Wainwright back as Dragons hunt knockout stages

Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright is among Dragons’ big hitters to return when they bid to keep their Challenge Cup hopes alive against Newcastle on Friday (20:00 GMT).

The Rodney Parade side finish the group stages in Newport against a Red Bulls team protecting an unbeaten record.

Dragons must win, ideally with a four-try bonus, and then hope there is not a draw in the Pool Two fixture between Perpignan and Lions in France on Saturday.

Filo Tiatia left out a raft of influential players for the 74-21 hammering by Benetton in Treviso last Saturday, citing the six-day turnaround.

The head coach makes four changes to the XV that beat Scarlets 28-5 on New Year’s Day with wing Rio Dyer, loose-head prop Wyn Jones, hooker Brodie Coghlan and open-side flanker Thomas Young starting.

Coghlan makes his first start since suffering a hand injury on his return from making his Wales debut in the autumn.

Talisman Wainwright, lock Ben Carter, full-back Angus O’Brien, centres Aneurin Owen and Fine Inisi and scrum-half Che Hope are back in the starting line-up.

Ryan Woodman, who moves to lock from blind-side flanker, fly-half Tinus de Beer and wings Rio Dyer and David Richards are the only survivors in the XV from Treviso.

“We want to make the last 16 and we know when we’re at home we need to front up for the fans – all the players wearing the jersey all know the expectations,” said Tiatia.

“We need to do justice to the jersey and then try and wear it for another week. That is earned, not given.

“I can’t wait for the players to get amongst it. After the disappointment against Benetton, it’s good to get back on the horse and get stuck in.”

Dragons have won their last three games on home soil after a comeback Challenge Cup success against Lyon and comprehensive United Rugby Championship victories against Connacht and Scarlets.

They last won four successive Rodney Parade fixtures in 2019-20 when Dean Ryan’s side enjoyed five victories on the spin before the Covid pandemic.

“We love playing at home, but it’s only an advantage if we turn up,” said Tiatia.

“We’re excited get back and our fans are awesome and great supporters of the team.

“We have lots to prove from last week, in terms of where we can get to, and we can’t be defined by one performance.”

Newcastle, who have former Wales and Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones on their coaching team, make three changes to the line-up that beat Perpignan 26-19.

Number eight Freddie Lockwood is back from a broken hand, lock Jamie Hodgson has served a one-game suspension and centre Cameron Hutchison replaces Oli Spencer, who suffered a head injury last week.

“The fact that we already have a home tie in the round of 16 is irrelevant, because we know that home advantage in the later rounds is huge if we are able to go deeper into the competition,” said Jones.

“Securing a higher seeding from the group stage gives us the best possible chance of achieving that, but it’s also about maintaining our momentum.

“The Challenge Cup has been a great driver for us and I see it as a really important tournament, so we’re fully committed to it.”

Dragons last made the knockout stages in 2022-23 when they were thrashed 73-33 by Glasgow in the last 16.

Tiatia’s side are fifth in the group and can now only earn an away tie, but they are not in control of their own destiny.

If they beat Newcastle with a bonus point then they could still miss out on the knockout stages if Perpignan and Lions both score four tries in a draw.

A Dragons win without a bonus would be enough for qualification if the losers in France only get one bonus point.

Red Bulls are bottom of The Prem, but have won all three fixtures in the Challenge Cup to secure a home tie in the last 16.

A Newcastle victory would mean Benetton have to respond at Lyon on Sunday to secure group top spot, and potentially home advantage all the way to the final in Bilbao.

Dragons: Dragons: O’Brien (co-capt); Richards, Inisi, Owen, Dyer; De Beer, Hope; W Jones, Coghlan, Hunt, Woodman, Carter (co-capt), Keddie, Young, Wainwright.

Replacements: G Roberts, Martinez, Dlamini, Douglas, Lewis-Hughes, R Williams, Ackerman, C Evans.

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo; Wade, Arnold, Hutchison, Hearle; Grayson, Benitez Cruz; McCallum, McGuigan (capt), Palframan, Usher, Hodgson, Gordon, Christie, Lockwood.

Replacements: Fletcher, Brocklebank, De Bruin, Baker, Parsons, J Elliott, Beeckmans, Greenwood.

Referee: Christopher Allison (SA)

Assistants: Morne Ferreira (SA), Griffin Colby (SA)

TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)