THE DRAGONS are waiting for news from France after doing their bit in a bid for a European Challenge Cup miracle by hammering Bordeaux-Begles in a remarkable game at Rodney Parade.

The Rodney Parade region ran riot in the second half to give themselves a shot at sneaking into the last eight as runners-up behind Newcastle.

Leading 5-3 at half-time after only converting one of a glut of chances – hooker Elliot Dee sliding over – it looked like their chance had gone.

But they rallied from going behind 17-12 to triumph 33-17 with tries by captain Cory Hill, wing Ashton Hewitt, tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother and wing Pat Howard.

That, combined with London Irish only winning narrowly against Russian minnows Krasny Yar, leaves them waiting for news from Toulouse, Paris and Toulle.

They need two results to go their way – Sale failing to win with a bonus at Toulouse, Stade Francais failing to beat Edinburgh and Brive winning without a bonus. It’s a long shot but there’s a chance.

The Dragons showed remarkable resilience and belief to get their job done and win for the first time since December 8.

Captain Hill was inspirational in the boilerhouse while the back row of James Sheekey, Aaron Wainwright and Robson Blake was immense against a hefty pack.

Wainwright in particular impressed; it’s remarkable to think the athletic 20-year-old is in his first season of professional rugby.

The Dragons now cross their fingers and hope for the best, but even if they come up short then they have did themselves proud on a freezing afternoon against a Bordeaux side who were in the box seat for the quarters.

The visitors made a strong start, picking up from where they left off at the Stade Chaban-Delmas with their big ball carriers.

Their pressure earned a settler from the tee by fly-half Ben Volavola but the French side failed to deal with the restart to gift Dragons perfect field position.

One felt they had to take every chance in the bid for a Euro miracle yet let a trio go begging with sloppy lineouts in the 22.

Another trip into the Bordeaux red zone came in the 16th minute after a powerful burst by centre Jack Dixon but, after a nice line from full-back Carl Meyer and some charges by the heavy brigade, a fourth golden chance went begging when Dixon then knocked on.

With 21 minutes gone the Dragons had not yet troubled the scoreboard operator… and the frustration continued with yet another turnover 10 metres from the French line.

Finally they found their cutting edge with 25 minutes on the clock when a powerful charge by Robson Blake set the scene for Wales hooker Elliot Dee to slide over in slippery conditions, Gavin Henson’s conversion hitting the woodwork to leave it at 5-3.

The Dragons were more than good value for their lead yet they only kept it courtesy of Volavola striking the right post with a long-range penalty after half an hour.

It was still a two-point game when ANOTHER big chance went begging after 37 minutes when a penalty five metres out was kicked to the corner only for captain Cory Hill’s pass from the top of the lineout to hit the turf and fall into French hands.

And for all the Dragons’ dominance they should have headed back to their changing room trailing when a sloppy end to the half – off their feet in attack then pinged from the resulting driving lineout – gave Volavola a shot at goal that he somehow missed.

Nonetheless, failure to take chances meant that the hosts’ hopes of putting pressure on other teams were hanging by a thread.

The pattern of frustration carried on into the second half when wing Ashton Hewitt cut a glorious line from a ruck only for a tackle to knock the ball loose in the 22.

Another miss was swiftly chalked up when an impressive driving lineout was followed by a scrappy attempted grubber by Henson as the minutes ticked by.

But the Dragons got the shot in the arm that they needed with 46 minutes on the clock when Hewitt carried from a strong scrum and then captain Hill touched the ball at the base of the left post after a powerful leg drive.

Henson’s simple conversion made it 12-3 and the hosts needed two more moments of magic to stay alive.

Instead it was the Frenchmen that scored next by bludgeoning away with their big runners, especially inspirational Fijian tighthead (and former 7s international) Peni Ravai and uncapped flanker Marco Tauleigne, fresh from a France call-up for the Six Nations.

The big boys hammered away in the 22 and then the ball was worked to the right for wing Fa’asiu Fuatai to profit from some naïve Jared Rosser defending.

The conversion was superb by Volavola and then replacement fly-half Tiaan Shoeman was in action adding the extras to a superb score that was finished by scrum-half Jules Gimbert after a surge by replacement forward Alexandre Roumat.

At 17-12 one feared that the Dragons would not only fail to get the bonus they needed but that they would lose.

Yet they got just the tonic they required straight from the restart when a charge down led to a Hewitt try that Henson magnificently converted from the right touchline.

It got even better when they hammered away at the line for phase upon phase before tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother sneaked over for a try that replacement fly-half Dorian Jones converted.

At 26-17 with 66 minutes on the clock, the Dragons were just edging the runners-up spot but it was tight.

They than had to withstand some fearsome pressure on their line as the French power runner tried to muscle over.

From one end to the other and a break out by impressive flanker Aaron led to a penalty and another driving lineout.

The Frenchmen stopped that but wing Pat Howard cut a lovely line to dart over for a try that Jones improved. Now the agonising wait for news from France.

Dragons: C Meyer, A Hewitt, A Warren, J Dixon, J Rosser (P Howard 59), G Henson (D Jones 60), S Pretorius, S Hobbs (T Davies 44), E Dee, L Fairbrother, R Landman (J Davies 54), C Hill (captain), J Sheekey, A Wainwright, R Blake (J Benjamin 58).

Scorers: tries – E Dee, C Hill, A Hewitt, L Fairbrother, P Howard; conversions – G Henson (2), D Jones (2)

Bordeaux-Begles: G Cros, F Fuatai, P Uberti, M Talebula (A Naqalevu 49), I Etcheverry, B Volavola (T Schoeman 56), J Gimbert, S Taofifenua (T Paiva 65), A Pelissie (F Dufour 69), P Ravai (L Tabidze 75), L Jones, J Marais (captain, C Cazeaux 61), M Tauleigne, C Woki, L Houston.

Scorers: tries – F Fuatai, J Gimbert; conversions – B Volavola, T Schoeman; penalty – B Volavola

Referee: Tom Foley (England)

Attendance: 4,017

Argus star man: Cory Hill