Dragons on course for Euro quarter

The USA Eagles centre exploded through a gap in the midfield to cross for a crucial try at the posts which allowed the home side to regain the lead ten minutes after Lee Robinson’s try out of nothing had threatened to send Bristol through to the quarter-finals. If there was little to choose between the two sides in their opening game at the Memorial Ground, which Bristol won 11-7, the return leg was equally tense and tight on a dreadful night at Rodney Parade.

Playing into the driving wind and rain the Dragons drew first blood when Bristol full back Craig Morgan made a hash of Ceri Sweeney’s cross kick and Gareth Wyatt nipped in the steal the ball and the try. Sweeney added the conversion and sandwiched a penalty between two from opposite number Dave Hill to give the home side a 10-6 interval lead.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, the Dragons should have been in a strong position but Robinson’s try three minutes after the break, when he latched onto a clever cross field kick by Hill, gave the Guinness Premiership leaders a one point lead and temporary command of the Pool.

Then came Emerick’s try and another Sweeney conversion and the Dragons were back in front on the scoreboard and by two tries in the Pool table. It means that everything is to play for on the final weekend when Bristol host Bucuresti and the Dragons travel to Bayonne to see who tops the pool and bags the quarter-final spot.