FULL-TIME, DRAGONS 19-23 LIONS. Magnificent comeback from the Lions who played so superb rugby. The Dragons had some great passages but they seemed to hit the wall in the last 10 minutes and just couldn't challenge the Lions no more.
The Dragons run it left, then right, get held up midfield… and concede a penalty. Nohamba slams the ball onto the roof of the stadium, and THAT IS THE BALL GAME!!
Lions drive to the 5m line, the Dragons holding them back for all they are worth… and it's a turnover and a penalty for the Dragons on their 5m… could this be the second-greatest escape ever? The kick finds touch well short of their 10m…
Lions to scrum between the Dragons 10 and 22, 15m in from touch… and they're in control… and they are given a penalty… Nohmba kicks it into touch boldly and they will run the clock out.
Dragons blown for infringing in the scrum… and that's exactly what the Lions want. Nohamba takes his time and find a touch 14m short of the Dragons 22 and the win the lineout and run the ball…
MISSED! The Dragons run the line quickly… ball spreads down the line but Basham's final pass to Dyer is just too high and it's out into touch and the Lions choose to scrum with only a handful of sand left in the match.
Lions are defending superbly, denying the Dragons at every turn. The Lions clear the danger upfield.
Dragons run down the right but a thunderous tackle smashes the Dragon into touch, two men tackling at once.
WOW! He pulls his kick ever so slightly and it rebounds hard off the left upright and into the Lions goalline area for a dropout. He kicked from the 22 and just about 15m to the left of posts… he should have nailed that with ease but it looked like he struck it too hard. Huge break for the Lions.
Another penalty for the dragons deep inside the Lions 22… and they're going for posts!
Dragons win a penalty near their 10m and kick to the Lions' 22… win the lineout and run the ball into the Lions 22, but the Lions defence stands strong.
Dragons with a scrum, they run from the base, then the two teams exchange kicks, Dragons run again, kick… and Nohamba drives a low kick that lands close to the right touchline and scuds into touch. Super kick to drive the Dragons back to 12m from their 22m.
Lions now running the ball at the Dragons, hitting the line hard time and again inside the two 10m lines.
Dragons drive and drive at the Lions line, but they are held back four times, until the Lions intercept and kick deep… but play is stopped for an injured Dragon on the field.
The Dragons run blind from the scrum and win a lineout.
Dragons drive forward past the Lions' 10m… lovely grubber goes into touch 8m short of the Lions' line.
Dragons drive forward past the Lions' 10m… lovely grubber goes into touch 8m short of the Lions' line.
CONVERSION, LIONS, NOHAMBA! 19-23; Nohamba slots his conversion from 12m in from touch… lovely kick.
TRY, LIONS, CAIRNS! 19-21; What a passage of play as the Lions twice drive up at the Dragons, whose defence it must be said was woeful.
PENALTY, LIONS, NOHAMBA! 19-16; Pure through the posts, Nohamba is a lovely player… and his running and passing could make a difference in the rest of this match.
Lions drive forward and win a penalty that Nohamba, on as a sub for Steyn, will kick from three metres inside the 10m and 8m to the right of the poles.
The Lions run the line powerfully, driving hard at the Dragons, but they are pulled down and concede a penalty, the Dragons finding the touch, winning the lineout and running their line… only to concede a penalty to the Lions just short of the halfway line.
CONVERSION, DRAGONS, EVANS! 19-13; Straightforward and no mistakes made.
TRY, DRAGONS, BASHAM! 17-13; The Dragons drive sideway across the field and Basham breaks from the loose and dives over to score next to the upright.
Dragons push forward and into the Lions 22 where they win a penalty for the Lions not releasing in the maul… and they will have a lineout on the 5m…
KICK-OFF! The second half is underway…
HALF-TIME, DRAGONS 12-13 LIONS.
PENALTY, LIONS, STEYN! 12-13; No problem from seven metres to the right of poles, and the Lions take the lead into the break.
Lions drive forward, win a lineout… they run the ball left, maul, run the ball right, driving hard at the line but the Dragons defensive wall is rock hard. And the ref blows for a penalty for the Lions right in front of poles… and they will kick.
Good break to the left touchline by the Dragons, a long pass to the wing… but it's called forward.
Dragons press forward across the centre of the pitch, making good ground.
Some lovely handwork down the line, with the Lions pressing… there's an attempt to kick down the line but it rebounds off a Lions player and into touch.
