 | POWERGEN CUP Dragons: (18) 24:
Tries: Warlow, Breeze.
Cons: Warlow.
Pens: Warlow 3.
DG: Warlow. Leicester: (10) 15:
Tries: Jennings, Lloyd.
Cons: Goode.
Pen: Goode. Att: 6,327 |
Newport-Gwent Dragons started their Powergen Cup campaign with an impressive home win over Leicester on a rainy night at Rodney Parade. Craig Warlow dominated the scoreboard with a full house of try, conversion, three penalties and a drop-goal.
Ben Breeze also claimed a try, but Wales full-back Kevin Morgan was the Dragons' stand-out performer.
Leicester had tries from Leon Lloyd and Shane Jennings, with Andy Goode kicking five points, but were always behind.
Leicester nearly took the lead when Alesana Tuilagi just failed to reach a chip through before the ball went dead.
Instead it was the hosts who drew first blood thanks to a scintillating breakout from Morgan, bisecting the Tigers' defence after gathering Goode's chip.
Michael Owen appeared at the shoulder of the Wales full-back in support to send the scoring pass into Warlow's arms.
The Dragons fly-half missed the conversion but made no mistake with his second opportunity on the quarter-hour mark, improving Breeze's try as the wing cantered over after a close-range ruck.
With the rain still hammering down, the heavier Leicester pack built up momentum and a series of drives allowed Jennings to pop over the line, Goode converting.
But the Dragons stretched their lead to 18-10 at half-time thanks to two Warlow penalties against one from Goode.
The Leicester fly-half failed with a long-range kick soon after the restart, before opposite number Warlow completed a full house of scoring with a drop-goal.
Leicester coach Pat Howard looked to his bench for inspiration, but the English side continued to stutter despite the arrival of Austin Healey, Leon Lloyd and Leo Cullen.
The game bogged down into a tactical kicking game as both sides tried to tease mistakes from their opponents in the sodden conditions.
Warlow struck his third penalty of the night with 10 minutes to go, but Leicester hit back when Harry Ellis' superb floated pass allowed Lloyd to race away down the left wing.
However, replacement Ian Humphreys, younger brother of Ireland fly-half David, missed the conversion that would have earned Leicester a losing bonus point.
Dragons fly-half Craig Warlow:
"Leicester brought down quite a strong side and we matched them in every department.
"We scrapped really well for every ball and the win was based on forward supremacy.
"When a big team like Leicester comes down it really makes you focus and we were top in everything we did - the mistakes were very low."
Leicester coach Pat Howard:
"We played very poorly - players who usually play well did nothing of the sort, and they will reflect on that.
"We can win this competition, although we've had this loss. I am sure we can reach the final.
"If the Welsh teams turn up for it like the Dragons did tonight, the competition has a great future. They were hungry."
Dragons: Morgan; Wyatt, Luscombe, Sweeney, Breeze; Warlow, Baber; Black, Brown, R. Thomas, Gough, Sidoli, Hall, Forster, Owen. Replacements: Maddocks for Black (58), Ringer for Forster (58), Bryan for Owen (69). Not Used: L. Jones, Tuipulotu, Bryant, Ireland.
Leicester: Cornwell; A. Tuilagi, Smith, Gibson, Varndell; Goode, Ellis; Rowntree, Chuter, White, L. Deacon, Hamilton, B. Deacon, Jennings, Johnson. Replacements: Healey for Cornwell (47), Lloyd for Varndell (61), Humphreys for Goode (75), Taukafa for Chuter (71), Cullen for Hamilton (47), Skinner for B. Deacon (63). Not Used: Holford.
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU).
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If the Welsh teams turn up for it like the Dragons did, the competition has a great future