NEWPORT Gwent Dragons got the pre-Murrayfield boost that they wanted by doing the double over Guinness Pro12 champions Leinster in incredible style.

The rapid turnaround to Friday's Challenge Cup semi-final against Edinburgh will be made a little easier thanks to a stunning fightback against the Dubliners.

It seemed that they would be licking their wounds when they trailed 22-8 with half an hour remaining but the Dragons came storming back to not only win but win with a bonus point.

They showed guts, desire, composure and no shortage of quality to stretch their lead over 10th-placed Cardiff Blues to seven points and head to Edinburgh, who were thrashed 34-3 by Munster, in fine fettle.

The Dragons had two main aims: to travel to Murrayfield on a four-game winning streak and to avoid adding to their injury list.

They achieved the former but failed with the latter after lock Cory Hill and blindside flanker Nick Crosswell worryingly had their afternoons ended early.

However, the way that replacements Matthew Screech and James Benjamin performed off the bench means that director of rugby Lyn Jones will have a welcome selection headache if everyone is fit.

The duo played their part in a team effort that secured a huge morale-booster for the in-form Dragons, who will also be the toast of Swansea after doing the Ospreys' playoff challenge the power of good.

Leinster had shuffled their side ahead of their own Euro semi-final against Toulon in the Champions Cup but were still able to field a strong side.

Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, Cian Healy, Devin Toner and Ian Madigan were among those sat with their feet up in Dublin but the champions were still able to call on seasoned fly-half Jimmy Gopperth to pull the strings masterfully, a bulky all-international front row and a midfield combo of Gordon D'Arcy and Ben Te'o gave them attacking shape.

However, they failed to crack a Dragons side for who Taulupe Faletau and Jack Dixon were immense and paid the penalty in a thrilling finale.

The Dragons enjoyed a fine start with full-back Jason Tovey, who had taken over kicking duties from Tom Prydie after a couple of shaky displays by the wing, bisecting the posts after four minutes with a penalty won at the scrum.

And 3-0 became 8-0 in the 12th minute when, following a peach of a penalty touchfinder by Dorian Jones, the pack barged over from a driving lineout with captain and hooker Rhys Thomas reaping the rewards of hitting lock Cory Hill.

It took some super defence by a combination of Dorian Jones and centre Tyler Morgan to bundle visiting wing Darragh Fanning into touch a yard shy of the line down the left but Leinster were bossing proceedings and deservedly went into the break with a 15-8 lead.

Kiwi fly-half Jimmy Gopperth got them on the board with a 19th-minute penalty and then the visitors finally got their reward for dominating territory and possession with a quickfire brace at the end of the half.

First centre Ben Te'o stepped inside centre Jack Dixon to finish powerfully and then the Dragons shot themselves in the foot with a horror score as the clock went into the red.

An overthrown lineout enabled the visitors to go on the charge before Gopperth stepped past loosehead Phil Price and then powered through scrum-half Jonathan Evans.

It was all too easy for the New Zealander, who dusted himself down to covert in the strong breeze for a seven-point lead that even the most partisan home supporter would say they deserved.

And Leinster were chasing a bonus point with half an hour left when Te'o exposed yet more poor defence to go under the sticks for a score that will make Dorian Jones and Morgan squirm in the analysis suite.

To their credit the Dragons came back and put the squeeze on the Dubliners, eventually getting back into the game with a powerful finish by Dixon after a driving lineout was stopped just short.

Tovey's conversion made it 22-15 and suddenly the hosts were buoyant with their hopes helped by Te'o seeing yellow for not using his arms in a shuddering tackle on Hallam Amos.

The Dragons then struck, or more accurately Leinster made a mess of things.

Taulupe Faletau charged down Eoin Reddan's clearance five metres out and Jonathan Evans slapped back the high ball for replacement flanker James Benjamin to cross.

That should have been level-pegging only for Tovey to hit the post with what should have been a simple conversion.

But the Dragons were in front with seven minutes left when Faletau attacked impressively from the base of a scrum inside the 22 and the ball was swiftly recycled for Amos to put Benjamin over for his second.

Tovey was wide with the tricky conversion but suddenly, a 25-22 down, Leinster were rattled with their playoff hopes evaporating in the face of snarling Dragons defence.

And when Luke Fitzgerald was pinged for holding on – the sensational Dixon earning the penalty – the hosts made it a near-perfect afternoon.

Dragons: J Tovey, T Prydie, T Morgan, J Dixon, H Amos, D Jones (C Meyer 52), J Evans, P Price (D Way 56), R Thomas (captain), B Harris, J Thomas, C Hill (M Screech 40-47, 51), N Crosswell (J Benjamin 42), N Cudd, T Faletau.

Scorers: tries – R Thomas, J Dixon, J Benjamin (2); conversion – J Tovey; penalty – J Tovey

Leinster: Z Kirchner, D Kearney, B Te'o, G D'Arcy, D Fanning (L Fitzgerald 74), J Gopperth, E Reddan (L McGrath 76), J McGrath (M Bent 74), R Strauss (A Dundon 51-59), M Moore ( T Furlong 59), B Marshall, M McCarthy (R Molony 62), D Ryan, S Jennings (captain, J Murphy 12), J Conan.

Scorers: tries – B Te'o (2), J Gopperth; conversions – J Gopperth (2); penalty – J Gopperth

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)

Attendance: 5,088

Argus star man: Jack Dixon