Dragons beat Zebre to set up Montpellier semi-final
Dragons reached a European Challenge Cup semi-final for the first time in 10 years by defeating Zebre in the quarter-final in Parma. Flanker Harrison Keddie scored two tries with centre Fine Inisi and hooker Elliot Dee also crossing, while full-back Angus O'Brien kicked 15 points. Zebre responded with tries from wing Jacopo Trulla, centre Giulio Bertaccini, lock Leonardo Krumov and hooker Giovanni Quattrini, while fly-half Giacomo da Re added 12 points.
The ill-disciplined Dragons suffered two first-half yellow cards for backs David Richards and Inisi. They did not reach the performance level of the last-16 win against Stade Francais last weekend, although Zebre scored two late tries to ensure the margin was closer than it might have been. Filo Tiatia's side will now face another trip when they travel to play French side Montpellier on the opening weekend of May.
The qualified lawyer hunting Euro glory at Dragons Revitalised Wales wing Dyer signs new Dragons deal Dragons and Zebre are the current bottom two in the United Rugby Championship (URC), with the Italian team propping up the table and both sides only having two league wins each in 14 games. In the only personnel change to the starting side, Dragons lock Levi Douglas missed out after being forced off with a head injury in the victory against Stade Francais. Ryan Woodman moved from flanker to lock, with Keddie coming into the back row, while Zebre named the same starting side that beat French side Pau in the previous round.
Dragons withstood an early Zebre onslaught but opened the scoring with an O'Brien penalty before Da Re levelled the scores after number eight Aaron Wainwright was caught offside. Dragons took the lead after Inisi latched onto a speculative chip from fellow centre Aneurin Owen. The Welsh side were reduced to 14 men after wing Richards was shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Trulla, who punished the visitors with a clever finish that allowed Da Re to level the scores with a conversion.
Dragons lost Owen to a head injury assessment (HIA), at the insistence of the independent match doctor and referee Luke Pearce, after a heavy legal tackle from Zebre lock Matteo Canali. Owen did not return, with Fetuli Paea coming on in the Dragons midfield. The disruption did not affect the Dragons, with Keddie burrowing over from a yard after strong build-up work from Wales prop Chris Coleman.