United Rugby Championship: Dragons 14-30 Edinburgh

  • By Ceri Coleman-Phillips
  • BBC Sport Wales at Rodney Parade
Video caption,

Highlights: Dragons 14-30 Edinburgh

United Rugby Championship: Dragons v Edinburgh

Dragons (14) 14

Tries: S Davies, Holmes Cons: S Davies 2

Edinburgh (17) 30

Tries: Boffelli, Moyano 2, Hoyland Cons: Kinghorn 3 Pens: Kinghorn 2

Edinburgh's Argentine internationals inspired them to a bonus-point win over Dragons in the United Rugby Championship.

Emiliano Boffelli scored on debut, while Ramiro Moyano crossed twice in a breathless first half.

Dragons hit back with tries for Sam Davies and Jonah Holmes, but new Wales star Taine Basham left the field early with a head injury.

Edinburgh secured the bonus point with a late try by Damien Hoyland.

It was the fourth home defeat of the season for Dragons while Edinburgh celebrate their fourth victory.

The visitors were clearly not feeling the Newport chill as they came firing out of the blocks, with Boffelli beginning his Edinburgh career in spectacular style.

The full-back finished off a kick and chase from the length of the field to give Edinburgh the lead inside the opening couple of minutes.

Dragons were dealt a double blow when Basham - a star of Wales' autumn internationals - left the field after taking a knock to the head in the build-up play.

He did not return after failing a head injury assessment.

Edinburgh continued to exert their dominance by winning penalties at the scrum and breakdown, while showing a willingness to keep the ball alive.

Dragons, meanwhile, looked rusty after the international break and were caught sleeping when a long pass from scrum-half Ben Vellacott almost saw Hoyland over the whitewash.

Edinburgh did claim a deserved second try just before 20 minutes after a period of sustained attacking pressure, with quick hands putting Moyano over in the corner for added Pumas delight and to stun the Rodney Parade supporters.

The home fans had something to cheer about soon after though as the dancing feet of full-back Jordan Williams sparked a counter attack from a turnover ball on the half-way line.

The move released Harri Keddie, who showed good pace for a flanker before offloading to Davies who converted his own score.

With their tails up, Dragons struck again just after the half hour mark from a five-metre lineout. Two crash balls sucked in the defenders before the ball was shipped wide for Holmes to run in his third try of the season.

Dragons looked to be taking an unlikely lead into half-time, only for Edinburgh's pacey back line to launch another counter attack with Moyano finishing off another kick and chase.

Blair Kinghorn missed a second conversion of the half.

Dragons lost Jack Dixon with a dislocated elbow in the process, while his midfield partner Jamie Roberts looked in trouble after going in tentatively for a 50-50 ball, but he was able to shake it off.

The second half began low key, but it was soon brought to life by a brilliant break by Kinghorn into the Dragons' 22.

Dragons introduced Wales prop Leon Brown for his first appearance of the season, the 25-year-old having been absent after suffering a shoulder injury against Argentina in July.

Edinburgh kept chipping away and won a couple of penalties in front of posts, which Kinghorn slotted over to extend their lead.

Dragons were unable to find the spark which revived their first-half comeback as the game slipped away.

Edinburgh finished as they started with a flurry and bagged their bonus point try as Hoyland came off his wing to take advantage of some good work by the forwards.

Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan told BBC Sport Wales: "To lose the amount of ground and tries that were scored in the first 20 minutes into a wind wasn't acceptable, we didn't have a solution and we allowed them to control that second half.

"We've been sat down for four weeks trying to work out how to get back, but so have they. They've had guys in Test matches as well and they deserve some credit for getting it right."

Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair said: "We said it was going to be a big week for us.

"I was a little bit nervous, but I really back our guys, they've really stepped up and shown a hunger for the Edinburgh jersey.

"I thought there was a huge amount of intent, effort and physicality and when you get those bits we've got the skill levels to stress our opposition as well."

Dragons: Jordan Williams; Jonah Holmes, Jack Dixon, Jamie Roberts, Rio Dyer; Sam Davies, Gonzalo Bertranou; Greg Bateman, Taylor Davies, Chris Coleman, Ben Carter, Joe Maksymiw, Harri Keddie (capt), Taine Basham, Ollie Griffiths.

Replacements: Ellis Shipp, Josh Reynolds, Leon Brown, Joe Davies, Huw Taylor, Dan Babos, Aneurin Owen, Jordan Olowofela.

Edinburgh: Emiliano Boffelli; Damien Hoyland, Matt Currie, James Lang, Ramiro Moyano; Blair Kinghorn, Ben Vellacott (capt); Boan Venter, Adam McBurney, WP Nel, Marshall Sykes, Jamie Hodgson, Nick Haining, Luke Crosbie, Magnus Bradbury.

Replacements: Dave Cherry, Harrison Courtney, Angus Williams, Connor Boyle, Ben Muncaster, Henry Pyrgos, Charlie Savala, Cammy Hutchison.

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Assistant referees: Elgan Williams & Richard Brace (WRU)

TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)