PRO12: Full-back Prydie kicks Dragons to 23-17 victory over Cardiff Blues
Last Updated: 28/12/14 7:33pm
Newport Gwent Dragons claimed just their second away win over Cardiff since the inception of regional rugby at a packed Arms Park.
Two tries resulting from line-out drives gave the Dragons the edge but it was the kicking of full-back Tom Prydie that made the difference on the day as the visitors won 23-17.
Prydie kicked 13 points in front of a packed Cardiff Arms Park to give his side a rare victory over their Welsh rivals.
Conditions were poor in Cardiff but it did not deter Newport who dominated an intense opening phase of the match. They were rewarded with a penalty which Prydie converted from the halfway line.
Kiwi fly-half Gareth Anscombe was selected on the bench, giving Gareth Davies an opportunity in the No 10 jersey for Cardiff.
Davies missed two opportunities at goal which would have had his side in front – the second of which was a regulation kick which he pushed wide.
Blues were in further trouble when the Dragons were awarded a penalty which they kicked for the corner. Captain Rynard Landman took the throw-in and set up a driving maul. The maul was perfectly formed and sent the forwards over the tryline, with Elliot Dee the man to put the ball down for the opening try of the game.
Prydie converted and added another penalty while Gareth Davies waited until the final kick of the half to register his team’s first points of the game, making it 13-3 at half time.
Early in the second half Anscombe was brought on for Davies but was unable to do anything to stop a second driving maul as his forwards were pushed from their 22-metre line all the way to the try-line.
Dee claimed to have scored once again but the referee had already awarded his team a penalty try to give Prydie an easy conversion, taking the score to 20-3.
Cardiff began to stage a comeback in the final quarter when they held onto possession long enough to allow lock Jarrad Hoeata to dot down for the hosts, which Anscombe converted.
With ten minutes to go Anscombe gave his team even more of a chance as he broke through the Dragons defence with replacement scrum-half Tavis Knoyle stretching over for the try to bring the hosts to within three points of their rivals.
In the end it was Prydie who had the final say of the game, slotting his fifth kick to take his team to a 23-17 win.