Dragons now press hard and into the Lions half, driving to the 22…
Dragons press forward but the Lions hold firm.
PENALTY, LIONS, STEYN! 12-10; Lions hit back with a comfortable penalty.
Conversion is MISSED… Evans starts it a foot outside the near post, looking to draw it in with the flow of his boot, but it holds its line and slips just wide.
TRY, DRAGONS, BASHAM! 12-7; Dragons kick upfield, win the lineout and drive forward at the Lions who hold them up initially, but Basham burst through on a pick and go to power over the line.
YELLOW CARD LIONS, MARAIS. Really silly, kicking out at the ball as it came out the maul and Franco Marais gets a 10-minute break.
Dragons press right up to the line, the Lions holding them back as they call for one of two knock-ons but the ref waves play on as the ball bounced backwards. They are then caught offsides and the Lions have a free-kick to clear the danger.
Dragons now press back at the Lions, driving down the right touchline.
Lions force play into the Dragons 22, but the home side clears the danger upfield.
Lions press again, angry at the Dragons's slice of luck that has made it an even game.
CONVERSION, DRAGONS, EVANS! 7-7; He can slot those all day and all night.
TRY, DRAGONS, KEDDIE! 5-7; Keddie bursts into the gap to intercept the long pass from Steyn, then the big man has to power up and sprint well over half the length of the pitch with two Lions on his heels, but he holds them off and leaps over the line under the poles. What a turnaround!
Lions straight back on the attack and pressing the home side down their left touchline. The Lions runs the line…
CONVERSION, LIONS, HORN! 0-7; Well struck from 15m in from the right-hand touch. Great start for the Lions.
TRY, LIONS, HORN! 0-5; From the scrum the Lions break and pour downfield into the 22, up to the 5m… pour some pressure on before running the line quickly to Horn who is unmarked and skips over tryline for the opening score.
After some kicking back and forth, there's a direct kick to touch and the Dragons lose their advantage and the Lions scrum just short of the Dragons 22.
Lions win the ball back and break from the maul, some lovely passing on the tackle under they're forced into a forward pass. Scrum Dragons just ahead of their 22… they run the ball to O'Brien who kicks upfield….
Lions chip and charge into the Dragons 22, but the home side does well to clear under pressure.
Dragons runs the line and Dyer bursts through the Lions' line, presses forward, passes, but the Lions break their play down and earn a lineout.
The Lions with a good drive forward, but the Dragons pull the visitors to the ground and the Dragons will feed the scrum.
KICK-OFF! We're underway here in Wales!
Referee: Fillipo Russo (Italy). Assistant referees: Adam Jones (Wales) and Rhys Jones (Wales). TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy).
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Nico Steyn, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Jarod Cairns, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 Heiko Pohlmann, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Ruben Schoeman, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Henco van Wyk.
Dragons: 15 Angus O’Brien, 14 Rio Dyer, 13 Joe Westwood, 12 Aneurin Owen, 11 Jared Rosser, 10 Lloyd Evans, 9 Rhodri Williams, 8 Taine Basham, 7 Harri Keddie, 6 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 5 Matthew Screech, 4 Ben Carter (captain), 3 Leon Brown, 2 Brodie Coghlan, 1 Rodrigo Martinez. Replacements: 16 Oli Burrows, 17 Cameron Jones, 18 Chris Coleman, 19 Ryan Woodman, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Will Reed, 23 Ewan Rosser.
The Dragons' last game saw them beaten 33-30 at home to the Sharks. The Lions' last match brought them a 55-21 win at home to Edinburgh.
The Lions have been in terrific form, winning four of their last five games. Their one loss came at the end of last season, when they were pipped 29-24 away to the Stormers.
The Dragons have lost four of their last five matches, winning just once when they beat the Ospreys 23-21 at home in September. They did well to come back from 13-21 down with just 11 minutes on the clock.
The Dragons have given a decent showing of themselves over these five matches, keeping the score gap to 23-33.
The Lions have dominated the action between the two sides in their last five matches, winning four matches and drawing the fifth.
The Lions are in sixth place on the URC table after winning both of their opening two games. The Dragons are in 11th place, having won one and lost two of their opening three matches.
Good afternoon and welcome to the Sunday action in the URC, as the Dragons host the Lions at Rodney Parade in Newport.