Out-of-puff Dragons fail to find home comfort

DEFEAT to the Lions meant the Dragons went a full season with no league win at Rodney Parade.

It left director of rugby Dean Ryan once again stressing the need for “change”.

“I’m sad we didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to some players in a different way,” Ryan said. “First half we showed some really enterprising stuff and glimpses of the future, but in the first 20 minutes of the second half we showed our old self.

“That’s what we need to change and why people need to change.

“It’s hard on days like today, but some of those people have been outstanding contributors for the Dragons.”

In a classic dead-rubber encounter to complete the United Rugby Championship campaign, Ryan’s men let slip a 11-7 half-time lead to record their 15th defeat in 18 games.

Lions had nothing but pride to play for either, but they were too strong and powerful for their hosts once they managed to secure more possession and territory in the second half.

A 25th minute try by right wing Rio Dyer and two penalties from fly-half Will Reed helped Dragons into that interval lead and they were reasonable value for it.

But Lions were always in touch after a cleverly worked try by Edwill Van der Merwe in the 34th minute which saw the winger switch sides and enter the back line at speed to cruise through a gap to score.

By the 53rd minute the Dragons were behind by ten points after early second half tries from lock Ruan Venter and tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer, both converted by fly-half Jordan Hendrikse.

The Dragons, eager to give their fans something to cheer about, did rally for the final quarter.

Centre Josh Lewis thought he’d claimed a try 12 minutes from the end of normal time when he intercepted a pass and sprinted clear.

But referee Joy Neville rightly consulted the TMO and the score was correctly ruled out for a failure to ground the ball, with Lewis’ stumble just yards from the line proving costly. There was a stale and indifferent atmosphere at Rodney Parade for periods of the game. Ultimately, the Lions made their size and power count. They dominated the scrum, heaving the Dragons back painfully on several occasions and they decisively won the battle of the gain-line.

The Dragons were weakened, with Welsh international forwards Ross Moriarty, Ben Carter, Leon Brown, Aaron Wainwright and Will Rowlands missing.

But still there was a sense their home faithful were glad to see the final curtain come down on a nightmare campaign. TEAMS DRAGONS: J Williams 5 (I Davies 64, 5); Dyer 7, Warren 8, Lewis 7, Rosser 6; Reed 7 (S Davies 62, 6), Bertranou 5 (L Jones 57, 5); Seiuli 5 (Fairbrother 68, 6), Dee 7 (T Davies 68, 6) 7, Doge 5 (Coleman 48, 5); Maksymiw 7 (M Williams 78), Taylor 7; Fry 6 (Greggains 45, 6), Basham 7, Griffiths (c) 8 LIONS: Horn 7 (Warner 48, 6); Pienaar 5 (Swanepoel 72, 5), Van Wyk 6, More 7, Van der Merwe 8; Hendrikse 6, Van der Berg 6; Smith 6 (Sithole 48, 6), Visagie 7 (Botha 51, 6), Dreyer 8 (Ntlabakanye 71, 6); Venter 8 (R Schoeman 53, 7), Nothnagel (c) 8; S Sangweni 7 (Cairns 60, 6), Tshituka 6, Horn 7 REFEREE: Joy Neville (Ire) ATTENDANCE: 4,729 Star man Ruan Dreyer - Lions