Dragons defeated by Bulls on final day

Huw Anderson, Rhodri Williams and Lewis Morgan grabbed tries as injury-hit Dragons ended the season with a 55-15 defeat to high-flying Vodacom Bulls in the BKT United Rugby Championship in Pretoria.

The Men of Gwent went into the final round fixture at Loftus Versfeld Stadium with 22 players on the sidelines and facing a fired-up Bulls side with an eye on second place in the standings.

Head Coach Filo Tiatia had warned of the challenge ahead at altitude in the week and the task was apparent from as early as the fifth minute when the home side opened the scoring through David Kriel.

Power-packed Bulls had not lost at their home to an overseas opponent in the championship since last season's final to Glasgow and they ensured the try bonus on the stroke of half-time.

Dragons were forced to dig deep in adversity and hit back with tries from Anderson, a superb Rhodri Williams effort and late score from Morgan.

Only a late disallowed score from Ashton Hewitt – on his farewell appearance – denied them a try bonus that few would have begrudged the visitors.

Filo Tiatia’s men will now look to regroup this summer as a new-look squad is assembled ahead of the next campaign.

Bulls looked threatening from the offset with Canan Moodie kicking in behind and only a superb last-ditch tackle from Angus O’Brien stopped Hanekom from scoring in the corner.

However, it was a short repreive as centre Kriel did open the scoring moments later when full back Willie Le Roux and wing Sebastian de Klerk combined to send the Bulls player over.

A penalty allowed the home side to come back immediately and when they worked the ball in field it found lock Wiese who broke the line and stepped the final man for a classy finish.

The set piece was menacingly strong for Bulls with the returning Joe Westwood and Aaron Wainwright picking up and going fast off the back to try and give Dragons go forward.

Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths was replaced by Jamie Hughes – on permit from Llandovery – and the loosehead quickly carried strongly as the visitors looked to force field position with some big runners.

Bulls, though, worked the ball up field off two back-to-back penalties before more incisive play saw wing De Klerk grab a third home score out wide.

A sublime catch around his back from Rhodri Williams, after a slick backs move, saw Dragons finally break into space, with O’Brien racing clear and Anderson jinking past men.

The ball was lost by the line and back came play for a knock on by the hosts and a five-metre scrum, only for referee Andrew Brace to penalise the visitors and the chance go begging.

Anderson intercepted a pass from home captain Ruan Nortje after quick hands sent Bulls into space, but pressure was building minutes from the break.

Bulls were enjoying huge success at the breakdown and another penalty was kicked to the corner before hooker Akker van der Merwe touched down to wrap up the try bonus on the stroke of half-time.

Lloyd Evans sparked an early attack in the second half with a big tackle on Kriel in midfield and Dragons went on the front foot after another penalty for not releasing. A huge pass from Williams, after a tap penalty, then picked out Anderson to score a first try for the visitors.

Moments later, Wainwright, Coghlan and Coleman all carried strongly before Williams spotted a gap and broke away before cleverly kicking ahead and beating Le Roux to the ball to score.

Bulls turned to power to hit back with home hooker Van der Merwe grabbing a second from the driving maul.

Moodie knocked on close to the line after a horror bounce took the ball away from the covering O’Brien and Rees-Weldon.

Home wing Sergeal Petersen burst over for a quickfire double at the midpoint of the half before Marcell Coetzee finished off a long-range effort as the home side started to cut loose.

Sustained pressure sent Devon Williams over with ten minutes to go.

Spirited Dragons kept going and worked field position late on before replacement Lewis Morgan – on permit from Carmarthen Quins - scored from the driving maul seconds after coming on.

A late disallowed try denied Ashton Hewitt a try on his farewell appearance.

Timeline:

05m Kriel t 5-0

08m Wiese t Johannes c 12-0

23m Fe Klerk t Johannes c 19-0

40m Van der Merwe t Johannes c 26-0

43m Anderson t 26-5 49m Williams t 26-10

52m Van der Merwe t 31-10

58m Petersen t Johannes c 38-10

62m Petersen t 43-10

64m Coetzee t Van der Linde c 50-10

69m Williams t 55-10

75m Morgan t 55-15

Vodacom Bulls: Willie Le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Sergeal Petersen, Keagan Johannes, Zak Burger; Jan-hendrik Wessels, Akker van der Merwe, Mornay Smith, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Kuyenzeka Nama Xaba, Ruan Nortje, Cameron Hanekom

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Jannes Kirsten, Marcell Coetzee, Bernard van der Linde, Stedman Gans, Devon Williams

Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien (Rosser 70); Harry Rees-Weldon (Hewitt 61), Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson; Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams (Hope 61); Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths (Hughes 17), Brodie Coghlan (Morgan 75), Chris Coleman (Latu 70), Joe Davies (Langton-Cryer 47), Ben Carter, Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes (Minto 75), Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Lewis Morgan, Jamie Hughes, Paula Latu, Barny Langton-Cryer, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Ewan Rosser, Ashton Hewitt

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 105th game)

Attendance: 6,836