Dragons 0

Perpignan 25

THE Heineken Cup campaign hasn't ended a moment too soon for Newport Gwent Dragons.

For they lost five of their six pool games, winning the other by just two points.

They were heavily outpointed by London Irish home and away, by Perpignan at home and they even lost to Italians Treviso at home.

Saturday's nil-points return against Perpignan may have flattered the French visitors somewhat, but it is, as coach Paul Turner says, a reflection of where they are.

There were extenuating factors, notably a heavy injury list which mounts almost by the day.

The Dragons went in with 14 players sidelined, wing Richard Mustoe failing a late fitness test on his groin injury, and then they lost skipper Colin Charvis after just 12 minutes with a knee injury and Rhys Thomas early in the second half with a recurrence of his rib problem.

It represents a horrendous injury list by any standards, but all sides suffer from loss of players and the more successful teams are those which can cope by having sufficient squad strength.

The Dragons battled manfully as usual and might even have caused a shock had they been able to make a purple patch early in the second half really count.

One exhilarating attack which cut Perpignan wide open would have ended with a try had centre Phil Dollman been able to hold on to the ball over the French team's line, but in the slippery conditions the ball was spilled.

And cruelly for the Dragons the game was turned right on its head in the closing stages when a pass by Michael Owen to Joe Bearman bouced off the flanker's arm and straight into the hands of France centre David Marty, who dashed 60 yards for the crucial try.

And in injury time just after a terrific run out of defence by wing Richard Fussell came to nothing, Perpignan rubbed it in when they worked an overlap for wing Adrien Plante to cross in the corner.

At that stage a message had gone on to the French team to go all out for the bonus point because London Irish still hadn't secured a bonus-point victory in Treviso, and if Perpignan could have managed it they would have topped the pool to secure a home draw in the quarter-finals.

But as it happened they couldn't manage a fourth try and that bonus point, whereas the Irish did with the last move of the game in Treviso. They both now make the last eight but the Irish with a home draw.

None of which will interest the Dragons too much, but they still deserved rather better against Perpignan. Though they didn't have one kick at goal they might easily have scored a couple of tries.

They failed narrowly on two occasions and Ceri Sweeney enjoyed his best game for a long time at outside-half, making several breaks, throwing in a cheeky reverse pass and kicking out of hand much better.

The Dragons struggled in the set pieces again, though, hampered by the absence of a few players and then by the loss of Charvis and Thomas.

But they lacked a ball carrier and a player of the power of Perpignan number eight Henry Tuilagi, who impressed watching Wales coach Warren Gatland more than any Dragons forward.

And the French team were able to bring on players of the calibre of Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter and Springbok lock Gerry Britz, beyond the wildest dreams of the Dragons, who were so hard hit that they could field just two backs among their replacements - both of them scrum-halves!

Former Rodney Parade favourite Percy Montgomery had a mixed return to the ground, kicking two penalties and two conversions, but missing with two other penalty shots and a conversion attempt as well as knocking on a few times, to some jeering by the home fans.

He accepted it in good spirit, for he and the travelling Perpignan fans, of whom there were quite a few, had the last laugh.

The Dragons are now, as they say, free to concentrate on the league. Maybe they can do something there for they certainly came up short in Europe - but was there honestly ever any doubt about that?

Someone, somewhere has got to do something about it. But is anybody listening?

Newport Gwent Dragons: A Thomas, G Wyatt, P Emerick, P Dollman, R Fussell, C Sweeney, W Evans (A Williams 49), A Black (H Gustafson 25-39, 69), B Daly (K Crawford 69), R Thomas (J Robinson 45), A Jones, P Sidoli (A Hall 62), J Bearman, M Owen, C Charvis, captain (L Evans 21)).

Perpignan: P Montgomery, C Manas, D Marty, J P Grandclaude, A Plante, N Laharrague, N Durand (C Cusiter 40), P Freshwater (captain), G Guirado (M Tincu 46), N Mas (K Pulu 55), R Alvarez (G Britz 60), N Hines, V Vaki (O Tonita 71) H Tuilagi (J P Perez 60), D Chouly.

Scorers - tries: J P Grandclaude, D Marty, A Plante; conversions: P Montgomery (2); penalties: Montgomery (2).

Referee: Mr R Debney (RFU).

Attendance: 5,496.