A ROMANTIC Newport couple who got engaged at a rugby match at Rodney Parade have set a date for their wedding.

Paul Bates, 39, from Eveswell, proposed to his long-term girlfriend, Emma Hill, 34, from Duffryn, at half-time of Newport Gwent Dragons’ 30-12 win over Sale Sharks last November.

Sky Sports’ television cameras were there to capture the moment after Mr Bates arranged for the proposal to be beamed over the tannoy of the ground by the stadium’s announcer, Tim Hourahine.

The couple are now counting down the days until their wedding at Peterstone Lakes Golf Club in August, 2017, but Mr Bates says he'll never forget that special day on Rodney Road.

“When Emma phoned me yesterday and said it was six months ago, I thought, ‘Wow, it doesn’t seem that long.’ It’s flown by all that time," he said.

“It was a great day and the Dragons won, which was even better. We really enjoyed it and she said yes, which was the main thing.

“We’re just waiting for the actual wedding so we have time to save now.”

The couple met online and had their first date at Boswell's Café in the Kingsway Centre 18 months ago. Sharing a love of rugby and Guinness, they’ve not looked back since.

Mr Bates, an evening supervisor at Wilkinsons, had been planning the proposal for several months and even asked for permission from Ms Hill’s father, Eddie, the night before the match.

The couple recently moved in together and Ms Hill says she still can’t get over the attention her fiancé's proposal generated.

“I got messaged by a paper in Sale because they thought we were Sale Sharks fans," she added. "I was like, ‘No, we’re actually Newport fans’.

“It’s been a bit hectic – obviously we’ve moved in as well. It’s just flown by really.”