Dragons RFC player ratings vs Munster Rugby: Visitors cruised to a humbling 38-19 victory in South Wales

After losing last timeout against Northampton Saints in Europe, The Red Army returned to winning ways by simply outclassing a bruised Dragons RFC side at Rodney Parade.

After securing the bonus point inside the first quarter through tries from Diarmuid Kilgallen, Alex Kendellen, Ben O’Connor and a penalty try saw the Irish Province side easily go in at the break 31-0 up.  

The visitors did improve come the second half as tries from loosehead Chris Coleman, Harry Wilson and Dane Blacker proved not to be enough as another slow start costs Tiatia’s Dragons side. 

Jon Hodnett was the only scorer in the second half for the visitors but the damage was done in the first half as the visitors came away with the spoils in the tenth round of the United Rugby Championship. 

Dragons RFC: 19

Tries: Chris Coleman (42), Harry Wilson (67), Dane Blacker (73)

Conversions: Lloyd Evans (67), Will Reed (73)

Penalties: 

Munster Rugby: 38

Tries: Diarmuid Kilgallen (3), Alex Kendellen (16), Ben O’Connor (18), Dian Bleuler (32), Jon Hodnett (53), 

Conversions: Billy Burns (16, 18) Tony Butler (32, 53, 

Penalties: 

Penalty Tries: 1

15. Huw Anderson- 4 

He was good at tidying up when the visitors kicked in behind to relieve pressure on his side. Anderson was one of many Dragons players who had an average evening. He was decent in defence but didn’t make much of an impact.   

14. Rio Dyer- 5 

Dyer, like many players this weekend, will be again wanting to show why he should’ve been in the Welsh squad in the first place. If I’m being honest, he had another quiet game albeit that the hosts didn’t have many attacking opportunities in the first place to get the speedster into gear. When given the ball, he tried to work his magic, but the visitors’ defence was too strong.

13. Aneurin Owen- 5

Great in defence and around the breakdown area, he was immense for this struggling Dragons side. Even in attack he showed some great handling skills with the standout pass being in the build up to Dane Blacker’s try on 73 minutes. You can tell by just watching he is growing into the Captain role whilst Angus O’Brien watches from the sidelines. 

12. Harri Ackerman- 4 

Went off just prior to the interval as he was replaced by Harry Wilson and never returned to the field of play. Unlike other games since his return after being on the sidelines for a long period of time, it was average compared to other performances from the former Wales U20s Captain. 

11. Jared Rosser- 3 

The 27-year-old didn’t have the best of performances as he was getting beaten easily by his opposite number on several occasions on the outside which led to two of the visitors early tries in the first half. 

10. Lloyd Evans- 3 

With injuries to Angus O’Brien and Cai Evans it has left head coach Tiatia with both Evans and Will Reed as his option at outside half and with the former Gloucester Rugby man starting it meant he needed to impress. And for a game where you would say he would be looking to impress; it’s probably a game that the 29-year-old would want to quickly forget. His first penalty into touch went astray and the visitors used this as a catalyst to build towards their first try of the evening. He then got yellow carded before the end of the first quarter after a high tackle on Shane Daly which resulted in referee, Gianluca Gnecchi awarding a penalty try. 

9. Morgan Lloyd- 5

Had a great kicking game on Saturday evening exploiting in behind the visitors’ defence which put his side into good attacking positions. He was one of many that was trying to work his magic, but nothing seemed to be coming off from it. Perhaps came as a shock that halftime he was replaced by Dane Blacker who just last week was playing for Pontypool RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru. 

1. Rodrigo Martinez- N/a

After a big hit on Munsters Tom Ahern the Argentinian loosehead was replaced by Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths as he limped off the pitch just after nine minutes. 

2. Brodie Coghlan- 3 

With Elliot Dee being involved in the Welsh set up for the Six Nations, this means Coghlan started and if truth be told he has been impressive in making that two shirt for the Dragons very competitive whilst Dee had been on the sidelines. He wasn’t firing his arrows early in the encounter with two lineouts back-to-back not being straight. He was great in defence but when it came to the crunch at lineout time it was poor from the 24-year-old. He eventually went off on 50 minutes for James Benjamin.   

3. Chris Coleman- 4

Didn’t do anything that was eye catching apart from score on 42 minutes and was another who just had an average evening. With Martinez going off early it was up to Coleman to lead the scrum as he was the more experienced scrummager, and it is an area that they have improved on from last week’s thumping to the Lions in Johannesburg but it’s still not the finished article. Try scorer Coleman was replaced just after the hour mark by Paula Latu.

4. Joe Davies- 4 

The second rower who hasn’t had the best of seasons but that’s probably down to not having much gametime, he played probably his best game for a while. He put in some great hits, and it was great to see him play the whole 80 minutes which is something he hasn’t done for a while.   

5. Ryann Woodman- 4

Woodman is another one that is an injury concern as the 20-year-old went off on 46 minutes and he was another one that didn’t really get going. Was like many of the backrow and second row players who had a decent showing in defence but that was mainly it. 

6. Shane Lewis-Hughes- 5

Lewis-Hughes has probably been the best signing the Dragons had made during the summer and like his back-row counterparts he had another great showing. Worked unbelievably in defence and at lineout time. 

7. Dan Lydiate- 5 

Great at pouncing on the loose ball and set the bar for many of his fellow teammates to be inspired by after his first hit on Alex Kendellen with Joe Davies which set the tone. For someone that is coming to the end of his career his work rate is unbelievable, and he is someone that the Dragons need for players to be inspired by.  

8. Taine Basham- N/a

Went off with a head injury on 4 minutes and never came back on as he was replaced by George Young.