Dragons on brink of last 16 after thrashing Newcastle

European Challenge Cup

Dragons (7) 35

Tries: Dyer 2, Coghlan, penalty, Richards Cons: O’Brien 4

Newcastle (12) 12

Dragons kept alive their Challenge Cup hopes with a bonus-point win over Newcastle Red Bulls at Rodney Parade.

Filo Tiatia’s side won their fourth game on the spin in Newport to put themselves within touching distance of an away tie in the last 16.

They will qualify for the knockout stages for the first time since 2023 as long as Perpignan and Lions do not draw in France on Saturday with both sides scoring four tries.

Newcastle led 12-7 at half-time after responding to wing Rio Dyer’s opener with tries by scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz and the speedy Christian Wade.

Fit-again hooker Brodie Coghlan and Dyer went over to put Dragons in command and they got what could be a vital bonus with 12 minutes to go with a penalty try earned by their impressive line-out drive.

Wing David Richards added a fifth at the death as Newcastle, who had won all three previous Challenge Cup games, were well beaten.

World champion boxer Lauren Price was guest of honour at Rodney Parade on a night when Dragons were desperate to avoid being knocked out.

Tiatia brought back a raft of influential players who had been rested for the round-three hammering at Benetton and there was the welcome sight of Tonga centre Fetuli Paea, who has been out since breaking his right arm on debut in October, taking part in the pre-match warm-up.

Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright made his first appearance since confirming his summer departure for Leicester and showed what Dragons will be missing with a typically dynamic and physical display.

Dragons dominated the opening exchanges without turning pressure into points against a dogged Newcastle defence.

They finally broke the deadlock on the half hour with a slick strike play from line-out ball in the 22, when Red Bulls were braced to defend a drive.

Centre Aneurin Owen put Dyer over with a well-timed inside pass for a try that Angus O’Brien converted but Newcastle responded with a quickfire double to lead 12-7 at the break.

First Benitez Cruz, one of Argentina’s try scorers in the autumn win against Wales in Cardiff, showed pace down the right to finish a counter-attack from turnover ball.

He was soon followed over by Wade when the prolific wing broke away after claiming a risky cross-field kick by Dragons scrum-half Che Hope that lost knock-on advantage.

Determined defence by Newcastle captain George McGuigan and Wade prevented Coghlan from sliding over before a 46th-minute yellow card for Red Bulls lock Jamie Hodgson for a dangerous tackle on Owen proved to be costly.

Coghlan went over from a driving line-out and then Dyer finished off impressively after a line break by Tonga centre Fine Inisi.

O’Brien’s conversions gave Dragons a 21-12 lead and the chance to push for what could be an important bonus.

It came in the 68th minute through the maul when, with Newcastle down to 14 after number eight Tom Gordon was yellow-carded for illegally stopping a drive, referee Christopher Allison awarded a penalty try and also sent replacement Reuben Parsons to the sin-bin.

Dragons: O’Brien (co-capt); Richards, Inisi, Owen, Dyer; De Beer, Hope; W Jones, Coghlan, Hunt, Woodman, Carter (co-capt), Keddie, Young, Wainwright.

Replacements: G Roberts, Martinez, Dlamini, Douglas, Lewis-Hughes, R Williams, Ackerman, C Evans.

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo; Wade, Arnold, Hutchison, Hearle; Grayson, Benitez Cruz; McCallum, McGuigan (capt), Palframan, Usher, Hodgson, Lockwood, Christie, Gordon.

Replacements: Fletcher, Brocklebank, De Bruin, Baker, Parsons, J Elliott, Beeckmans, Greenwood.

Yellow card: Hodgson 46, Gordon 67, Parsons 68.

Referee: Christopher Allison (SA)

Assistants: Morne Ferreira (SA), Griffin Colby (SA)