Dragons 15-24 Pau – 5 Talking Points as the men of Gwent fail to impress once again in Challenge Cup

01/13/2025 04:21 AM

The Dragons’ played host to Section Paloise in the EPCR Challenge Cup at Rodney Parade in a game many saw as a must-win for the Dragons who sit fourth in pool 2. This wouldn’t come to fruition however with a 15-24 final score in favour of the visitors.

With the Dragon’s sat bottom of the URC and dropping vital points against fellow qualification hopefulls what are the takeaways from this second round EPCR Challenge cup clash.

1. Dragons were their own worst enemy

With Pau finishing the game with 14 players and picking up two yellow cards in the match it’s hard to believe that the Dragons topped the penalty count with 18 penalties conceded by the hosts. Four of these resulted in kicks at goal, that is 12-points from Dragons players’ poor discipline which if cut out would’ve left it a three-score game in favour of the home side. Of course that is completely hypothetical because there’s no guarantee that every other penalty would’ve gone the same way if those four hadn’t been given but it still paints a painful picture. The Dragons gave Pau easy routes to points which ultimately cost them the game.

2. Skillsets disappoint in mistake-ridden game

A halftime score of 8-9 to the visitors would look to the blind eye like a tight game with both sides fighting tooth and nail for every meter of the pitch. This wasn’t really the case however and it was more a case of neither side having their skills fully up to scratch. Nothing more exemplifies this than two moments from both sides just before halftime.

Aaron Wainwright has just crossed for the Dragons’ opening try and brought the game to within one point and Lloyd Evans steps up for the conversion. Evans drags his first effort wide but is allowed to reset because Elliot Roudil charged down the kick illegally. But on the second time of asking Evans sets the ball up on the tee aiming away from the posts which was met with much confusion from the crowd and he kicks wide again missing two points to take the lead.

Just two minutes later Axel Desperes places a great kick over the hosts try line for Gregoire Arfeuli to latch onto. Unchallenged Arfeuli collects the ball but then spills it loose in the Dragons in-goal area and the half time whistle blew. Both sides skillsets were less than up to scratch and resulted in the game being unnecessarily cagey.

3. Desperes shines in emphatic showing

Axel Desperes showed exactly what a young flyhalf should do in a game and that is just play-off instinct. Five successful kicks, one try assist and was unlucky not to pick up another from Arfeuli’s spill over the try line. The 20-year-old Frenchman ran the show in the 10 jersey and was unlucky not to be named POTM as he was quite comfortably the best player on the pitch.

4.Dragons’ unintelligent playstyle leaves questions

At points in the game the Dragons looked the better team with ball in hand but they couldn’t seem to maintain that over a sequence of phases. Especially off set pieces they ran some good launch plays which got them good ground through the likes of Taine Basham, Harri Ackerman and Aaron Wainwright grinding out some hard yards with strong carries.

Then the Dragons would play two or three phases through their pack which would work but then for some reason as soon as they start to slow down in momentum they go too front up with their carries or a player will try to go on their own and get turned over. It just doesn’t feel like the men of Gwent have a backup plan in attack for when they get slowed down.Is it a case of wrong tactical decisions or players selected who aren’t of the required standard? only time will tell but change is looking necessary for the Dragons.

5. Pool 2 qualification fight hots up

This game was the second match of the EPCR Challenge cup for both sides with the results seeing Pua sat in third and Dragons sat fourth. With the top four teams qualifying for the knockout stages the Dragons now face a vital test against fifth-place Emirates Lions in their third pool game whilst the Lions have played a game extra meaning a win for the Dragons puts their qualification chances in good stead. Pau next face second placed Ospreys in their third game and will be hoping to build upon this impressive win.

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