ANOTHER 50-POINT DEFENSIVE ISSUES
THE Dragons ran in seven tries on their way to victory in their opening Rainbow Cup fixture as the Scarlets’ defensive woes continued.
In a match that resembled basketball more than rugby at times, both teams crossed for multiple scores in a fixture that had plenty of attacking endeavour if not much defensive application.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac would have been an interested spectator.
For the Dragons, it would have been a pleasing victory, with 50-point wins rare in this game.
For the Scarlets, it simply underlined the defensive issues that have plagued them this season as they conceded a half-century for the second successive match.
All in all, rugby in 2021 something of a strange one
Fans are still not present and, with money tight, it falls to new tournaments to try to provide much-needed capital.
Enter the Rainbow Cup, PRO14’S attempt to do just that.
It’s hard to know what to make of it and the product on offer.
In all honesty, it felt more like a pre-season fixture than anything else, which made it feel more like August than April in Newport.
But if defensive intensity was at a premium for much of the 80 minutes, that at least meant tries were freeflowing throughout.
The first half saw six thanks to some smart attack and some less than clever defence.
The Dragons took the lead with a neat try from Jonah Holmes, who was a threat throughout.
The ball was spread right to Holmes, who had Jonathan Davies coming across to cover. Davies should have done better and his missed tackle was crucial.
But the Scarlets hit back immediately with a try from debutant flanker is still to unpack. the
Iestyn Rees after they stripped the ball from Holmes and Steff Evans raced away. Sam Costelow converted.
Ten minutes later, the Dragons took the lead again, with great interplay between Aaron Wainwright and Ross Moriarty setting the platform for Jordan Williams to cross out wide. Sam Davies’s conversion went over via a post.
A Sam Costelow penalty on 24 minutes closed the gap for the Scarlets after his side lost Morgan Jones and Tom Rogers to first-half injuries.
But the Dragons extended the lead once more with their third try.
Again, it was Moriarty and Wainwright linking up to score, with the former putting the latter over, after another strong carry from Holmes.
The visitors used their captain’s challenge – one of three new law trials being used in the Rainbow Cup – to question the decision, but the try was approved by TMO Dan Jones.
But two quickfire tries from the Scarlets saw them lead going into the break.
First, Steff Evans crossed in the corner after a scorching break from Angus O’brien and a try-scoring pass from Dane Blacker.
Then it was scrum-half Blacker who scored after he spotted a gap close to the ruck and used his pace well.
Blacker then did well to send Ryan Elias over, but the try was ruled out for a forward pass.
The Dragons started the second half strongly, with Rio Dyer finishing off a superb team try started by Aneurin Owen, with Evan Lloyd and Jack Dixon also playing a crucial role.
Lloyd’s impact off the bench shone through again just before the hour mark, cutting a fine line before slipping the ball to Owen to notch up the Dragons’ fifth try.
Dragons captain Rhodri Williams looked certain to score as he raced into the corner, but his acrobatic attempt to finish failed under pressure from Johnny Mcnicholl.
There was worse to come for the Scarlets, with their porous defence conceding the worst of the lot minutes later.
From first phase,
Holmes cut through the Scarlets midfield with far too much ease, before stepping through a non-existent tackle to score.
That appeared to be that, only for the Scarlets to hit back with two more tries to make things interesting.
First, Evans breezed over untouched for his second, before Johnny Mcnicholl picked off a loose pass to race away.
However, the comeback was shortlived, with Wainwright forcing his way over for his second try late on to end any hope of a Scarlets victory.
Davies kicked a couple of penalties shortly after to move the Dragons beyond the 50-point mark and bring this high-scoring encounter to an end.