Dragons end 18-game losing streak with Sharks draw

Dragons (14) 17

Cons: De Beer 2 Pen: De Beer 2 Tries: Wainwright, O’Brien

Sharks (17) 17

At Rodney Parade, the Dragons draw 17-17 against the Sharks, ending an 18-game losing streak in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Although it should have been Filo Tiatia’s men’s first home win since the opening weekend of last season, Newport’s team shared the spoils.

Marvin Orie and Vincent Tshituka, both scorekeepers, gave the Sharks lead 17-14 at half-time, with scores from Dragons’ eighth-ranked Aaron Wainwright and full-back Angus O’Brien.

Sharks kicked a penalty to the corner before Orie headed over for an eighth-minute try that fly-half Jean Smith converted, and the Dragons made a poor start that paid off.

After Paea’s powerful burst and Wainwright’s strong line and quick finish, the home side had their first notable attack.

De Beer converted, but Smith added a penalty in the 19th minute to make the Sharks 10-7.

Paea made it 14-10 after 25 minutes when he burst through from midfield partner Aneurin Owen’s short ball and kept his cool after bumping off wing Christie Grobbelaar.

After winning the match, the Sharks went to their changing room with a 17-14 lead after kicking to the corner and hammering away for Tshituka to score a try Smith converted.

Four minutes after the restart, when TMO footage revealed a knock-on by Wyn Jones before Rio Dyer went over from a cross-kick, denied the Dragons a third try.

As the game approached the final quarter without any second-half scores, they were dealt the blow of losing Paea, and things started to get more difficult.

With a penalty in hand, Dragons chose to go for the posts, and De Beer leveled the scores with a quarter-hour to go.

After receiving a yellow card for tight-head replacement Chris Coleman, the hosts finished the game with 14 men.

Dragons escaped an attack on their line and were hunting for a winner in the red when they ran out of time.

Burrows, Martinez, Coleman, Douglas, Keddie, Hope, Ackerman, and Anderson are the replacements.

Van der Merwe, Sobahle, Julius, Am, Grobbelaar, J Smith, Ja Hendrikse, Matanzima, Mbatha, Dreyer, Slabbert, Orie, Buthelezi, M Tshituka, V Tshituka (capt.),

Replacements: Kunene, Dawson, Dawson, Dlamini, Hatton, Braude, F Venter, and Swart.

Referee: Fillip Russo (FIR).

Lucas Yendle (WRU) and Ben Whitehouse serve as assistant referees.