'I take full responsibility' - Wales hooker makes public apology

Wales hooker Elliot Dee has made a public apology after copping a red-card in Dragons’ URC draw with Benetton Treviso in Rodney Parade last night.

The Wales international was omitted due to injury from Wayne Pivac’s Guinness Six Nations squad earlier this month, so his automatic citing won’t have an affect on their tournament opener against Ireland in Dublin next weekend.

Dee was given his marching orders by referee Andrew Brace, after his shoulder connected with the head of a Dragons’ player in the final moments of the game.

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Luckily for Dee, Benetton standoff Tomas Albornoz missed the subsequent shot at goal which would have given the Italian side a valuable away win.

Dee took to Twitter to apologise for the incident, saying it was purely accidental and that he owed the player in question ‘a beer’.

“Sorry to the Benetton Rugby player who’s head I made contact with at the end, was not my intention, I was just looking to clear out, glad your okay! I owe you a beer. Spot on call from the ref, I take full responsibility and should of been more accurate!”

Sorry to the @BenettonRugby player who’s head I made contact with at the end, was not my intention, I was just looking to clear out, glad your okay!, I owe you a beer ? Spot on call from the ref, I take full responsibility and should of been more accurate!

— elliot dee (@elliotdee2) January 28, 2022

It was a poor night for the Welsh outfit, who were unable to capitalise on the Italian side’s raft of absentees as they were forced to settle for a 13-13 draw. The Welsh region were firm favourites to claim only a second win in their last 15 outings and their first home victory since April 25 with Benetton missing 23 players through international call-ups.

However, the Dragons not only had to be content with a draw after fighting back from 10-0 down, but they might easily have ended up defeated as had Albornoz’s last-gasp penalty fell short after Dee was sent off.

Last year Dean Ryan’s Dragons announced a long-term deal for the 27-year-old, who made his debut for them in 2013.

Dee has won 37 caps and made appearances off the replacements’ bench against Scotland and England in last season’s Guinness Six Nations.

– additional reporting PA