Dragons 21 Northampton Saints 35

The first competitive fixture between the sides ended in a bonus-point victory for Northampton in an entertaining Pool 1 Challenge Cup tie at Rodney Parade.

They notched five tries via David Ribbans, Alex Mitchell, a penalty score, Ben Franks and Cobus Reinach, four of which were converted by Dan Biggar (2) and James Grayson (2), while Dragons managed three through Elliot Dee, Jarryd Sage and a penalty score, with Josh Lewis goaling the first two.

Saints got off to a blistering start as Ribbans powered over after only four minutes and their second try followed just nine minutes later, with Biggar and Mitchell combining.

After Dragons’ Lewis Evans was sin-binned for pulling down a maul on 31 minutes, Northampton made it 21-0 via their penalty try a minute later, with Adam Warren joining his teammate in the bin.

Dee gave the home side their first points after he peeled off a ruck on 44 minutes, but four minutes later Saints captured their bonus point via Franks’ try.

Sage reduced the deficit to 28-12 with his try, only for a brilliant 60-metre breakaway from Reinach to extend the visitors’ advantage to 35-14 after Grayson’s conversion, before referee Mattieu Raynal awarded a penalty try to Dragons in the last play.

Northampton Saints 48 Dragons 14

Northampton completed a Pool 1 Challenge Cup double over Dragons with an eight-try romp at Franklin’s Gardens.

There were doubles for Luther Burrell and Taqele Naiyaravoro, plus one apiece for Api Ratuniyarawa, James Fish, Alex Mitchell and Ollie Sleightholme, with Dan Biggar converting four.

Burrell, Ratuniyarawa and Fish all touched down in the first half, with Biggar improving two as Northampton opened up a 19-0 lead.

Dragons finally broke their duck in the 41st minute via an Adam Warren try goaled by Josh Lewis, but Saints quickly responded with Burrell’s second four minutes later, which was improved by Biggar. Naiyaravoro then notched his six-minute brace sandwiched around Mitchell’s 52nd-minute score.

Although Dragons cut the gap to 41-14 with a Nic Cudd try on 77 minutes goaled by Lewis, Saints had the final word with Sleightholme’s converted try.

Northampton Saints will be bidding for their third successive win over Dragons when they meet in the last 16 of the European Rugby Challenge Cup on April 3 at Rodney Parade after completing the double over the Welsh region in 2018/19.