REPORT | DRAGONS 59 TIMISOARA 3
Wales international Amos grabbed a dream double and young wing Will Talbot-Davies went over as Interim Head Coach Ceri Jones saw his side take control of the Round 5 clash by the break.
Rhodri Davies (2), Matthew Screech, Talbot-Davies, Jordan Williams, Ben Fry grabbed second half tries as the Dragons ran riot on home soil to equal the region’s record margin of victory in a European tie.
Dragons made 11 changes to the side that lost out to Scarlets with prop Chris Coleman, scrum half Davies and back row Fry all handed full debuts.
It was Timisoara who settled the faster and they took advantage of a scrappy start to go ahead courtesy of a penalty from Luke Samoa after a scrum infringement.
Samoa even saw a second kick of the night strike the left hand upright before Dragons came alive with Amos the man to spark them into action.
The international appeared to have little on when he got the ball on halfway, but a neat turn of pace and arching run took him clear and away to the corner.
Dragons looked wide for space again moments later, after Richard Hibbard stripped the ball in the tackle, with James Benjamin and Tovey this time creating room for a marauding Jack Dixon.
Coleman and Fry combined well to retain ball and give Dragons go forward, although the home side were fortunate not to fall behind when Samoa missed a penalty wide right.
The second try of the night arrived after a slicing break from Benjamin who found Jarryd Sage on his shoulder.
The centre was dragged down short of the line, but quick ball found Amos to touch down out wide.
Just before the break Dragons struck a decisive blow as the forwards took it up and, after Gerard Ellis and Dixon were foiled just short, the ball was flung to Talbot-Davies to pick up a low pass and score.
Tovey slotted the conversion from the touchline to give the home side a 17-3 lead and complete control.
It took just 39 seconds for Dragons to extend that after the break as Jordan Williams threw a dummy, exchanged passes with Amos and sent Davies over untouched for the bonus point.
Back row Ollie Griffiths returned for the final half hour and was immediately smashing into contact and making his impression felt.
A fifth try arrived as Screech barged over, after a quick tap penalty in midfield blew the visiting defence apart.
Two minutes later quick hands and a superb step inside from wing Talbot-Davies sent him over.
The tries were now flowing as Jordan Williams scored with a clinical run from deep before the returning Gavin Henson showed some magic to glide past men send Ben Fry over.
Seconds later Davies grabbed his second, and the final try of the night, after more pace and direct running from Jordan Williams sent the scrum half under the posts.
Timeline:
02m Samoa p 0-3
12m Amos t 5-3
28m Amos t 10-3
39m Talbot-Davies t Tovey c 17-3
41m R. Davies t Tovey c 24-3
57m Screech t Tovey c 31-3
59m Talbot-Davies t Tovey c 38-3
67m J. Williams t Tovey c 45-3
69m Fry t Tovey c 52-3
70m R. Davies t Tovey c 59-3
Dragons: Jordan Williams, Dafydd Howells (Sage 24), Hallam Amos, Jack Dixon (Henson 59), Will Talbot-Davies, Jason Tovey, Rhodri Davies (R. Williams 73); Gerard Ellis (Suter 69), Richard Hibbard (Lawrence 63), Chris Coleman (Thomas 75), Joe Davies, Matthew Screech (Taylor 59), Ben Fry, Nic Cudd, James Benjamin (Griffiths 50)
Replacements: Rhys Lawrence, Dan Suter, Nicky Thomas, Huw Taylor, Ollie Griffiths, Rhodri Williams, Jarryd Sage, Gavin Henson
Timisoara Saracens: Marius Simionescu, Daniel Vladut Zaharia, Tevita Manumua, Florin Popa, Stephen Suenan (Tetarus 59), Luke Samoa, Gabriel Conache (Rupanu 40); Sione Taupaki (Militaru 46), Eugen Capatina (Radoi 48), Horatiu Pungea (Halalilo 59), Dorin Lazar (Moral 59), Marius Iftimiciuc, Thomas Whitehurst, Vlad Neculau (Rus 48), Michael Stewart (Muresan 70)
Replacements: Andrei Radoi, Gigi Militaru, Sione Halalilo, Ionut Muresan, Vasile Rus, Gabriel Rupanu, Viliami Moala, George Tatarua
Referee: Ludovic Cayre (Fra)
