Last gasp Dragons take Parma win
Wing David Richards scored a dramatic last gasp try as Dragons secured an incredible 19-18 victory over Zebre Parma in the BKT United Rugby Championship in Italy.
Richards dived over in the corner with time up as the Men of Gwrnt won away from home in the Championship for the first time since in April 2022 in nerve-shredding and memorable fashion.
A topsy turvy game had seen Jared Rosser grab a first half score as the Men of Gwent took a slender lead to the interval before a second period where the lead swung between the sides.
Co-captain Bren Carter crashed over before Zebre looked set to take the win with under ten minutes left.
But moments after Thomas Young had come close, the visitors held their nerve and punched holes and kept their composure as the ball was swung wide for Richards to secure the win.
Boss Filo Tiatia had made 11 changes to his side of the Round 16 fixture and the visitors started well with Fetuli Paea and Levi Douglas carrying strongly into contact in the opening minutes.
A penalty for side entry gave Zebre a first slice of territory as they kicked to the corner and drove up to the line only to be held up by a combination of Wainwright and Carter.
Good defence forced Zebre to kick in behind and Tinus de Beer returned the ball with interest as both teams looked to strike first and take control.
A penalty on the floor, as Dragons contested the breakdown, gave Zebre the chance to get on the scoreboard and fly half Da Re slotted the three points.
Penalties were starting to mount against Dragons at maul time as the Italians dictated play and tempo but could find no way to unlock a well drilled defensive line.
Wainwright and Coghlan sparked an attack from a neat lineout move and patience was rewarded as they worked the shortside and Young fed Rosser back on his right shoulder to score his third of the season. O’Brien converted.
A booming clearing kick from de Beer and stolen lineout from Carter gave Tiatia’s men more ball on the half hour but a tightly contested encounter continued after Aneurin Owen almost broke into space.
A big maul saw Douglas punch a massive hole in the defence and Rhodri Williams almost darted away.
The play rumbled up close, but Paea knocked on as he stretched for the line.
Dragons were dominating the final ten minutes before the break, but Richards was unable to take an ambitious kick wide.
A penalty against Fusco, after Wainwright burst through, gave Dragons one more attack before the interval. Paea and Douglas rumbled up but the final ball failed to find hands.
An early second half maul defence penalty gave Zebre a chance to strike and they rumbled over from the resulting lineout with hooker Tommaso di Bartolomea dotting down and Douglas yellow carded for side entry.
A sustained period of pressure saw Wainwright, Young and Dillon Lewis all carry strongly, but referee Campbell penalised them to halt mounting pressure.
A break from Gesi saw Zebre go close before they worked the ball in field to Muhamed Hasa with a seemingly huge overlap, but his try was chalked off for obstruction against Leonardo Krumov when he turned back in field.
With an extra man, Zebre looked to keep the ball alive and worked a penalty for offside that Da Re slotted for an 11-7 lead.
Zebre were in control of the third quarter but they knocked on after more slick handling saw them build pressure and threaten to pull clear.
Dragons were slowly gaining the upperhand at scrum time as the half wore on as they looked to work territory and possession and build pressure.
Screech twice blasted into contact and Owen made yards as Dragons went close. A penalty was secured and a tap saw the ball cut back for Carter to score. O’Brien added the extras.
A line break from Giovanni Montemauri saw Zebre reply immediately as they showed patience close to the line and eventually score through Samuele Locatelli.
A late charge saw Screech win a crucial penalty on the floor and O’Brien kick deep into the home 22. Dee carried the ball up but Young was inches from stealing the win it as he was held up.
But back came Dragons and a superb final passage of play saw them keep the ball alive, show huge patience and composure before – with a penalty secured – the ball was spun wide and de Beer’s sublime pass fed Richards.
Timeline:
14m Da Re p 3-0
24m Rosser t O’Brien c 3-7
43m Di Bartolomea t 8-7
53m Da Re p 11-7
68m Carter t O’Brien c 11-14
71m Locatelli t Da Re c 18-14
80m Richards t 18-19
Zebre: Giovanni Montemauri, Malik Faissal, Giulio Bertaccini, Damiano Mazza, Simone Gesi, Giacomo da Re, Alessandro Fusco; Paolo Buonfiglio, Tommaso di Bartolomeo, Ion Neculai, Matteo Canali, Leonardo Krumov, Alessandro Ortombina, Davide Odiase, Giovanni Licata
Replacements: Shilo Klein, Muhamed Hasa, Matteo Nocera, Bautista Stavile, Samuele Locatelli, Thomas Dominguez, Marco Zanon, Jacopo Trulla
Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, David Richards, Fetuli Paea, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser (Anderson 63), Tinus de Beer, Rhodri Williams (Lloyd 53); Rodrigo Martinez (Jones 69), Brodie Coghlan (Dee 53), Dillon Lewis (James 53-72), Levi Douglas (Screech 53), Ben Carter, Shane Lewis-Hughes (Davies 59), Thomas Young, Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rhodri Jones, Owain James, Matthew Screech, Seb Davies, Morgan Lloyd, Harri Ackerman, Huw Anderson
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU)
Attendance: 3,417
