This week’s round two Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Dragons takes place in a city steeped in rugby history.
Located along the river Usk almost 20km away from the Welsh capital Cardiff, the Dragons play their rugby out of Newport, or known locally as Casnewydd, which derives from its original, historic name Castell Newydd ar Wysg (‘New castle on the Usk’, referring to the medieval castle built by the Normans).
Newport has existed as a port town since medieval times, receiving its official status as a city (a ‘charter’) in 1314. With its vast coal deposits, Newport was the largest coal-exporting port in Wales until the mid 19th century.
Although mostly rural, Newport has hosted the Ryder Cup (2010) and the Nato Summit (2014), while its rugby team have a proud history, and a strong link to South African rugby, and indeed the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
The Dragons are one of the four Welsh teams who play in the VURC and also feature in the Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Founded in 2003, they play their rugby out of the 8700-seater Rodney Parade Stadium, so-called because the club is located in Rodney Road.
Both Gary Teichmann and Percy Montgomery (Springboks and Hollywoodbets Sharks) featured for Newport in the team’s early years, while other notable players over the years include former Welsh captain Colin Charvis.
Elliot Dee, Aaron Wainwright, Ben Carter, Rio Dyer, Matthew Screech, Cai Evans, Rhodri Williams, Christian Coleman, Rhodri Jones, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Seb Davies, Dillon Lewis, Wyn Jones and Thomas Young have all featured for Wales at Test match level.
This season’s squad is predominantly Welsh, with a handful of overseas names, including South Africans Robert Hunt (prop) and flyhalf Tinus de Beer who moved from Cardiff to the Dragons this season, the South African having also represented the Vodacom Bulls, Suzuki Griquas and Airlink Pumas before making the move to Wales.
Other internationals include Argentina’s Rodrigo Martinez, England’s Levi Douglas and Australian Steve Cummins.
The Dragons finished 16th on the overall VURC Log for the 2024/25 season and will be looking to improve on their final placing this season, although they come off a first round 42-21 loss away to Ulster.
