Hot Brew inspires Dragons

Aled Brew: On target for Dragons

Winger Aled Brew grabbed a try and could have scored two more as Newport Gwent Dragons eased past Edinburgh 21-10 in the RaboDirect Pro12 League at Rodney Parade.

Brew is leaving Wales at the end of the season for French side Biarritz and he could have had a hatful of points on what was his 100th game for the region.

The Welsh international had to settle for just the one try in the end while scrum-half Joe Bedford got another for the Dragons and outside-half Jason Tovey kicked 11 points.

Edinburgh only came to life for a period of the second half for lock Grant Gilchrist to score their sole try of a very average display by the visitors.

By half-time, the Dragons were on the way to a victory that would lift them above Connacht in the table.

Problems

Edinburgh initially went ahead when Phil Godman landed a penalty, but Tovey replied with two of his own to put the Welshmen in front - a lead they did not subsequently lose.

The Dragons held the territorial advantage but were their own worst enemies during the opening 40 minutes when giving away penalties that allowed Edinburgh to clear their lines.

It did not help either that number eight Gavin Thomas was sin-binned early for hands in illegally at a ruck.

Edinburgh's attacks were few and far between while, at the other end, the Dragons were not slow in taking their chances.

Soon after Edinburgh lock Sean Cox had been sin-binned, Bedford nipped around the side of a ruck to dive over the Scottish side's line underneath the defending Jim Thompson and, after a look, video ref Tony Rowlands gave the touchdown.

Centre Andy Tuilagi caused problems for the visiting defence, and it was from one of these that the Dragons scored their second try of the match in the 35th minute.

After former Leicester and Sale bulldozer Tuilagi was caught a few metres from the line, perfectly-delivered ruck ball saw Bedford pass left for full-back Martyn Thomas to deliver it cleanly to Brew at the corner.

Brew nearly got another when he was put away by centre Ashley Smith only for the pass that sent the speedy flyer over in the corner to be ruled out as forward.

Mess up

Edinburgh's game-plan seemed limited to defence and little attacking invention for vast periods of the game.

They did have some territory after the break as they huffed and puffed, camping themselves between the halfway line and the home 22 but with little impact nearer the try zone.

Then they found second gear and managed to stretch the Dragons. That effort paid off as Gilchrist scrambled underneath a pile of bodies for a converted try.

Brew nearly got another try when centre Ashley Smith chipped to the corner but some excellent cover kept the winger out just a metre short.

The Scotsmen also missed a golden opportunity to strike again when a kick upfield left Matt Scott and Sep Visser against one defender, but they combined to mess up the chance when one simple pass would have been sufficient for the try.