The Dragons fell to the title-chasing Bulls in the United Rugby Championship and now have to lick their wounds for a showdown with the wooden spoon.
The Rodney Parade club were beaten 31-10 by the second-placed South Africans in Newport and scored a fourth try at the death to catch up with leaders Leinster.
The Dragons’ attitude and effort were certainly unquestionable – they weren’t giving away freebies and the Bulls had to work to win – but they were by far second best against the bigger players.
Dai Flanagan’s side should show the same resilience and a bit more attacking power when the Zebre go to town on Good Friday.
This needs to be a third URC win of the campaign to have any chance of not being the side topping the table at the end of the regular season.
The Sharks’ victory over Ulster on Saturday afternoon meant the Dragons started the evening at the bottom of the table, while the Scarlets’ last-gasp victory over Benetton extended their lead in the challenge to avoid becoming the worst of the Welsh.
Zebre also suffered a heavy home loss to Leinster, meaning both sides will be feeling the heat ahead of Friday’s showdown.
Dragons bounce back Ewan Rosser loses to Bulls (Image: Huw Evans Agency)
The Dragons made an encouraging start against the Bulls, moving the ball deliberately and putting the ball in play when there was nothing to keep the South Africans in their own half.
However, a nice offensive attack from deep led to the score at 50:22 and gave the Bulls a chance to put pressure on in the 13th minute.
Mpilo Gumede showed strength and then moved to the line only for junior fly-half Will Reed to do well to get under the winger and win the break away from the goal line.
The Bulls went first on the scoreboard through Chris Smith’s 16th-minute strike but the Dragons quickly responded through full-back Cai Evans heading into the second quarter.
Another 50:22 gave the South Africans a great chance in the 24th minute, but the Dragons were determined to escape unscathed when Brodie Coghlan headed for a HIA before Wales hooker Elliot Dee made an early entry, although it later failed. He defended with.
However, in the 27th minute, the Dragons were reduced to 14 men after Reed received a yellow card for throwing the ball out of the attacking half’s hands from an offside position.
The Bulls went to the corner and advantageously spread the ball to the right for Springbok Kurt-Lee Arendse to slot it into the corner.
Smith made it 10-3 with the help of the posts but that was all the visitors could manage with Reed in the sin bin.
The Dragons finished the half within the Bulls’ 22 but swung back at the front and fell seven points behind with the changeover.
But the title hopefuls showed their class was clearly ahead with a cracker four minutes after the restart.
Rhodri Williams runs for Dragons against Bulls (Image: Huw Evans Agency)
The three-time Springbok World Cup winner, along with Canan Moodie, brought down Arendse down the right side before Willie le Roux drilled a spot-kick down the other wing.
Devon Williams collected and assisted Gumede to cross and Smith’s conversion made it 17-3.
Suddenly there were gaps on defense and the Bulls began to rally the floor to feature their big unit.
The goal of the third try was apparently scored by tighthead Wilco Louw in the 49th minute, but it was ruled out as Smith’s forward pass in the build-up.
Flanagan recognized the need for reinforcements and introduced Wales star Aaron Wainwright, along with returning fit lock Ben Carter and scrum-half Dane Blacker.
Wainwright, fresh off a superb Six Nations, immediately changed the tone with a dynamic burst with ball in hand.
The Dragons dominated in terms of possession and territory but trailed 17-3 after the hour mark.
A penalty with 68 minutes remaining gave them a rare entry into South African territory but unfortunately their driving line-up hit the Bulls wall.
The Dragons were still in the game with a missed bonus (or perhaps more) shot and winger Corey Baldwin burst into the 22 following Ewan Rosser’s excellent pass, only for the visitors to fight back, reorganize and win the penalty. .
They clinched victory with 75 points on the clock when substitute attacker Embrose Papier broke through the pulp defense, Smith added the simple conversion and they looked to add a bonus to their four-pointer.
Instead the fourth try of the night came from the Dragons, with Steff Hughes slotting in a fierce strike for Baldwin to score his first goal for the club.
Reed converted to make the final game a battle for a bonus and the home side reduced the time to 14 men after Dee was sin-binned for flinging the ball out of the scrum half’s hands in a fumble.
The second yellow of the night allowed the Bulls to push into the corner and gain power with a drive line; Johan Grobbelaar was the scorer of a try which Smith converted.
Dragons: C Evans (J Rosser 61); E Rosser, Westwood, Hughes (captain), Baldwin; Reed, R Williams (Blacker 49); R Jones (Martinez 55), Coghlan (Dee 25), Coleman (Yendle 68), Screech, Nott (Carter 49), Lydiate (Wainwright 49), Lonsdale, Basham (Keddie 55).
Goal scorers: try – Baldwin; transformation – Reed; penalty – Evans.
Bulls’ scorers: essays – Arendse, Gumede, Papier, Grobbelaar; transformations – Smith (4); penalty – Smith.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland).
Attendance: 4,697.