Blues come from behind to break Dragons hearts

CARDIFF Blues came from behind to claim a bonus point victory in the first Welsh derby of the season on a trypacked night at the Arms Park.

The Dragons led 21-10 at the break through scores from Adam Warren, Elliot Dee and George Gasson, plus the boot of Gavin Henson, and were still in front going into the final quarter.

But the Blues’ mounting pressure eventually told, with four tries in the space of 12 minutes taking them well clear, with Matthew Morgan crossing twice after coming on at half-time and Kristian Dacey, Tom James, Alex Cuthbert and 18-point fly-half Jarrod Evans also going over.

There was late consolation for the visitors as prop Lloyd Fairbrother touched down to earn the losing bonus point which their efforts deserved.

That made it ten tries in all on the night, amid entertaining derby fare for the 8,178 crowd.

The Dragons had been hit by a late injury double blow with wings Ashton Hewitt (ankle) and Jared Rosser (abdomen) both failing fitness tests.

That saw 20-year-old Gasson coming in for just his second regional outing, with the versatile Warren drafted on to the other wing.

There was one back-three fitness boost for the visitors however, with Welsh international Hallam Amos shaking off a dead leg to start at No 15. And it took him just four minutes to be involved in a key moment. Despite taking a head high hit from Taufa’ao Filise, which was to earn the prop a yellow card, Amos managed to offload as he hit the deck.

With referee Nigel Owens playing advantage, the Dragons swept down the right, with Henson sending Warren over with an instant pass that Owens deemed not to be forward on reviewing the replay.

The Blues swiftly responded as hooker Dacey claimed his 20th try on his 70th start for the region, bouncing off the defensive guard on the line to touch down after a Cuthbert carry.

But back came the Dragons, with Henson again giving the scoring pass, this time from a ruck to hooker Dee, who went through the attempted tackle of replacement prop Kieron Assiratti in the left corner.

That made it three tries in the first 11 minutes, with the impressive Henson adding the touchline conversion, and what a frenetic start it had been to this derby.

Things settled a little then, with just a solitary Evans penalty off a scrum offence during the middle section of the half.

However, on 32 minutes, the game sprang back into life with perhaps the try of the night, created by a superb run from Dragons centre Tyler Morgan.

Receiving the ball on his own 22, he went outside Willis Halaholo, whose attempt to get back to him failed, as Morgan brushed him off before stepping inside Rhun Williams and sending Gasson over.

It was a great try, with Henson adding another conversion from wide out to give the visitors a 21-10 lead at the interval.

The Blues came out firing after the break and were soon rewarded when Evans put replacement full-back Morgan over with a long pass after forward carries up towards the line from Olly Robinson and Damian Welch.

Evans converted, only for Henson to reply via a penalty, with tempers flaring in typical derby fashion near the hour mark amid a spot of mass handbags.

Then, just as the game moved into the final quarter, the Blues’ record try scorer Tom James did what he does best.

Coming off his wing to take a pass from Evans moving right, he cut between Sarel Pretorius and Gasson, eluding the despairing clutches of Pretorius to cross for his 58th try for the region.

From the restart, the Blues almost scored again as Josh Navidi intercepted Amos in his own half and pinned his ears back, only to be hauled down just short by outstanding covering from Morgan.

But they weren’t to be denied for long, with Cuthbert forcing his way over from close range to give them the lead for the first time and claim a bonus point in the process.

With the Dragons wilting, the hosts pulled well clear as first Evans sliced through and then Morgan scorched down the right touchline for his second.