Dragons RFC’s bid for Euro glory came to an end as South African giants the Hollywoodbets Sharks secured a 29-9 victory at a wet and windy Rodney Parade.
After results had conspired against Dragons the previous day, Dai Flanagan’s men went into the Pool A clash knowing only a victory would be good enough to progress.
The table-topping Sharks, though, were not to be denied and secured the victory that ensures knockout rugby while Dragons were left to contemplate what could have been after two narrows defeats.
Dragons though they had made a dream start when Jared Rosser scored a long-range stunner – only for the TMO to rule the score out.
The Sharks took advantage with two quickfire tries from Jaden Hendrikse and Ok Nche giving them a 12-6 lead at the break.
The Men of Gwent continue to battle bravely against the physical visitors and the boot of Cai Evan meant it was a three-point game with less than ten minutes left.
But late scores from Gerbrandt Groble, Le Rouz Roets and Werner Kok saw the Durban side leave Wales with maximum points.
Flanagan made eight changes to the side that lost out to Zebre, with Leon Brown handed a first start of the season.
Dragons made a bright start and were rewarded with a penalty, as the South Africans strayed offside, that Cai Evans nudged over for the lead after eight minutes.
Sharks strayed offside from a high kick from Curwin Bosch and Dane Blacker took a quick tap and Will Reed nudged in behind for Aphelele Fassi to hastily mop up.
The Dragons scrum was holding firm under a stern examination and a penalty at the set piece fired up the home terraces.
The roof then came off the stadium as Sharks kicked ahead and forced Jared Rosser to race back and collect.
The wing wriggled out of a tackle and then kicked ahead before tearing through the middle of the pitch and past a shockingly static Sharks defence to score a quite stunning try.
However, cheers were soon replaced by loud jeers as referee Adrien Marbot disallowed the try after a lengthy consultation with the TMO for failing to ground the ball.
The rain was suddenly hammering down, but it was Dragons who kept the scoreboard ticking as Sharks blitz defence was again offside and Evans knocked over the three points.
Ryan Woodman swooped for a crucial turnover, after Sharks carried strongly into the home 22. Sharks were making mistakes all over the field under pressure from a red-hi home defence with Bosch the latest to over hit a kick and see it run dead.
Steff Hughes raced back and brilliantly picked off the floor, but it was Sharks who were picking up the pace just before the half-time and who scored the opening try through Hendrikse.
A penalty on the stroke of half-time then allowed Bosch to kick to the corner and the visitors sensed blood.
The initial burst was repelled but a second shunt from lose range, after offside against Dragons, saw Nche touch down for a 12-6 lead.
Dragons made a half-time change with Taine Basham on for Ollie Griffiths, but it was Sharks who continued to be in the ascendancy with big carries from Hanro Jacobs and Jeandre Labuschagne.
Rhodri Williams and Rodrigo Martinez were also introduced off the bench as Dragons continued to try and put momentum into the display.
Dragons broke the shackles as they ventured out of home territory after a penalty for offside and then another penalty after a big driving maul gave Evans a kick to cut the lead to three.
Both teams were dishing out some huge tackles and Dragons continued to go toe-to-toe with the South Africans as they won a penalty on halfway and looked to force an attacking position.
The game was on a knife edge and up for grabs as we entered the final stages, but it was the Sharks who struck as a powerful maul was hauled up to the line before Grobler peeled off to score.
Joe Westwood came off the bench for his debut in the dying stages.
Martinez was yellow carded with four minutes left and Sharks wrapped up the try bonus with Le Roux Roets crashing over late on before Werner Kok grabbed a breakaway late score.
Timeline:
08m Evans p 3-0
22m Evans p 6-0
36m Hendrikse t Bosch c 6-7
40m Nche t 6-12
59m Evans p 9-12
71m Grobler t 9-17
78m Roets t Bosch c 9-24
80m Kok t 9-29
Dragons RFC: Cai Evans, Rio Dyer, Steff Hughes, Harri Ackerman (Westwood 73), Jared Rosser, Will Reed (Rosser 73), Dane Blacker (Williams 51); Rhodri Jones (Martinez 51), Bradley Roberts (Benjamin 60), Leon Brown (Yendle 67), Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Ryan Woodman (Young 67), Ollie Griffiths (Basham 40), Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: James Benjamin, Rodrigo Martinez, Luke Yendle, George Young, Taine Basham, Rhodri Williams, Joe Westwood, Ewan Rosser
Hollywoodbets Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Lukhanyo Am, Francois Venter, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse, Ox Nche, Fez Mbatha, Hanro Jacobs, Corne Rahl, Gerbrandt Grobler, James Venter, Lappies Labuschagne, Phepsi Buthelezi
Replacements: Dan Jooste, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Coenie Oosthuizen, Le Roux Roets, Tino Mavesere, Grant Williams, Lionel Cronje, Rohan Janse van Rensburg
Referee: Adrien Marbot
Attendance: 3,835
