There will be no final hurrah in a Dragons shirt for Wales and British & Irish Lions back row man Dan Lydiate as he has been ruled out of the final BKT United Rugby Championship game of the regular season with concussion.
The 37-year-old, who won 72 caps for Wales and played in three tests with the 2013 British & Irish Lions, received a knock to the head in last weekend’s defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town and will miss the Round 18 clash with the Bulls in Pretoria.
Dragons head coach Filo Tiata will also be without Wales prop Rhodri Jones, who tore his calf in the warm-up in Cape Town, and wing Jared Rosser, who injured his pectoral muscle in the game. They have all flown home.
Lydiate announced his decision to retire from professional rugby last month and recently played his 100th game in a Dragons jersey. His first game for the Men of Gwent came back in 2007.
“We’ve lost a few players through injury against the Stormers. Dan picked up a nasty concussion, so he has gone home, Jared tore his pec trying to make a tackle, and we lost Rhodri in the warm-up when he tore his calf,” explained Tiatia.
“It is unfortunate for three senior players, particularly Dan who has been a real servant to the club and Wales. It was sadly his last game before he moves into coaching next season.
“We have flown over a few younger lads over the last few days – the likes of Owen Conquer, who will get a great experience over here as a young senior Academy player. He will be rubbing shoulders with some players who have been in this programme for a long time.
“Dan has been great to work with. He is working hard with his coaching, and he will move into the programme next season.
“He has been so impactful. When he broke his neck as a young man he came back, he was a persistent young person back then and he still has those same traits.”
With only one win in the URC to date this season, against the Ospreys at home in Round 1, Tiatia would like nothing better than to round things off with a second win at Loftus Versfeld. But the Bulls are flying high in second place and comfortably beat Cardiff Rugby last weekend.
“It’s the last game of the season, one final push, and the environment we are going to in Pretoria is a challenging one,” added Tiatia.
“They are playing a really dominate style of rugby. That is their DNA, so we are under no illusion as to the challenge, but we want to finish strongly with the young players who are here.”