Dragons stun Scarlets in United Rugby Championship

Dean Ryan’s men won for the first time in the west since their hosts swapped Stradey Park for a new ground to win for the first time since October.

The Dragons ended a 13-game winless streak in style, running in five tries against a Scarlets side that are hunting the United Rugby Championship play-offs.

It has been a season of horror containing two glorious peaks to go with the misery.

The Dragons upset the odds to beat Connacht in Galway with a bonus point – their first victory at the Sportsground since the first season of regional rugby – and caused more eyebrows to be raised with a stunning performance in the west.

They could easily have been lamenting another missed opportunity and grumbling about a potential red card for Jonathan Davies for a high tackle on Josh Lewis in the seventh minute.

Instead they sang their victory song for the first time since the autumn and it was fully deserved.

They stood firm in the tight and didn’t allow heads to drop when things didn’t go their way, with the refereeing being perplexing on many occasions.

They rallied from the early losses of Elliot Dee and Josh Lewis with Jack Dixon putting in another monstrous performance in midfield.

There were big displays everywhere - a word for novice full-back David Richards after being flung in early - and now the challenge is to build on that on home soil with a swift reunion against the Scarlets in Newport on Saturday.

The Dragons trailed 15-14 at half-time after tries by centre Dixon and flanker Taine Basham were countered by scores from number eight Sione Kalamafoni and full-back Liam Williams.

The visitors struck first after the restart through wing Jared Rosser then responded to scores by Kieran Hardy and Johnny Williams with efforts by hooker Taylor Davies, on loan from the Scarlets, and scrum-half Rhodri Williams.

It was remarkable stuff and after going close against Gloucester seven days earlier, this time they finished the job.

The Dragons’ hopes suffered a blow after just three minutes when Wales hooker Dee suffered a head injury when he was caught by Kalamafoni’s right knee.

It was such a severe blow that a return was never going to happen, leading to on-loan Scarlets hooker Taylor Davies facing a long shift against his parent club.

That was swiftly followed by the seventh-minute Jonathan Davies incident, which earned the punishment of a sin-binning but no points after Sam Davies’ effort from the 10-metre line hit the post.

The Scarlets were then reduced to 13 men in the 12th minute after the Dragons worked Rio Dyer into space down the right, who passed inside to Josh Lewis.

The full-back was caught by wing Steff Evans but he was then penalised and yellow-carded for not releasing after the tackle.

It was Lewis’ last act as he limped off to be replaced by novice David Richards, the livewire who has dazzled with Newport RFC.

The Dragons opted for the scrum and scored from it against 13 men with centre Dixon powering over, the try given after a TMO check for a knock-on.

Sam Davies made it 7-0 but opposite number Sam Costlow chipped away at the lead – and took tine off the sin bin – when Will Rowlands tackled Aaron Shingler in the lineout after getting his timing wrong.

The Scarlets had their settler and had the lead when back to 15 men with a glut of penalties leading to huge pressure in the 22 that paid off when Kalamafoni powered over from close range, Costelow making it 10-7 after 26 minutes.

However, the Dragons responded thanks to a superb break from the back of a scrappy scrum by number eight Aaron Wainwright.

Aaron Wainwright on the charge

They got into the 22, with Richards close to breaking through, and stayed patient before a superb spinning finish by Basham. Davies converted for a 14-10 lead after 32 minutes.

However, the Scarlets got their noses in front with the final play of the half despite what had been a good defensive set by the Dragons.

The hosts were going backwards until they found space down the right for Liam Williams to finish smartly, earning a 15-14 lead at the break.

The Dragons responded to that blow perfectly by striking first in the second half with a try made by Dixon, who powered over Costelow and then got to his feet when not held.

The centre, who has been in fine form despite his side’s struggles, stayed calm to put wing Rosser over.

The benefit went with the Dragons after the footage of the initial tackle was checked and Davies converted for a 21-15 lead.

The visitors were playing in the right areas and standing firm in the tight, an area that Gloucester, the South Africans and Irish had exploited.

They went close to a fourth when the hugely impressive Dixon carried hard into the 22 only for the Scarlets to scramble and win a breakdown penalty five yards from their line.

The hosts made the most of that escape to score their third try, with a mixture of neat handling and good fortune.

Adam Warren booted the ball out on the full – although the Dragons might ask what happened to a knock-on advantage – and the Scarlets worked the ball to the right wing from the lineout.

Corey Baldwin flung it inside before being bundled into touch and Liam Williams gambled by passing blind between his legs into midfield.

Taylor Davies should have gathered but was deceived by the bounce and Johnny Williams went over by the posts to make the conversion a simple one for Dragons-bound Angus O’Brien.

The Scarlets had their bonus in the 60th minute after pressure in the 22 led to penalty advantage and a try for makeshift winger Hardy from a pair of long passes, with referee Whitehouse still showing a yellow to Aki Seiuli.

Nonetheless, the 14-man Dragons put the pressure on in the 22 in a bid to snatch the lead back in the topsy-turvy clash only for Jonathan Davies to spot a jackal opportunity to win a breakdown penalty after a Rowlands carry from the 15th phase.

The visitors had another opportunity in the 22 only for an attack to be ended by a knock-on by Corey Baldwin, who became another recipient of Whitehouse’s yellow.

The Dragons went to the corner and Taylor Davies went over against his employers for a try that Sam Davies converted from the left.

The Dragons led 28-27 with seven minutes to go and went over for a fifth with five to go when scrum-half Rhodri Williams darted over.

Sam Davies clinched victory with the conversion and twisted the knife with a penalty at the death.

Scarlets scorers: tries – Kalamafoni, L Williams J Williams, Hardy; conversions – Costelow, O’Brien; penalty – Costelow.

Dragons scorers: tries – Dixon, Basham, Rosser, T Davies, R Williams; conversions – S Davies (5); penalty – S Davies.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales).