267 310 −43 36 46 4 2 24
11 Benetton 11 4 1 6 201 266 −65 22 36 2 1 21
12 Connacht 10 3 0 7 243 269 −26 32 37 5 4 21
13 Edinburgh 10 3 0 7 195 194 +1 30 30 2 4 18
14 Dragons 11 2 2 7 212 271 −59 27 40 2 4 18
15 Scarlets 10 3 1 6 173 239 −66 22 32 0 1 15
16 Zebre Parma 11 2 0 9 190 344 −154 25 48 2 2 12
Updated to match(es) played on 30 January 2026. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[9]


2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables
Wales Welsh Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Wales Ospreys 4 3 1 0 99 73 +26 15 11 2 0 16 8
2 Wales Cardiff 4 2 0 2 85 90 -5 13 13 2 1 11 5
3 Wales Dragons 5 1 1 3 94 89 +5 13 14 1 3 10 14
4 Wales Scarlets 3 1 0 2 45 69 -24 7 10 0 1 5 15
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[10]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

European Challenge Cup

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Italy Benetton (2) 4 4 0 0 182 89 +93 24 11 3 0 19 Home round of 16
2 England Newcastle Red Bulls (6) 4 3 0 1 75 78 −3 11 11 1 0 13
3 Wales Dragons (13) 4 2 0 2 96 148 −52 14 21 1 0 9 Away round of 16
4 France Perpignan (16) 4 1 1 2 111 107 +4 14 14 1 1 8
5 South Africa Lions 4 1 1 2 90 93 −3 11 12 1 1 8
6 France Lyon 4 0 0 4 87 126 −39 13 17 1 2 3
Source: EPCR[11]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool matches

7 December 2025 (1 BP) Perpignan France 41–17 Wales Dragons Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan  
14:00 Try: Hall 12' c
Diaby 28' c
Joseph 50' m
Chinarro 59' m
Le Corvec 76' c
Con: Kretchmann (2/4) 13', 29'
Aprasidze (1/1) 77'
Pen: Kretchmann (1/2) 45'
Cards: Carter Yellow card 71' 		Report Try: Westwood 55' c
Austin (2) 64' m, 82' m
Con: O'Brien (1/3) 55'
Cards: Paia'aua Red card 15' 		Attendance: 6,215
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
14 December 2025 Dragons Wales 23–21 France Lyon (1 BP) Rodney Parade, Newport  
15:15 Try: Keddie 65' m
Burrows 73' m
Keddie 78' m
Con: O'Brien (1/3) 79'
Pen: O'Brien (2/3) 10', 25'
Cards: J. Rosser Yellow card 22'
de Beer Yellow card 56' 		Report Try: Roux 31' c
Mathiron 43' c
Maalo 56' c
Con: Cassang (2/2) 32', 44'
Gonzalez (1/1) 57'
Cards: Maraku Yellow card 72' 		Attendance: 4,028
Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy)
10 January 2026 (1 BP) Benetton Italy 74–21 Wales Dragons Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Benetton  
18:30 Try: Izekor 14' c
Ratave 18' c
Fekitoa 33' m
Odogwu (2) 37' m, 55' c
Umaga (2) 40' c, 64' c
Lynagh (2) 51' m, 67' c
Marin (2) 75' c, 80+2' c
Con: Umaga (8/11) 15', 19', 41', 56', 65', 68', 75', 80+3'
Pen: Umaga (1/1) 3'
 Report Try: Burrows 29' c
Dyer 58' c
Lewis-Hughes 78' c
Con: de Beer (2/2) 30', 59'
J. Lloyd (1/1) 78'
 Attendance: 3,754
Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)
16 January 2026 (1 BP) Dragons Wales 35 – 12 England Newcastle Red Bulls Rodney Parade, Newport  
20:00 Try: Dyer (2) 30’ c, 53' c
Coghlan 47’ c
penalty try 68'
Richards 78’ c
Con: O'Brien (4/4) 31', 48', 54', 79'
 Report Try: Benitez Cruz, 34'
Wade 36'
Con: Ethan Grayson (1/2) 37'
Cards: Hodgson Yellow card 46'
Gordon Yellow card 67'
Parsons Yellow card 68' 		Attendance: 5,296
Referee: Christopher Allison (South Africa)

Knockout stage

Dragons qualified for the round of sixteen when they confirmed a third place finish in Pool 2 in Round 4 with a 35-12 victory over Newcastle Red Bulls. As the third place team with the lowest points total, they are seeded thirteenth, earning an away tie in the last sixteen against French giants, Stade Francais.

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
1 France Montpellier
16 France Perpignan
 
 
8 Ireland Connacht
9 South Africa Sharks
 
 
4 France Stade Français
13 Wales Dragons
 
 
5 Italy Zebre Parma
12 France Pau
 
 
2 Italy Benetton
15 Wales Cardiff
 
 
7 England Exeter Chiefs
10 Ireland Munster
 
 
3 Ireland Ulster
14 Wales Ospreys
 
 
6 England Newcastle Red Bulls
11 France La Rochelle
Round of 16
3/4/5 April 2026
Stade Francais FrancevWales Dragons

References

  1. ^ Peter Lockhart, "Ulster fight back to score six tries on opening night after disastrous start against Dragons", Belfast Telegraph, 26 September 2025
  2. ^ "Match Report | Ulster 42-21 Dragons", Ulster Rugby, 26 September 2025
  3. ^ James, Ben. "Dragons 17-17 Sharks report". Wales Online. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Dragons draw after dramatic finale". Dragons RFC. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  5. ^ "Dragons 17 Cardiff 24". South Wales Argus. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  6. ^ Websites - 3bit.co.uk, We Build. "Dragon News : Burrows late try seals comeback draw". dragonsrfc.wales. Retrieved 25 October 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Websites - 3bit.co.uk, We Build. "Dragon News : Brave Dragons denied late on by Leinster". dragonsrfc.wales. Retrieved 29 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Scarlets defeated in New Year's clash". Scarlets Rugby. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  10. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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