Outpowered Dragons still make fight of it

By ROGER PANTING

Dragons …………28pts

Tries: Doge 39, Seiuli 45, Wainwright 58

Conversions: S Davies 39, 58

Penalties: S Davies 18, 29, 65

Lyon ………………..41pts

Tries: Dumortier 10, 41, Parisien 20, Pelissie 35

Conversions: Berdeu 20, 35, 41

Penalties: Berdeu 26, 61, 67, 73, 79

A SPIRITED second half revival from Dragons fell short as Lyon overcame their travel problems to record back-to-back wins in the competition.

Lyon, lying fourth in the French league, were due to fly over on Thursday evening but delayed their departure until Friday although at that stage they still didn't know whether the game would go ahead.

The uncertainties surrounding the fixture resulted in Dragons having their lowest crowd of the season and there was little for their supporters to cheer as classy Lyon built up a 22-6 lead before the hosts raised their game to have their opponents fretting.

Dragons' director of rugby Dean Ryan said: “We are struggling to hold up the foundations so we need to evolve a fast style of rugby.

“I'm pleased that we were able to do so in a 20 minute spell in the second half as they were struggling to contain us but if you do try to play that type of game, you make more mistakes.

“We are not at the same power-levels as others. We won't win playing organised rugby so we have to operate on a different blueprint.

“It makes a huge difference if we have seven or eight front-liners out as then youngsters have to be brought in to try and make us competitive.”

Dragons' perennially weak scrum were no match for their opponents with French international powerhouse, Demba Bamba, leading the way at tighthead.

This enabled polished half-backs, Leo Berdeu and Jonathan Pelissie, to control matters before French ill-discipline galvanised Dragons, who scented an unlikely victory.

There were lively contributions from Josh Lewis and Taine Basham but Aaron Wainwright was the stand-out performer and his solo try was the highlight but Dragons will rue missed opportunities.

Twice experienced flyhalf Sam Davies failed to find touch from penalties before red zone lineouts were bungled as the home side lacked the killer touch to capitalise on opposition players in the sin-bin.

Lyon were first to score when a long pass from Berdeu gave Ethan Dumortier a simple run-in before Davies replied with a penalty for a high challenge by Beka Saginadze.

Pelissie was the creator for Lyon's second when Alfred Parisien raced on to a well-judged kick from the scrum-half before Davies missed with a straightforward penalty.

Berdeu and Davies then exchanged penalties before Berdeu made a clean 50m break to set up a platform from where Parisien sent Pelissie in under the posts.

Dragons looked in danger of being overrun but a close-range try from Mesake Doge kept them in contention at the interval when they trailed 22-13.

Within a minute of the restart, Lyon secured their bonus-point when Berdeu intercepted a pass from Davies to take the visitors to within five metres of the line. From there an excellent cross-kick from Pelissie provided Dumortier with his second.

Dragons looked down and out but they responded with a try from Aki Seiuli before Thibaut Regard was sin-binned for repeated team infringements.

The hosts took full advantage as Wainwright intercepted a pass on halfway and there was no stopping the Welsh international No.8 as he easily held off the cover defence for a superb score.

Berdeu kicked his second penalty before Regard returned from the bin in time to see Davies kick a penalty to leave Dragons only four points adrift with 15 minutes remaining but that was as close as it got.

Berdeu added another penalty as Dragons' scrum was marched backwards before Lyon replacement, Mickael Ivaldi, was yellow carded for a deliberate offside but two further penalties from Berdeu sealed victory and left him with a tally of 21 points.