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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ben James

Edinburgh 44-6 Dragons: Welsh side hammered on opening day of the season

The Dragons conceded 44 unanswered points on the way to a comprehensive defeat to Edinburgh at the DAM Health Stadium..

Dean Ryan's side travelled to Edinburgh with a new head coach in the form of Dai Flanagan and a host of debutants in tow as they looked to put the last campaign's woes - when they only managed two victories all season - behind them. However, that wasn't to be the case as they conceded seven tries to their Scottish counterparts - falling apart badly in the second-half.

The Gwent side had led from the second minute up to the 27th thanks to two early penalties from new fly-half JJ Hanrahan, but it was simply one-way traffic from there.

The home side's first came after sustained pressure near the Dragons' line, with scrum-half Ben Vellacott forcing his way over from close range.

Edinburgh extended their lead four minutes before half-time, with second-row Glen Young powering over after a strong break down the blindside from Damian Hoyland.

The Dragons' first-half problems weren't quite done there, with prop Lloyd Fairbrother sent to the sin-bin for a late tackle.

The hosts wrapped up the bonus point 10 minutes after half-time - with Graham's seven-minute brace doing the trick.

His first saw him cross out wide after some neat hands. The second demonstrated the stepping prowess expected from the Scotland international as he picked up a loose ball and scythed through the Dragons' defence.

Things were to get worse for the Dragons though. Hoyland crossed for Edinburgh's fifth out wide after more good work from the home side's maul.

Then Blair Kinghorn capitalised on a loose ball to race away and dot down for another just after the hour mark. Worse still, Edinburgh returned the restart for an instant try - with Kinghorn turning provider to break away from deep and put Chris Dean over for the seventh score.

Nick Haining picked up a yellow card for the home side in the dying embers, leaving the hosts to finish the match with 14 men, but that was merely an inconsequential detail on a sobering night for the men from Gwent.

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