Perpignan beat Dragons 41-17 to start European Challenge Cup campaign

Perpignan started their European Challenge Cup campaign with a 41-17 victory over Dragons, earning a valuable bonus point as they controlled large portions of the game. The visitors were reduced to 14 men midway through the first half, a turning point that helped the French side pull clear.

Match snapshot

Final score: Perpignan 41, Dragons 17

• Tries: Hall, Diaby, Joseph, Chinarro, penalty try, le Corvec; Westwood, Austin (2)
• Conversions: Kretchmann 3
• Penalties: Kretchmann

Perpignan opened the scoring when Tavite Veredamu delivered a sharp wide move that ended with Hall grounding the ball. Dragons’ afternoon took a sharp turn when centre Duncan Paia'aua received a 20-minute red card for a dangerous high tackle on Scarfe, forcing his side to play with 14 men for the remainder of the half.

With a numerical advantage, Perpignan extended their advantage in the first half as Mahamadou Diaby powered over. Gabin Kretchmann added a long-range penalty before the break to push the hosts into a comfortable position at half-time.

Second half and key moments

After the restart, Jefferson Joseph surged from inside his own half to score a length-of-the-field try, converting Dragons’ pressure into points for Perpignan. Westwood pulled one back for Dragons, but Chinarro broke through to claim a bonus-point try for the home side.

Will Austin then finished a flowing Dragons move to keep them in the match briefly, yet Perpignan extended their lead again when the hosts earned a penalty try after a maul, with Ben Carter shown a yellow card for collapsing the drive.

The home side finished with a flourish as Matteo le Corvec touched down following a sweeping team movement, while Austin added a late Dragons score to round out the scoring.

Reaction

Expert analysts described Perpignan’s front five as pivotal, delivering relentless pressure and converting chances. They also noted Dragons must tidy basic play and protect the ball to compete against stronger outfits.

What’s next?

Dragons return to Rodney Parade to host Lyon on Saturday, 14 December (kick-off 15:15 GMT). Perpignan travel to Treviso to face Benetton at 13:00 GMT on the same day.

Bottom line

Perpignan produced a confident performance to begin their European Challenge Cup campaign with a comprehensive win, while Dragons face questions after a tough afternoon in the sun.

Summary

Perpignan used a sharp start and a red-card swing to seize control against Dragons. The home side built a multi-try lead, weathered Dragons’ late pressure, and secured a valuable bonus point with an efficient finishing display. Dragons’ discipline and ball security will be key talking points ahead of their next fixtures.

Key insight: Perpignan’s early pressure and the Dragons sending-off defined the match, allowing the French side to pull away and claim a comfortable win. BBC report