The Dragons have roared back to life this season, and after a heartbreaking Challenge Cup semi-final exit in Montpellier, the question on everyone's mind is: what's next for this resurgent Welsh side?

Co-captain Angus O'Brien has already pledged to use the pain of that narrow defeat as "fuel" for the future. And with the season far from over, the Rodney Parade club is laser-focused on finishing strong before carrying this momentum into the 2026-27 campaign.

It's been a remarkable turnaround that few could have predicted. Just last season, the Dragons finished dead last in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Then came a new low in December, when Filo Tiatia's side were thrashed by previously winless Perpignan in the Challenge Cup opener, and trailed Lyon 21-6 at home with time running out.

But that's when the magic happened. Three tries and O'Brien's clutch conversion ended a 14-month win drought—and sparked a transformation. The Dragons went on an unbeaten five-match run at home, qualified for the European knockout stages, and even won on the road against Stade Français and Zebre. Montpellier may have been a step too far, but the progress is undeniable.

As former Dragons scrum-half Richie Rees noted on BBC Radio Wales, "Looking at the whole squad in a huddle at the end of the game, I guarantee they will have been referencing how they finish with their best foot forward, because they have turned the corner since Christmas."

Now comes the next challenge: coping with greater expectations. The element of surprise is gone. After a nightmare 2024-25 season where Tiatia managed just one win, the Dragons have changed perceptions by becoming a tougher, more resilient outfit. They pushed champions Leinster all the way in Newport, lost in the closing stages at Munster and Ospreys, and stood toe-to-toe with Montpellier's fearsome driving line-out—the best in the competition.

That resilience was perfectly summed up by Thomas Young and Rio Dyer chasing down a lost cause to save a try. Tiatia demanded his team learn to stay in the fight, and they've answered the call. Now, the Dragons must take that next step—from plucky underdogs to consistent contenders.