Let’s all get physical now Ryan tells his tame Dragons

DEAN Ryan has told his Dragons side they need to be more physical after they were thrashed at home by Connacht.

Ryan is under no illusions at the size of the task he faces at Rodney Parade as the Dragons were outmuscled by a superior Connacht outfit.

Tries from Gavin Thornbury, Matt Healey, Finlay Bealham, Cillian Gallagher and Kieran Marmion sealed the bonus point win for the visitors while Conor Fitzgerald kicked 11 points.

All the Dragons could muster were two tries from Tyler Morgan and Taine Basham with Sam Davies kicking four points.

“It was a game where in certain areas we were not contesting to the level required,” said the Dragons director of rugby.

“I thought we started brightly but we didn’t adapt to the rain coming in. Their pressure game, their physicality, their ball-carrying and their scrum was excellent and we were second best.

“We’ve got some issues against sides who come at us directly. We’ve got to be open with ourselves about whether we relish engaging in the physical part of the game.”

Wales international centre Morgan grabbed the opening try as he crossed from short range after a well-timed pass from Davies who successfully converted.

Connacht hit back with powerful lock Thornbury smashing his way over from short range after a powerful driving lineout.

Healey gave Connacht the lead with a brilliant individual try which saw the left-wing chip ahead from the halfway line before regathering to score.

Debutant John Porch was then sent to the sin bin on the stroke of halftime for a clumsy challenge in the air on his opposite number Ashton Hewitt but Connacht held a 17-7 lead at the interval.

Connacht took control in the early stages of the second-half and took a commanding lead when Ireland international tight-head Bealham crossed from short range after a powerful driving lineout.

Gallagher claimed the bonus point try for the hosts as he bundled over from short range. Marmion rubbed further salt into the Dragons’ wounds as he ran in unopposed from 40 metres.

Wales U20s star Basham claimed a late consolation try for Dragons.

“We played a smarter brand of football in bad conditions,” said Connacht head coach Andy Friend. “It was a real clever performance from our half-backs and our set-piece dominated them which gave us the platform to win.”