Pro14 |
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Southern Kings (13) 18 |
Tries: Ungerer, Basson, Klaasen Pen: Pretorius |
Dragons (8) 18 |
Tries: Warren, J Williams, Con: Lewis Pens: Lewis 2 |
The Dragons' long search for an away victory in the Pro14 continued, although they did fight back to earn an 18-18 draw with Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.
Their last league success on the road was a 32-17 victory over Benetton in Treviso on 28 March 2015.
They briefly led in South Africa but trailed 13-8 at the break and 18-8 at one stage in the second half.
But the Dragons fought back with a Jordan Williams try and two penalties.
The Welsh region made a confident start, claiming the first try of the match through centre Adam Warren.
Josh Lewis started the move by chipping for the corner and wing Hallam Amos showed his exceptional skill by taking the high ball and unloading perfectly to Warren who dived over.
Lewis missed the conversion by a distance, but he did add to the Dragons' advantage with a penalty.
However, the Welsh region could not sustain their fast start and were soon behind.
First scrum-half Stefan Ungerer dived over a ruck to touch down and although Maixole Banda was off target with the conversion attempt, Bjorn Basson scored another try within three minutes with Ungerer the provider.
A penalty from Bader Pretorius extended the lead to 13-8 at the interval.
The hosts added to their advantage when centre Harlon Klaasen crossed, although Pretorious missed the extras on a day where neither side shone with their kicking.
The Dragons desperately needed a score and found one when replacement Jordan Williams collected a loose ball 40 metres out and danced through for a superb solo effort, with Lewis adding the extras to make it 18-15.
Rhodri Williams then thought he had given Dragons the advantage once more, but Jack Dixon's pass to him was adjudged by the TMO to have been forward.
A bad-tempered second half meant at one point there were only 26 men on the field with both sides reduced to 13.
Opposing props Tshakweni Alulutho and Leon Brown were yellow carded for scrum infringements and Dragons prop Lloyd Fairbrother and Kings wing Michael Makase sin-binned for acts of dangerous play.
Both sides were at full strength when the visitors nicked a draw as Brown won a penalty and Lewis landed the kick from 40 metres out.
The Kings remain one point ahead of the Dragons at the bottom of Conference B.
Southern Kings: Banda; Penxe, H Klaasen, Kruger, Basson; Pretorius, Ungerer; Ferreira, Willemse, Terblanche, Van Schalkwyk, Astle (capt), Ntsila, Burger, Lerm.
Replacements: Van Rooyen, Tshakweni, Scholtz, Greeff, De Wit, Van Rooyen, B Klaasen, Beyers.
Dragons: Kirchner; Rosser, Warren, Dixon, Amos; Lewis, R Williams; Harris, Hibbard (c), Brown, M Williams, Screech, Wainwright, Basham, Moriarty.
Replacements: Lawrence, Bevington, Fairbrother, Taylor, Greggains, Knoyle, Tovey, J Williams.
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU), Paul Mente (SARU)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SARU)