London Irish 41

Dragons 24

HUMILIATION avoided and a bonus point for scoring four tries - even the biggest Newport Gwent Dragons optimist would have settled for that outcome at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

For the Dragons were without 15 players because of injury, many of them first- choice players and current internationals, while in-form London Irish, fresh from beating Sale, were virtually at full strength.

And they had the confidence of knowing they had romped to victory in the first Heineken Cup clash between the sides, scoring 45 points with a bonus point in their pockets after a mere 25 minutes.

It looked set for a carbon copy in Saturday's Reading return on a near-perfect pitch as the Irish carried on where they left off at Rodney Parade, though it took them ten minutes or so longer to wrap up their bonus point.

The Dragons were left chasing shadows of their own making as they missed tackles galore to allow the home runners a pretty clear path to the line.

It was a horror show as Irish number eight Richard Thorpe burst through not just one but four attempted tackles for the first of his three tries.

Then England scrum-half Peter Richards exposed the Dragons' defensive frailties again as he carved out a try for half-back partner Eoghan Hickey, and talented Shane Geraghty turned makeshift full back Aled Thomas inside out for another.

Dragons wing Richard Fussell, fast nailing down a regular spot after some convincing performances, stopped the rot when he capitalised on a mistake by oppposite number Tosy Ojo, failing to clear a kick by Ashley Smith.

But normal service was resumed when Irish's Australian full back Peter Howat took a superb inside pass from centre Delon Armitage to romp away for the bonus-point try.

The Dragons' cause was further hindered by two of their own players when centre Paul Emerick was yellow-carded for preventing release, and lock Peter Sidoli followed suit for illegally bringing down a line-out after he had previously been warned for the same offence.

A 29-7 interval deficit and two yellow cards was pretty horrendous and it looked like being a rout, but what coach Paul Turner described as "an old-fashioned team talk" during the interval appeared to have the desired effect.

Though Thorpe swept across for his second try, the Dragons fought back to show their true character. They also played some pretty impressive rugby and scored tries into the bargain.

Obviously London Irish to some extent took their foot off the pedal, with a bonus- point victory pretty much assured, but they almost paid a heavy price as the Dragons scored 17 unanswered points in as many minutes.

Michael Owen showed his wonderful rugby touch as he this time planted a delightful kick into the path of hooker Ben Daly, who ploughed on for a try, Owen less than pleased to be replaced just after that effort.

Then no sooner had Gareth Wyatt taken the field as a replacement than he was over the line for a try after a burst from a scrum by Joe Bearman and a long pass by Emerick.

And Ceri Sweeney narrowed the gap to just ten points when Daly took the ball on the crash and offloaded it to the outside- half, who dashed across for a surprise bonus-point try which he also converted.

But the hosts snuffed out any remote hope of the Dragons getting any more out of the game when with seven minutes left Thorpe completed his try hat trick when skipper Bob Casey won a line-out and the pack drove over.

Nevertheless, the Dragons proved their fighting spirit again and that they could play some rugby. If they could bottle the way they played for that second-half spell and take it around with them they would be a vastly improved side.

Considering there were so many players missing they could hardly have fared much better, though their defence in the first half was abysmal and clearly will need tightening up with the dangerous Perpignan side visiting Rodney Parade this Saturday.

But on the plus side Bearman was again outstanding, Andy Hall was a tower at the front of the line-out, Sweeney enjoyed a better game with his flat distribution causing problems, wings Fussell and Richard Mustoe were a threat and recent Academy players James Harris and Lewis Evans showed plenty of potential.

With a few players due to return for the Perpignan game, the Dragons can go into a mid-winter break on a high - but they must tighten up their defence.

London Irish: P Hewat (G Tiesi 48), T Ojo (T De Vedia 40), D Armitage, S Geraghty, S Tagicakibau, E Hickey, P Richards (P Hodgson 48), C Dermody (D Murphy 24), D Paice (D Coetzee 55), T Lea'aetoa, N Kennedy (J Hudson 58), R Casey (captain), D Danaher, R Thorpe, S Armitage (P Murphy 70).

Scorers - Tries: R Thorpe (3), E Hickey, S Geraghty, P Hewat; conversions: Hewat (3), Hickey; penalty: Hewat.

Newport Gwent Dragons: A Thomas, R Mustoe (G Wyatt 52), P Emerick, A Smith (P Dollman 60), R Fussell, C Sweeney, W Evans (A Walker 70), A Black (G Robinson 69), B Daly (K Crawford 74), G Robinson (H Gustafson 52), A Hall, P Sidoli, J Bearman, M Owen (L Evans 52), J Harris.

Scorers - Tries: R Fussell, B Daly, G Wyatt, C Sweeney; conversions: Sweeney (2).

Referee: Mr P Allan (Scotland).

Attendance: 8,277.