The Dragons were no match for unbeaten Leinster as the Irish province ran in seven tries at the RDS Arena in Dublin.
Few, if any, would have expected the Gwent side - who have managed to win just three out of 13 this season - to claim the scalp of the unbeaten Irish province. It was a clash of first against second-from-bottom.
Ultimately, that's how it played out. Unsurprising really, given the events of the past week. For starters, the Dragons might have been bolstered by the likes of Wales squad members, Aaron Wainwright and Bradley Roberts, given the pair have yet to feature in the Six Nations.
However, both have stayed with Warren Gatland's squad - as have all Welsh-based players. The bigger issue was the 18 months of financial uncertainty coming to a head with the threat of strike action next weekend - with Welsh players finally having had enough.
That overwhelming sense of uncertainty is the context we have to Welsh rugby matches in right now. Of course, the unrelenting machine that is Leinster care little for that over the course of 80 minutes.
Dai Flanagan's side found themselves behind after just five minutes. Leinster's pack hammered at the door from close-range before fly-half Harry Byrne found a gap to reach over for the opening score.
The Dragons fought hard to stay in the fight, with Leinster not able to trouble the scorers until just before the half-hour mark.
The nature of the score was just as frustrating as the fact it was against the run of play at that point, with Will Reed being picked off by scrum-half Luke McGrath on first-phase from a lineout - allowing the Leinster nine to race away to score from 50 metres out.
The Dragons responded well to that set-back. Six minutes before the break, scrum-half Rhodri Williams sniped over after the Dragons had stretched Leinster's goal-line defence with some good carrying work.
Unfortunately, two quickfire tries would move the home side out of sight and also seal their bonus point before half-time.
First, captain Rhys Ruddock latched onto Scott Penny's offload to make it a two-score lead again.
And then, after several phases of red-zone pressure that manipulated the Dragons' fringes, Byrne got over for his second score and Leinster's fourth.
Cruelly, Dragons centre Jack Dixon limped off injured at half-time - just days after speaking candidly about how the fear of injury was hanging over him with his contract up at the end of the season, one young child to look after and another one on the way. More than ever, you hope it's not too serious.
Even if the stress and anguish players have been put under is inescapable right now, the sight of Dixon limping off only hammers it home all the more.
When the rugby did resume, it would be the home side who opened the scoring in the second-half. Unlike Wales, Ireland saw fit to release some internationals back to their clubs.
One of those, Jordan Larmour, spotted some space down the blindside of a ruck - sneaking down the touchline before finishing well despite the best efforts of Ashton Hewitt.
To their credit, the Dragons kept pushing. Ross Moriarty, on his return after a head injury, threatening to break through - only for an ankle tap to deny him just as he was building up a head of steam.
Then, just after the hour mark, Steff Hughes' offload hit JJ Hanrahan in the head - with the replacement fly-half racing onto the ball to regather and score under the sticks.
However, the final 10 minutes saw the home side cut loose again - with replacement Rob Russell crossing after full-back Jimmy O'Brien - another released from Ireland's squad - scythed through the Dragons defence.
And just before the end, another replacement, Charlie Tector, latched onto Dave Kearney's kick to score Leinster's seventh try.
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