The Dragons just stormed Rodney Parade with a massive 38-26 Welsh derby win against Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship, securing it all in a wild 10-try encounter. This isn’t just any win, either, it keeps the Dragons absolutely perfect on the season, following up their opening weekend draw with Benetton.
Dee Drives the Dragons in a Newport Banger
This match was a straight-up thriller, man. Wales hooker Elliot Dee was an absolute beast, scoring two crucial tries that really sealed the deal for the Dragons. But he wasn’t alone: wing Anzelo Tuitavuki, props Rodrigo Martinez and Rob Hunt, and full-back Huw Anderson all touched down, leading to a ridiculous six-try haul for the home squad. Can you believe it? Six tries! The crowd of 7,163 was absolutely raucous in Newport, making it an unforgettable Saturday afternoon. While the Dragons are flying high, Scarlets are seriously struggling, now with two derby defeats under their belt after also losing at home to Cardiff. Yikes. They are also missing key back-rowers Taine Plumtree and Fletcher Anderson due to injury.
Scarlets Started Strong, But The Dragons Flipped The Script
It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the Dragons, though. Scarlets actually drew first blood in this one, with wing Macs Page grabbing a superb solo try by just drifting through the Dragons’ defense and collecting his own chip. Seriously impressive. The Dragons responded quickly, though, with Tongan wing Tuitavuki getting his first try for the club. Then Dee bagged his first, the result of a well-worked line-out. Scarlets fought back again with another Page try, after a big midfield burst from centre Eddie James, and they actually led 14-12 at half-time! Wales fly-half Sam Costelow converted for them, and he was among five personnel changes for the Scarlets coming into this game, including props Kemsley Mathias and Harri O’Connor. For the Dragons, co-captain Ben Carter returned to lead the side, and scrum-half Rhodri Williams even led the team out for his 150th Dragons appearance against his former team. Talk about some added stakes!
Second Half Surge Seals the Deal For Unbeaten Dragons
Whatever the Dragons’ coaches said at halftime, it worked! They came out of the break absolutely on fire. Wing Rio Dyer made a fantastic play right from the kick-off, putting the hosts instantly on the front foot. After some sweet build-up work, Tuitavuki made a searing break that was only stopped by a brilliant tap tackle from Scarlets full-back Blair Murray. But Argentina prop Martinez was right there to follow up and cross the line, with de Beer converting. Scarlets tried to rally, with another midfield charge from James, but the Dragons just wouldn’t let up. With this kind of performance, the Dragons are not just winning, they’re making a statement about their unbeaten status in the URC. Scarlets, on the other hand, are left scratching their heads after another derby loss. They’ve got to figure out their game plan, fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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