AFTER winning the Singha Premiership 7s with a try at the death in 2015, Newport Gwent Dragons lost their crown with the final play in the capital.

The men from Rodney Parade made a perfect start against the Scarlets but suffered a costly defeat to the Ospreys as back-to-back games took their toll.

That left them with no margin for error against Cardiff Blues and after being hit by two controversial yellow cards, the Dragons were denied by a try after the hooter by Dane Blacker that turned a 22-17 lead into a 24-22 loss.

In the 15-man game Dragons fans have got used to going into game with hope but in the seven-man format it was expectation. They were hot favourites for the Welsh title and second behind Wasps with the bookies for the overall honour.

In the first year of the regions being in the Premiership 7s it took a controversial last-gasp decision to deny them the Welsh crown while at finals day they were runners-up to an excellent Gloucester side.

And in 2015 they did the double, lifting silverware at the Arms Park and then winning the big one at Twickenham Stoop after stunning a star-studded Wasps side.

The headed back to the capital as favourites to triumph against their three rivals; the Dragons fielded seven title winners and two quality specialists in Wales international Ethan Davies and Ebbw Vale wing Chris Levesley, who was fresh from starring for Great Britain in the World University Sevens Championship.

Nonetheless, their coach Nick Wakley had stressed that, whatever quality the men from Rodney Parade had in their ranks, they couldn’t afford a slow start against the Scarlets given that they swiftly faced an encounter with the Ospreys before finishing against Cardiff Blues.

After the tournament hosts had opened up with a win against the Ospreys, the Dragons made a slightly tentative start.

Yet they struck first when Aled Brew, a Sevens World Cup winner with Wales in 2009, bumped off defenders then cantered over after combining with Jonny Lewis.

The Scarlets responded well through Rhodri Davies and it was level-pegging at the break before the Dragons really hit their straps, profiting from exceptional restart work by James Benjamin.

First Elliot Frewen combined smart breakdown work with fast feet to break away and then fellow winger Lloyd Lewis finished magnificently down the left to make it 19-7.

The game was secured by Arwel Robson’s dart over that not only meant Shaun Pearce’s effort at the death was merely a consolation for the Scarlets but secured a potentially crucial bonus point.

There was no rest for the wicked and the Dragons were straight back out to face more foes from west Wales and they made a dream start when Frewen went over down the left inside a minute.

However, with lungs burning and the influential Benjamin sidelined by a bump, the Ospreys struck back for a 14-5 lead at the break courtesy of a converted tries by Steff Andrews and Joseph Scrivens.

The Swansea side were gifted a third by a botched quick lineout and a late brace by Jonny Lewis was too little, too late for the Dragons.

It did, however, earn a losing bonus point that left them watching the next two games with interest with Cardiff Blues winning 22-12 against the Scarlets, who then were drubbed ** by the Ospreys.

That meant it was a must-win for the Dragons in the finale with the Welsh title also in their sights yet it took 10 seconds for Dane Blacker to go over after a lucky bounce from the kick-off.

The visitors responded through a slick Jonny Lewis finish before Lloyd Lewis was put over down the same left flank for 10-5.

The Dragons had rediscovered their form, with skipper Geraint Rhys Jones pulling the strings, and Jonny Lewis’ third earned a 15-5 lead at the break, all three tries coming out wide to make conversions tough.

And it was game on when Owen Jenkins went over to make it 15-12, exploiting Ethan Davies being in the sin bin for denying a quick lineout, with Jonny Lewis yellow-carded for a high tackle when the speedster was in the act of scoring.

The Blues were in front with just two minutes left when Joe Tomlinson went over against the now six-man Dragons.

But the champions responded in wonderful fashion with Ebbw’s Levesley scoring arguably the try of the night, Jones converting to make it 22-17.

Alas, the hosts had the final say when Blacker went over at the death, the conversion securing the title.

Dragons squad: Geraint Rhys Jones (captain), Ross Wardle, Darran Harris, Harrison Keddie, Aled Brew, Ethan Davies, James Benjamin, Elliot Frewen, Jonny Lewis, Arwel Robson, Chris Levesley, Lloyd Lewis

Results

  • Cardiff Blues 17 Ospreys 15
  • Newport Gwent Dragons 26 Scarlets 12 (tries – Brew, Frewen, L Lewis, A Robson; conversions – GR Jones, A Robson, Davies)
  • Dragons 19 Ospreys 21 (tries – Frewen, J Lewis 2; conversions – E Davies 2)
  • Blues 22 Scarlets 12
  • Ospreys 24 Scarlets 5
  • Blues 24 Dragons 22 (tries – J Lewis 2, L Lewis, C Levesley)

Final standings: Cardiff Blues, Ospreys, Newport Gwent Dragons, Scarlets.