Victory over Stade Francais secures top spot for Newport Gwent Dragons

Newport Gwent Dragons have finished top of the European Challenge Cup Pool Three standings after beating Stade Francais 30-19 at Rodney Parade this evening.

Tom Prydie needed just 60 seconds to kick the contest's first points, and the hosts were not finished there either as a driving lineout from five metres out forced Elliot Dee over the try-line.

That was successfully followed up by Prydie's conversion, with the Wales international nailing two more pens to further extend his side's strong early lead.

It was not quite all one-way traffic, though, as Chrisnan Inu made the most of a quick penalty to exploit some space in the Dragons' backline, before brushing himself down to add the extras.

Prydie failed to find the sticks with his next kick, but it mattered little as he made no mistake with his next two to open up a 22-7 half-time lead in South Wales.

Zurabi Zhvania edged the Top 14 outfit ahead in terms of tries scored when he found the whitewash, yet any hopes of a comeback were short lived as replacement Thomas Rhys Thomas was helped over by a rolling maul to put some distance between the two sides once more.

All that was left in the final stages of the contest was for Geraint Rhys Jones to successfully kick over three more points to round off an emphatic victory, making redundant Remi Bonfils's try in the final moments.

Elsewhere in Pool Three, Newcastle Falcons secured a comfortable 52-10 win over Bucharest Wolves to ensure that they take second spot.