Dragons player ratings v Montpellier: Back-rower’s tenacity leads ‘resistance’ in proud team display
Tinus de Beer played his part in a performance that left Dragons fans proud (INPHO/Manuel Blondeau)
Following an 18-12 loss to Montpellier in the EPCR Challenge Cup semi-final at Stade Septeo on Sunday, here are the player ratings for the Dragons.
Great opportunism
15 Angus O’Brien (c): Carried and kicked well. He was also generally alert in the backfield, but his effort wasn’t error-free. For instance, there was a dreadful knock-on when he took the eye off a ball as it was arriving in his bread basket on 64 minutes. 5
14 Dai Richards: Butchered a first-minute try chance with a poor pass that eluded Thomas Young with the line beckoning, but he redeemed himself with his great chase to catch hold of Tom Banks behind the line to cause the panic that resulted in a 31st-minute score Aneurin Owen. 5
13 Fine Inisi: Very quiet 59-minute outing by his standards, with the play seldom offering him an opportunity to get involved. 4
12 Aneurin Owen: Showed great opportunism and was rewarded by two very different, well-taken tries. His first came from diving on a loose in-goal ball and the second, with seven minutes remaining, off a lovely break in a training ground attack off lineout ball. 7
Montpellier v Dragons: Five takeaways as ‘talons’ slip in final moments of ‘ferocious’ contest
11 Rio Dyer: A very competent contribution on the few occasions he was needed. The highlight was his 23rd-minute masterclass on sticking with a seemingly lost cause, catching up with Auguste Cadot and preventing him from grounding when he seemed certain to score. 6
10 Tinus de Beer: On another day, his gutsy effort would have been better rewarded. Here, things didn’t stick for him, with some kicks not delivering what he wanted and gutsy running going unrewarded. For instance, it was his intercepted pass in the opposition 22 that nearly gifted the try down the other end that was saved by Dyer. Was at the heart of the second half resistance that ensured the result hung in the balance until the final whistle. 6
9 Niall Armstrong: A very tidy 63-minute outing. His opposite number, Alexis Bernadet, was a star turn for Montpellier, but Armstrong played his part in keeping De Beer busy with a snappy supply of possession. 5
Gruelling match
8 Aaron Wainwright: Was great value on both sides of the ball, but his match will be remembered for the moment when the Dragons went blindside at a lineout and he was tackled into touch before making the line. 6
7 Thomas Young: Will rue not being able to score in the first minute and also getting done for a harsh ruck penalty not long after, but responded with a super penalty-winning poach on 20 minutes with his team defending its try line. That typified his team’s resistance throughout, and he went on to top their tackle count. 7
6 Ryan Woodman: This was the sort of gruelling match that will provide the young back-rower plenty of pointers for the future. Exited on 50 minutes. 5
5 Ben Carter (c): Generally led by example, such as the choke tackle that brought a turnover in the 15th minute, but it was his bind change at the maul that cost three points just before the break, leaving his team 13-5 down. 6
4 Levi Douglas: Gave it socks during his 46 minutes, proving plenty of defensive heft to keep the Dragons in the contest. 6
3 Christian Coleman: Had some tricky moments with two scrum penalties conceded. His team’s entire front row exited together on 57 minutes. 5
2 Elliot Dee: Started with a canny throw over the top that led to the Dragons’ first-minute try chance, but there were some lineout issues after that. Showed up well in the tackle. 5
1 Rodrigo Martinez: His ruck infringement gave Montpellier their opening penalty points 10 minutes in, but he won a scrum penalty soon after. Was a massive presence in the defensive line. 6
Replacements: Filo Tiatia used his bench well, with Harrison Keddie perhaps their best substitution as he came on to help the Dragons recover from a whole heap of pressure they had endured in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. 6
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