Dragons hammered 40-7 by Glasgow in URC

The Rodney Parade club, who were without a whopping 21 players because of injuries and international call-ups, were comprehensively outplayed and thankful that the Warriors were not cutthroat.

Glasgow scored six tries but it should have been more – they had enough dominance to repeat their 73-33 triumph when the sides met in the European Challenge Cup last April.

The Dragons were on level terms for just 26 seconds and were 14-0 down after just three minutes.

Glasgow had their bonus point four minutes into the second half and cruised to victory, with their boss Franco Smith having plenty of mistakes to point out in analysis.

Dai Flanagan, meanwhile, has to patch up his squad for another tough trip in the next Six Nations rest week when they head to Ulster.

The defence was a shambles in Scotland and too many senior players were off the pace.

The Dragons need to make big improvements if they are to avoid propping up the URC – they are currently above the Sharks on games won – and set up a Welsh wooden spoon shootout with the equally hapless Scarlets at Judgement Day.

CLOSE: Dragons prop Chris Coleman was held up over the line (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

The visitors made a nightmare start with lock Joe Davies and Dan Lydiate, playing at number eight rather than his usual blindside because back-row resources were depleted, dropping off a tackle to allow full-back Josh McKay to race over after fielding a box-kick.

A 7-0 lead swiftly became 14-0 with more defensive problems after a botched lineout leading to centre Stafford McDowall crossing.

The Dragons responded with tighthead Christian Coleman held up over the line before profiting from Glasgow misses, a driving lineout going wrong and then a number of line breaks breaking down in dangerous positions.

It remained 14-0 entering the second quarter but the visitors had been hit by the loss of flanker George Young, leading to James Benjamin going into the back row from hooker, and full-back Cai Evans after he had been sent out by Wales for game time.

A combination of Glasgow inaccuracy and Dragons scrambling meant it took until the 36th minute for the Warriors to get their third, McDowall cutting a nice line before putting McKay over.

Ross Thompson’s third conversion of the evening made it 21-0 at half-time with the hosts needing one more score for their maximum haul.

The Dragons started the second half on the front foot but endured a pointless trip to the 22 despite racking up the phases with one-out carrying.

They were penalised to allow Glasgow to escape and they immediately struck for their bonus score with Ben Afshar finishing off a move that once again racked up attacking metres far, far too easily.

The Dragons thought that they had got on the scoreboard in the 57th minute when lock Matthew Screech flopped over from close range after big pressure in the 22 but the try was chalked off for blocking by Lydiate.

Dai Flanagan rang the changes to add fresh legs – they had three hookers on the field, feisty Brodie Coghlan in his actual position, Benjamin at number eight and debutant Sam Scarfe at openside – and they got their try in the 64th minute.

This time the attack in the 22 was finished off with Will Reed reaching over after Angus O’Brien’s neat inside ball.

However, Glasgow quickly restored their control with Duncan Weir flinging a long pass out for Facundo Cordero to canter in down the right in the 70th minute.

Number six came in simple fashion when lineout ball off the top led to McDowall strolling in, with the hosts exploiting Scarfe being in foreign territory at the tail.

Glasgow scorers: tries – McKay (2), McDowall (2), Afshar, Cordero; conversions – Thompson (4), Weir.

Dragons: C Evans (Reed 16), J Rosser (Westwood 59), S Hughes, Owen, Andrew; O’Brien, Blacker (Hope 61); R Jones (Seiuli 45), J Benjamin, Coleman (Yendle 58), J Davies (Langton-Cryer 61), Screech, Lonsdale, Young (Coghlan 10), Lydiate (Scarfe 61).
Scorers: try – Reed; conversion – O’Brien.

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)