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Dragons beat Perpignan from behind but four tries fall short of a bonus

Late tries from Anzelo Tuitavuki and Fetuli Paea settled it, but because Perpignan crossed twice, Filo Tiatia's side needed a fifth try for the bonus point.

By RuckBee Newsroom2 min read
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Dragons trailed twice before pulling clear of Perpignan with two late tries to win their Challenge Cup pool match. They scored four tries in all, but this season's revised rules left them without the try-scoring bonus point: because Perpignan crossed twice, the Welsh side needed five.

Jared Rosser, Aneurin Owen, Anzelo Tuitavuki and Fetuli Paea scored the tries. South African flyhalf Tinus de Beer added three conversions and a penalty.

A slow first half

Rosser opened the scoring, and the try lifted the wing to 37 for the club, according to BBC Sport. That puts him level with Ashton Hewitt in joint second on Dragons' all-time list, six behind Aled Brew.

Perpignan replied before the break. Jules Coulon went over, Tristan Tedder converted, and the French side led 7-5 at half-time.

Lead changes after the interval

Dragons went back in front after 55 minutes when Owen scored and De Beer converted. Perpignan answered: Posolo Tuilagi went over and Tedder's conversion put them ahead again.

De Beer then kicked a penalty that made it 15-14 to Dragons with 15 minutes to go. From there the hosts pulled away, with Tonga wing Tuitavuki and centre Paea finishing late tries. It was Paea's first try for the club.

Dragons got the win without several key players, BBC Sport reported. Some were injured and others were rested before a derby at Ospreys. During the match they also lost both of their loose-head props, Rhodri Jones and Wyn Jones.

"The most pleasing part was guys just finding a way and making it happen. We chased the game to get that extra bonus but didn't quite get there," Filo Tiatia said.

"I am really proud of the group," he added.

Tiatia's side reached the semi-finals of the competition in 2025-26. South African referee Hanru van Rooyen took charge of the match.

Cheetahs next in the pool

The pool fixtures carry on in December, when Dragons take on South Africa's Cheetahs at the redeveloped St Helen's in Swansea. In January they host Bayonne in Newport and then travel to Belfast to face Ulster.

Sources

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