FLY-HALF Josh Lewis is hoping for a duel in Dublin with Ireland legend Jonathan Sexton on Saturday after wrestling the Dragons’ 10 jersey from another Lion.
The 26-year-old from Aberdare made his full debut for the Rodney Parade region and proved to be the matchwinner in a tense tussle with Southern Kings.
The Guinness PRO14 clash in Newport was tied at 17-17 in the final quarter when Lewis, a summer signing from Bath, knocked over a penalty and then was first to an up-and-under to race over under the sticks.
The 27-22 win was the Dragons’ first since beating the Kings in September, 2017 but few outside their Ystrad Mynach training base will be tipping them to make it back-to-back successes.
They now travel to double winners Leinster (kick-off 5.15pm), who are licking their wounds after being pipped in a thriller by the Scarlets in Llanelli.
The champions won in Cardiff on opening weekend but are yet to call on their captain Sexton, who rarely travels in the PRO14 and is being eased into the season ahead of next year’s World Cup.
It would make the Dragons’ task even more daunting if the 76-times capped playmaker is calling the shots rather than the hugely promising Ross Byrne but the man likely to wear the black 10 jersey would relish the challenge.
“I would love Sexton to come in, he is one of the best 10s in the world,” said Lewis, who had a brief injury-hit spell with the Scarlets in between playing for Ebbw Vale.
“To play against him would mean a lot to me – someone small from the Valleys playing against the best 10 in the world, it couldn’t get any better than that.”
Lewis started in all three of the Dragons’ pre-season games but was dropped to the bench for the PRO14 opener against Benetton after Gavin Henson made an impressive cameo in the final tune-up at Gloucester.
It was an early disappointment for the new boy but he got the start against the Kings because of the veteran’s troublesome knee, although Jackman was likely to make the change anyway.
“Bernard pulled me to one side (before Benetton) and said that he was going to go with Gav, I have to respect his decision,” said Lewis, who is also battling Arwel Robson and Jacob Botica for the start.
“Obviously I got the 10 shirt against the Kings and I want to keep it, hopefully I will have it again at Leinster.
“As long as I am sticking to the gameplan and doing well I can’t argue with Bernard if he makes the wrong or right call.”
“Gav is a great guy and I am learning quite a lot off him,” he continued. “It’s good to have a British & Irish Lion in front of me and teaching me. I had the luxury of Rhys Priestland at Bath last year and now Gavin Henson.”
The Dragons acknowledge that plenty of graft is needed this week to fix the problems that saw them splutter against the Kings.
“It was a bit scrappy in places and we made hard work for ourselves but it was good to grind the win out in the end,” said Lewis.
“We gave them two easy tries and (for the second) there was a lineout and we shouldn’t have given them the space out wide, because that’s where they are dangerous.
“Benetton didn’t go to plan, there were too many errors, but in the week before the Kings we worked hard in training and it showed in parts.
“We need to tidy up now, go to Leinster strong and with confidence to hopefully get the win.”
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