Angus O’Brien represented Wales Sevens at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The Dragons celebrated a long-awaited victory after staging a dramatic comeback against Lyon in the European Challenge Cup, marking their first win in 364 days.
Now, the team faces the challenge of replicating that success with only a six-day turnaround.
The Rodney Parade-based club secured their first triumph of 2025 by narrowly defeating their French counterparts 23-21 in a match held in Newport on Sunday.
Under the guidance of Filo Tiatia, the Dragons appeared headed for defeat when trailing 21-6 in the final quarter. However, late tries from Harri Keddie (2) and Oli Burrows, followed by a decisive conversion from full-back Angus O’Brien in the 80th minute, sealed the victory.
This win ended a prolonged drought for the Dragons, dating back to their Challenge Cup victory against Newcastle on December 15, 2024.
It also marked their first home win since defeating Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (URC) at the start of the 2024-25 season – a wait of 14 months – and they have limited time to savor the moment.
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Connacht is set to visit Wales on Saturday (19:45 GMT), and the Dragons are aware that they must elevate their performance significantly from the level displayed against a struggling Lyon team.
“It feels incredible, and the most crucial aspect was securing the win,” stated O’Brien, who captained the side in the absence of Wales lock Ben Carter.
“The team demonstrated exceptional character, resilience, and determination. I am delighted for everyone that we managed to get over the line.”
“It’s imperative that we build on this momentum and draw confidence from the way we concluded the game.”
Newport County’s struggles at home continued with a defeat against Fleetwood.
The home changing room at Rodney Parade has been a source of disappointment for much of the year.
Newport County, facing the threat of relegation, is yet to secure a home win in 2025-26, although they did emerge victorious in a penalty shootout against Gillingham in the FA Cup.
The Exiles suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Fleetwood on Saturday and have only managed to secure two points out of a possible 30 at Rodney Parade, putting their Football League status at serious risk.
The Dragons had previously missed opportunities for victory in drawn matches against both Sharks and Ospreys during the initial block of the URC.
Prior to the Lyon fixture, the only success came for Newport RFC when they defeated Cardiff in a match relocated from their Spytty Park base to their traditional home.
“We have come close on numerous occasions at Rodney Parade, and securing this win is significant for the group,” O’Brien added.
“We must build on this by grinding it out and finding a way. The fans deserve this more than anyone, and I am delighted that we gave them something to celebrate.”
“We’ve had two draws that could or should have been wins, which has been tough to accept, but it’s important to build on this victory now.”
Sunday’s comeback marked the first Rodney Parade victory for boss Tiatia since his promotion from defence coach to replace Dai Flanagan.
“We didn’t perform at our best, but I am genuinely pleased that the players found a way to win,” said the former All Blacks back-row forward.
“They have achieved the win they have been striving for, and we must continue to build. We are in our third game of a ten-week block, with seven games still to go.”
“Injuries are prevalent across all squads at the moment, so we must prepare to go again.”
“The group is happy, and they can now train with a sense of freedom and continue to build on what we have started.”
The Dragons will be hoping that the adage ‘one brings two’ rings true.
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