Dragons are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport and at other grounds around the region. They play in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup/European Rugby Challenge Cup. The region they represent covers an area of southeast Wales including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen with a total population approaching 600,000 and they are affiliated with a number of semi-professional and amateur clubs throughout the area, including Pontypool RFC, Caerphilly RFC, Cross Keys RFC, Ebbw Vale RFC and Newport RFC.
The 2004–05 National Division One was the 18th full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included Rotherham Titans who were demoted from the 2003-04 Zurich Premiership while Sedgley Park and Nottingham were promoted from the 2003–04 National Division Two. Rotherham almost went into liquidation and dropped out of the leagues following their relegation from the Premiership but were saved by a local consortium which enabled them to continue playing in National One. As well as new teams Coventry had a new ground, moving from Coundon Road to the smaller but more modern Butts Park Arena.
Aled Brew is a former Wales international rugby union player who played as a winger. He made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team against Ireland in the 2007 Six Nations Championship. In his career, as well as playing for Biarritz Olympique and Bath Rugby, he is one of only a handful of players to have played for all four top-level regional teams in Wales.
Rhys Oakley is a rugby union footballer who has represented the Wales National Rugby Team, currently playing for Hartpury College R.F.C., who play in the English Championship. His usual position is at number eight.
Richard Bryan is a former rugby union footballer for Leeds Carnegie. He has also served as Player Development Manager and other roles in the Rugby Players Association (RPA).
Richard Welding is a rugby union footballer for the Rotherham Titans. His usual position is on the wing, but fills in at fullback when necessary.
Paul Turner is a former Wales international rugby union player and the former head coach of Welsh regional side Newport Gwent Dragons.
Anitelea "Andy" Tuilagi is a Samoan international rugby union player. His position is either centre or wing. He is part of the famous Tuilagi rugby family, with his older brothers Henry, Freddie, Alesana, and younger brothers Vavae and Manu all also having played international rugby.
Leeds Tykes is an English rugby union club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the National League 1.
The 1998-99 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the twelfth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. The league was expanded from twelve teams to fourteen and new teams to the division included Bristol who had been relegated from the Allied Dunbar Premiership 1997-98 while London Welsh, Rugby Lions, Leeds Tykes and Worcester were promoted from National League 1. Allied Dunbar sponsored the top two divisions of the English rugby union leagues for the second season in a row. The leagues were previously known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery.
The 1999-00 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the thirteenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Allied Dunbar sponsored the top two divisions of the English rugby union leagues for the third season in a row. The leagues were previously known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool who had been relegated from the Allied Dunbar Premiership 1998-99 while Henley Hawks and Manchester had been promoted from National League 1. Exeter were also rebranded as the 'Chiefs' from this season onward.
Alfie To'oala Vaeluaga is a professional rugby union player who can play at Flanker or at Number 8. He has an extensive rugby union career, having played club rugby in New Zealand, England and France. He has top flight experience with Bristol, Leeds Carnegie and London Welsh and has been capped 13 times by Samoa including being called up to the Samoa World Cup 2007 team as a replacement for Filipo Levi who fractured his eye socket in a warm up match against Sale. Alfie is currently a player-coach at National League 2 South side Chinnor.
James Lewis is a Welsh rugby union player for London Welsh RFC. A centre, he previously played for Ebbw Vale, the Newport Gwent Dragons and Coventry. In 2010 he had a trial with Sale Sharks.
The 2008–09 National Division One was the 22nd full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Leeds Carnegie joined National Division One, having been relegated from the Guinness Premiership after the 2007–08 season. Otley and Manchester were promoted from the 2007–08 National Division Two.
Simon Hunt is an English rugby union footballer and Director of Rugby for Old Bristolians having most recently played for Dings Crusaders. Simon has played club rugby in England, France and Wales and is known as a prolific try scorer who can also point kick. He also has international pedigree, having played at youth level for England as well as being centrally contracted to the England Sevens squad for the 2011-2012 IRB Sevens World Series. Outside of rugby Simon holds 87th fastest time for a 2000m indoor row. He is now working as a PE teacher.
Joe Bedford is an English professional rugby union player. His primary position is scrum half. Bedford joined Newport Gwent Dragons for the 2011-12 season having previously played for Rotherham Titans and Leeds Carnegie. In January 2013 Bedford was released by Newport Gwent Dragons and joined Doncaster RFC.
Richard Andrew Beck is a professional rugby union coach for Wasps. He played for 13 years for Yorkshire Carnegie
The 2012–13 RFU Championship is the fourth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of English domestic rugby union competitions, played between August 2012 and May 2013.
The 2014–15 British and Irish Cup is the sixth season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. Leinster A are the defending champions having won the 2013–14 final against Yorkshire Carnegie 44–17 at Donnybrook on 23 May 2014. There has been four different winners and five different losing finalists of the competition in the five seasons of its existence.
The 2015–16 British and Irish Cup was the seventh season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. Worcester Warriors were the defending champions having won the 2014–15 final against Doncaster Knights 35–5 at Castle Park, Doncaster on 3 April 2015. There have been five different winners and six different losing finalists of the competition in the six seasons of its existence. The format of the competition was similar to last season with Scottish clubs not competing. This season the four Welsh teams are the reserve sides of the teams competing in the Pro 12 competition instead of clubs from the Welsh Premier Division.
