Lions hang on against Dragons to enter round of 16

The Lions returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 30-25 win over the Dragons at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach on Sunday.

Originally scheduled to be played at Rodney Parade in Newport, the match was moved at the last minute due to a frozen field and played on artificial turf. The late change didn’t deter the visitors, who were the ones rather than the Dragons who came out breathing fire.

The Lions, who hadn’t won a match in five weeks, came into the game in fourth place in Pool B of the European Challenge Cup with one win, a draw and a loss.

After their 17-7 loss to Stade Francais last weekend in Paris, Ivan van Rooyen’s charges restored some lost pride with a nerve-racking victory. The Lions dominated the first 40 minutes but it was the Dragons who scored the opening try through flyhalf Will Reed. The home side worked the ball well through the hands in the Lions’ red zone and duly came away with the reward.

In the reverse fixture, the sides played out to a draw and the Lions came close to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory this time.

Flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse, who returned from injury, slotted two early penalties before the Lions also got into the try-scoring act with swift, consecutive five-pointers.

Impressive young wing Quan Horn rounded off a well-worked team move, with Hendrikse adding the extras. From the next kickoff, JP Smith fed flyer Edwill van Merwe with a perfectly timed pass and the speedster used space on the blindside to score.

The younger brother of Springbok scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, who scored 21 points when the Lions beat the Dragons in the United Rugby Championship in November, was named man of the match with 20 points this time. He can be pleased with his return.

The Lions were full value for their 27-5 lead at the break. However, if ever a match was a tale of two halves it was this one, as the home side won the second stanza 25-3. The Dragons displayed more verve and vigour and registered two well-worked tries in quick succession. Jordan Williams’s effort, in which he scythed through the Lions’ defence to dot down, was the most eye-catching score. The home side grew in stature.

Three yellow cards in 15 minutes against Stade Francais last week killed off the Lions and when Emile van Heerden was yellow-carded after four team warnings, the visitors’ discipline threatened to unravel.

Welsh wing sensation Rio Dyer went over for the Dragons’ fourth try to close the gap to eight points. Despite a nervy final quarter against the fiery Dragons, which saw JJ Hanrahan reduce the deficit to five points, the Lions held onto their lead and booked a round of 16 home fixture against Racing 92.

Scorers

Lions 30 (27) — Tries: Quan Horn, Edwill van der Merwe. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse (1) Penalties: Hendrikse (6)

Scarlets 25 (5) — Tries: Will Reed, Aki Seiuli, Jordan Williams, Rio Dyer. Conversion: Reed (1). Penalties: JJ Hanrahan (1)