Wing Corey Baldwin grabbed a late score Dragons wait for victory over South African opposition continued as title chasing Vodacom Bulls secured a 31-10 victory in the BKT United Rugby Championship.
Springbok speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse grabbed the only try of a tight first half before the impressive Bulls went through the gears in the second.
Back row Mpilo Gumede scored early in the second period to put the visitors clear and as penalties mounted so did the pressure.
Replacement scrum half Embrose Papier and Johan Grobbelaar added late gloss before Baldwin replied in the final seconds.
The Men of Gwent have not beaten a South African opponent since defeating Cheetahs in Newport in February 2020, but they gave everything against a physical and well-oiled Bulls side.
They will now look to take the spirit and endeavour into a huge league clash with Zebre Parma in six days’ time on home soil.
Wales international Cai Evans was straight into match action as Dai Flanagan made five changes to his starting line-up. Dee and Wainwright were waiting among the replacements. Prop Rhodri Jones made his 150th league appearance up front.
A superb kick though from Evans was inches from being a sublime 50:22 as Dragons looked to pin Bulls back in the opening exchanges.
Steff Hughes also showed his kicking prowess to force the visitors back as the home side looked to play in the right areas.
The home forwards were also working hard as a unit to force Bulls back in early collisions, with Brodie Coghlan forcing a knock on with a big tackle.
Bulls were being forced to play inside their own half for long periods, but a lightning quick break and hands from Le Roux and Arendse saw Chris Smith kick for a 50:22 and an attacking position.
The South Africans looked set to strike but Will Reed did superbly well to get under Gumede and hold him up.
Visiting fly half Chris Smith opened the scoring with a well struck penalty on 17 minutes.
Dragons looked to respond with Hughes making a half break and Rhodri Williams sniping. The penalty was secured, and Evans levelled the scores.
Bulls were settling into their task and bringing real physicality as Marco Van Staden burst through and then Smith found another 50:22 after an unfortunate bounce gave Le Roux attacking ball.
Dragons defended the driving maul and when the ball was shipped in field it was Matthew Screech who won a penalty at the breakdown.
Elliot Dee was introduced in 26 minutes, as Coghlan was forced off. Reed was then yellow carded for kicking the ball out of Zak Burger’s hands and Bulls struck seconds later.
With a penalty secured for bringing down the maul, Bulls went wide and a flicked pass from Smith freed up the midfield to send Arendse over for the opening try of the game.
Smith converted via the lefthand post. Ewan Rosser looked to use his raw pace down the left, after a flat pass from Westwood set him free, while Sean Lonsdale and Taine Basham combined to wrap up runners.
A late surge from Dragons was broken up as the visitors took a 10-3 lead into the interval.
A slick second try from the South Africans saw Le Roux cross kick, after Arendse powered up the right, before some outstanding timing with a switch pass sent back row Gumede over.
Moments later more dangerous broken field running from Arendse burst open the defence and the South Africans thought prop Wilco Loux had scored, but a forward pass ruled it out.
Wales ace Wainwright made his welcome return for the final half hour, alongside Ben Carter after a four-month injury absence, as the home side looked to regroup and stem the flow of pressure.
Wainwright immediately burst through a gap to a huge ovation before a cynical side entry from Van Staden gave Dragons field position, only for Bulls to win a penalty of their own on the floor.
Le Roux’s poor kick to touch gave Dragons a let-off at the midpoint of the half as the South Africans started to dominate the set piece and territory.
Late pressure was forced back as Bulls stopped a driving lineout and won possession.
A superb flat pass from Ewan Rosser sent Westwood and Baldwin into space before Keddie carried strongly, but it was all to no avail as Bulls defended resolutely.
It was the visitors who struck late with scrum half Papier racing over before a kick from Hughes sent Baldwin over.
The final play of the game saw replacement Grobbelaar driven over for the try bonus.
Timeline:
17m Smith p 0-3
21m Evans p 3-3
28m Arendse t Smith c 3-10
45m Gumede t Smith c 3-17
76m Papier t Smith c 3-24
79m Baldwin t Reed c 10-24
80m Grobbelaar t Smith c 10-31
Dragons RFC: Cai Evans (J. Rosser 62), Ewan Rosser, Joe Westwood, Steff Hughes (c), Corey Baldwin, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (Blacker 50); Rhodri Jones (Martinez 56), Brodie Coghlan (Dee 26), Chris Coleman (Yendle 69), Matthew Screech, George Nott (Carter 50), Dan Lydiate (Wainwright 50), Sean Lonsdale, Taine Basham (Keddie 56)
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rodrigo Martinez, Luke Yendle, Ben Carter, Harri Keddie, Aaron Wainwright, Dane Blacker, Jared Rosser
Vodacom Bulls: Willie Le Roux, Sebastian De Klerk, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Chris Smith, Zak Burger; Gerhard Steenkamp, Jan Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Marco Van Staden, Mpilo Gumede, Marcell Coetzee
Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Johan Goosen, Devon Williams
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Attendance: 4,697
