Newport Gwent Dragons 49 Edinburgh 28
Edinburgh will have an uphill struggle to qualify for the Magners League play-offs after conceding seven tries to the rampant Dragons at Rodney Parade tonight.
The visitors did snatch a four try bonus point ten minutes from time but with Ulster at home next Sunday, then Leinster away next month their only remaining fixtures in the regular league season, Edinburgh now find themselves outwith the top four (courtesy of Munster's 18-12 away win at Connacht this afternoon).
Alan MacDonald scored Edinburgh's first try
Welshman James Jones was refereeing the game as the scheduled official, Irishman John Lacey, was stranded across the water thanks to the Icelandic volcanic activity. It was a sun-drenched day at Rodney Parade as the teams took to the field.
Scotland coach Andy Robinson had made it to spectate, as had his Welsh counterpart Warren Gatland, and they saw typically cagey opening exchanges, giving no hint of the 11 tries that were to follow.
From a penalty to touch in the tenth minute the Dragons got a catch and drive up and running from which scrum-half Wayne Evans bulleted in for an unconverted try in the corner.
Edinburgh responded at once and from John Houston's ruck provision in centre field, Phil Godman made a scything break and Alan MacDonald was on his shoulder to dot down under the posts. Godman converted and Edinburgh led 7-5.
The advantage was short-lived though as Dragons inside centre Ashley Smith stepped off his left foot to go in for their second try, stand-off Jason Tovey this time finding the target for a 12-7 home lead after 16 minutes.
Into the second quarter and Edinburgh were waxing strong at the scrummage. A close-range scrum penalty saw Edinburgh opt to re-scrum and Dragons loose-head prop Huw Gustafson was yellow-carded for collapsing. Ben Castle replaced with Joe Bearman having to depart. Edinburgh had two more attempts before the home scrum, on the retreat, again creaked, and referee Jones awarded the visitors a penalty try. Godman converted to restore Edinburgh's lead at 14-12 after 22 minutes. Interestingly thereafter, Edinburgh incurred Mr Jones' wrath all too regularly at scrum time. . .
Dragons were back to full strength now and when Edinburgh were penalised for the tackled player (Ben Cairns) not releasing, the Welshmen's substitue stand-off James Arlidge goaled for a 15-14 advantage after 34 minutes.
One minute before the break and Dragons, looking inventive behind the scrum, scored their third try with right wing Will Harries popping up on the left to take a floated pass from his fellow winger Richie Fussell, who had intruded in midfield, to dot down. Arlidge missed the conversion but Dragons went in 20-14 up at the break.
Half-time: Dragons 20 Edinburgh 14
Arlidge's second penalty within three minutes of the restart stretched the home lead to 23-14. In Edinburgh's riposte Tim Visser did touch down but he was ruled by referee Jones to have pushed his opposite number in the back as the pair chased a kick-ahead and a penalty to the Dragons was the upshot.
That call (which was probably right given that it was an obvious push) was made all the worse for the visitors as the livewire right winger Harries evaded would-be tackles from Jim Thompson and Mark Robertson from a pass from flanker Gavin Thomas to claim the gleeful hosts' fourth try. Arlidge missed the conversion but after 47 minutes Dragons led 28-14.
It was looking distinctly ominous for Edinburgh as Harries completed his hat-trick, latching on to an inside pass as he came looking for work in midfield, off lineout ball, to romp 30 metres for a pretty soft score coming as it did straight off the training field. Arlidge converted for 35-14 after 57 minutes.
At last Edinburgh, with Roddy Grant and Kyle Traynor now on for Dave Callam and Geoff Cross, got a bit of momentum, and from loose ball Ben Cairns sprinted 25 metres, straightening en route, to nab Edinburgh's third try. Godman converted but it was still a 14 point gap at 21-35 with 18 minutes remaining.
Any thoughts of a fightback were dispelled quickly as Dragons left-wing, Fussell, who has been something of a thorn in Edinburgh's flesh in the past, got in on the tries with Dragons' sixth; and two minutes later full-back Martyn Thomas stepped in for number seven. Arlidge converted both tries and it was 49-21 for the hosts with ten minutes remaining.
Edinburgh at least had the consolation of snatching a fourth try and a consequent bonus point as from a forward rumble Ross Ford surged over the line. Godman converted (Dragons 49 Edinburgh 28, 72 mins).
Edinburgh introduced Fraser McKenzie, Andrew Kelly, Greig Laidlaw and Simon Webster inside that last quarter, but their contributions consisted largely of defence as two visits to the TMO resulted in "no try calls" from Neil Ballard as Dragons tried to breach the half-century.
Full-time: Dragons 49 Edinburgh 28
Dragons: Martyn Thomas; Will Harries, Matthew Watkins, Ashley Smith, Richie Fussell; Jason Tovey, Wayne Evans; Huw Gustafson, Tom Willis captain, Patrick Palmer, Robert Sidoli, Luke Charteris, Joe Bearman, Toby Falatau, Gavin Thomas.
Subs: Lloyd Burns, Ben Castle, Hoani MacDonald, Andrew Coombs, Tom Riley, James Arlidge, Alex Walker
Edinburgh: Jim Thompson; Mark Robertson, Ben Cairns, John Houston, Tim Visser; Phil Godman, Mike Blair captain; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross, Scott MacLeod, Jim Hamilton, Alan MacDonald, Dave Callam, Ross Rennie.
Subs used: Andrew Kelly, Kyle Traynor, Fraser McKenzie, Roddy Grant, Greig Laidlaw and Simon Webster, David Blair.
Referee: James Jones (Wales)
