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Dragons played with freedom to end their long wait for a United Rugby Championship (URC) win by hammering Connacht on Saturday, yet boss Filo Tiatia is setting his standards higher.
The Rodney Parade club scored six tries to comprehensively beat the Irish province 48-28, a first league victory since the opening weekend of 2024-25.
After frustrating draws against Sharks and Ospreys in the first block of the season, it was a result to make the URC sit up and take notice by a side that finished last season cut adrift at the bottom of the table.
Tiatia was pleased with the first league win of his reign but also slightly frustrated that the scoreboard did not truly reflect their dominance.
After being afforded the luxury of taking off key figures Angus O’Brien, Aneurin Owen and Rob Hunt, three late Connacht tries earned Stuart Lancaster’s side an undeserved consolation try bonus point.
“It was a really solid performance and the boys played a lot freer, which was pleasing to see,” said Tiatia.
“The boys executed really well but the last 20 minutes was probably a talking point about how we stay in moments, even after making changes. That is an area for growth.”
Dragons followed up their European Challenge Cup win against Lyon by dismantling Connacht for back-to-back successes for the first time since 2022.
Two wins in six days have released some pressure on Tiatia and his coaching team after reaching December without victory in any competition in 2025.
There has been a reaction to an embarrassing 41-17 defeat by Perpignan, who look doomed to relegation despite recording a first Top 14 win of the season against Clermont Auvergne at the weekend.
Amid talk of what Dragons bring to the table in uncertain times for Welsh rugby, the squad have produced two timely victories.
The thrashing of Connacht has lifted them above both Scarlets and Ospreys, prompting hopes of not only a fight to avoid being the URC’s bottom team with Zebre, but a scrap to lose the tag as Wales’ worst.
Tiatia will not get carried away after one victory to end a 15-month, 23-game streak without league success.
“We are trying to put wins together but also trying to build a game that the fans want to see,” said the former All Blacks forward.
“We are building belief in what they are trying to achieve together, particularly when fatigue sets in.
“There is also the mental side of the game, because we have a lot of young guys that don’t have those tools.”
Ending the Cardiff hoodoo
Dragons have not won three games on the spin since beating Munster and then Pau twice under Lyn Jones at the end of 2015.
They travel to Cardiff on 26 December looking to end the embarrassing 20-game losing streak against their fiercest rivals that goes back to the 2015 Challenge Cup quarter-final win at Rodney Parade.
“Derbies are a different beast,” said Ospreys playing legend Tiatia, whose side host Scarlets on New Year’s Day.
“They are not quite like Test matches but they are special games and pressure does funny things.
“It’s the team that stays calm in those moments that will win, while Cardiff will be disappointed after losing at home to Scarlets.”
