Dyer hits reset at Dragons to get back to his best

Wales wing Rio Dyer has stopped trying to be 'Mr Perfect' with Dragons - and reaped the rewards by ending his 15-month wait for a win.

The 26-year-old was named as man of the match for his electric performance in Saturday's 48-28 victory against Connacht in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Dyer came out top of the URC charts for round seven by beating 11 defenders, making three line breaks and running for 122 metres with ball in hand.

He scored his first try since going over against Pau on 12 January to end a 12-game drought and set up another for scrum-half Che Hope with a rapid break and composed final pass.

"In life, nothing is going to go perfectly all the time," said Dyer, who won his 24th Wales cap against South Africa in November.

"I used to beat myself up and try to be perfect, but that is never going to be the case."

It was a return to the form that earned a first call to the international scene in 2022, when the Newport-born wing scored a try on debut against New Zealand at Principality Stadium.

"There were times in the Connacht game where I made mistakes but it wasn't a setback. Let things take control of themselves," added Dyer.

"I dropped the ball but continued to work hard and ended up getting a try. That shows what happens if you just continue to do your best."

Dyer had not been part of a winning team since the opening weekend of 2024-25 - 23 games with club and country – but profited from being told by head coach Filo Tiatia to get away from it all.

He went on holiday to Switzerland while his teammates enjoyed a Challenge Cup victory against Lyon, their first of 2025.

"Sometimes you just need a reset," said Dyer. "Against Cardiff I had a dead leg and then I was just chasing myself.

"I came into the Connacht week determined to just enjoy it and let the result take care of itself.

"When you get time off it's about really enjoying it and living in the day, appreciating the little things that you lose touch with because you are so in depth with everything rugby.

"I have a lot of gratitude and can't thank Filo enough for giving me the week off and then being able to express myself on the field."

Dyer is among the Wales internationals out of contract at the end of the season amid uncertainty surrounding the professional game but is happy with life at Dragons.

"I am enjoying my rugby and every day is a blessing," he said. "I am grateful for the little things and being around the boys, doing something that I love.

"The main thing for me at the moment is letting the future take care of itself and be in the present, enjoying my rugby."

Dragons will try to win three games on the spin for the first time since 2015 when they travel to Cardiff on 26 December.

The Blue and Blacks have won 20 straight fixtures against their rivals from Rodney Parade stretching back to the 2015 quarter-final of the Challenge Cup.