Forza Dragons! Victory for Flanagan's men
Back to winning ways! Dragons returned to winning ways on home soil with a deserved 20-13 victory over Zebre Parma in the BKT United Rugby Championship at Rodney Parade. In a game of high stakes at the foot of the table.
Aneurin Owen and Jared Rosser scored first half tries to put the Men of Gwent in charge.
Elliot Dee dotted down with the extra man early in the second half and despite a late fightback from the Italians it was Dragon who snapped a three game losing run in the league.
Zebre had emerged winners in Europe when the two teams met in January.
But two months on it was Dai Flanagan’s men who took the points to move off the foot of the table.
Flanagan made seven changes for the clash at Rodney Parade with Dyer recalled out wide alongside Jared Rosser while centre Owen came into midfield.
Elliot Dee starts up front alongside Luke Yendle while lock Ben Carter was back in the boiler room and Aaron Wainwright at Number Eight. A late change saw Aki Seuili replace Rodrigo Martinez on the bench.
Rhodri Jones carried powerfully into contact twice before a kicking battle saw Will Reed earn an attacking platform before Zebre turned ball over.
The visitors first attack saw them go hard and direct and take a quick tap and go, but the home side held firm until Sean Lonsdale did well to get over the ball to win a penalty.
A high up and under from Reed bounced into space for the all-action Lonsdale to boot downfield before more loose ball saw Dragons go wide but Dyer’s nudge into space through ran dead.
Cai Evans was looking to spark attacks from deep while Owen and Rosser searched for gaps to exploit, but it was an edgy start from both sides as neither looked to make a mistake.
It was Zebre who cracked first as a floated pass in midfield was picked off by Owen who tore away from the cover from halfway to dot down for the lead.
Rosser was almost released down the shortside by Owen before Simone Gesi kicked ahead down then opposite flank and forced Dye to retreat.
A second home side arrived as a big counter ruck forced Zebre off the ball and Rosser picked up possession and raced down the flank and past a despairing Franco Smith Jr to score.
Dragons were defending powerfully and with discipline to keep Zebre at bay before Eden’s hopeful kick in behind lost away possession.
Zebre reduced the arrears when Eden slotted a penalty just after the half hour before Lorenzo Pani missed a long-range attempt.
Visiting fly half Eden added another kick to cut the lead further.
Rhodri Williams broke away in the closing seconds of the half and Zebre were offside and Gonzalo Garcia yellow carded for cynically playing the ball as Evans slotted three on the stroke of half-time.
Dragons needed to use the extra man after the break and they immediately chose to kick to the corner and not the posts, after winning a driving maul penalty.
The pack duly repeatedly the feat as they drove over with Dee the man to get the ball down. Evans added the extras for a 20-6 lead.
Zebre were starting to make needless mistakes as Pani booted too long and gave the home side another attacking opportunity. But the ball was ripped away as Dragons went down the left wing.
Dmitri Arhip made his debut on 53 minutes as Flanagan looked to keep his side fresh.
More neat handling from Reed put Owen, Dyer and Rosser into space as the home side looked to pin the Italians back.
Rosser was alert to mop up danger after Pani kicked ahead and then two quickfire penalties allowed Eden to kick to the corner. But a free kick against the Italians saw them lose momentum.
Dragons continued to unload a powerful bench with Lydiate, Seiuli and Benjamin added more firepower to the home pack in the closing 15 minutes.
Zebre were starting to play off the cuff in the closing stages to try and find a way back into the game while the home side knew one more try was needed for the bonus.
The away side came strong in the closing stages and set up a grandstand finish when Muhamed Hasa dotted down.
But Dragons held firm and the final whistle was greeted with a huge roar as the home side secured a massive victory.
Timeline:
18m Owen t 5-0
24m Rosser t 10-0
32m Eden p 10-3
39m Eden p 10-6
40m Evans p 13-6
43m Dee t Evans c 20-6
75m Hasa t Eden c 20-14
Dragons RFC: Cai Evans, Rio Dyer, Steff Hughes, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (Blacker 53); Rhodri Jones (Seiuli 65), Elliot Dee (Benjamin 65), Luke Yendle (Arhip 53), Ben Carter (Nott 50), Matthew Screech (Wainwright 75), Sean Lonsdale, Taine Basham (Lydiate 65), Aaron Wainwright (Keddie 53)
Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Dmitri Arhip, George Nott, Dan Lydiate, Harri Keddie, Dane Blacker, Joe Westwood
Zebre Parma: Lorenzo Pani, Pierre Bruno, Franco Smith Jr, Fetuli Paea, Simone Gesi, Tiff Eden, Gonzalo Garcia; Danilo Fischetti, Giampietro Ribaldi, Juan Pitinari, Leonard Krumov, Andrea Zamonin, Davide Ruggeri, Iacopo Bianchi, Giovanni Licata
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Muhamed Hasa, Ion Neculai, David Sisi, Josh Kaifa, Alessandro Fusco, Jacopo Trulla, Guido Volpi Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Attendance: 4,726
