ON A night when current Wales international Ross Moriarty was the talk of Rodney Parade, the next generation of Dragons produced the goods in a 23-18 win against the Scarlets in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

Head coach Bernard Jackman is aiming to bring powerhouse back row forward Moriarty to the region as a stellar signing for the second season of his three-year project.

The Lions tourist would be a stellar signing not only give a major boost to the XV but to aid in the development of future generations, and a young side certainly showed some flashes of promise on a chilly Newport night.

However, it was some older heads that helped get the squeeze on up front to turn around a 15-3 half-time deficit thanks to tries by mightily impressive young hooker Ellis Shipp, lively scrum-half Dan Babos on debut and veteran prop Brok Harris.

The Scarlets youngsters showed plenty of enterprise and sharpness behind the scrum but were outmuscled in the second half as the hosts went back to basics.

A vastly-experienced Northampton side had ruthlessly punished the Dragons in the tournament opener but they had more luck against an extremely green Scarlets side.

The west Walians have a glut of international absentees and were mindful of a draining trip to South Africa to face the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs in a Guinness PRO14 double-header, opting to wrap their fringe players in cotton wool.

That meant the Dragons had the edge in experience, largely thanks to a bench featuring first-teamers Harris, Rynard Landman, James Benjamin and Gavin Henson plus Sam Hobbs, who would make his first appearance since summer knee surgery.

The XV had a total of 376 appearances for the Dragons before kick-off with five players – full-back Angus O’Brien, centre Adam Warren, tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother, lock Matthew Screech and flanker and captain Ollie Griffiths – making up 336 of them.

Debuts were handed to scrum-half Babos and loosehead Josh Reynolds while wing Joe Goodchild, on-loan Ospreys centre Joe Thomas and RGC 1404 number eight Huw Worthington had only made their bows at Northampton last week.

The Dragons made a bright start but couldn’t convert pressure in the 22 into points and, slightly against the run of play, it was the Scarlets that went ahead in the 17th minute when full-back Tomi Lewis scorched over after a quick tap by scrum-half Lee Rees.

Sadly for the hosts the cricketing adage of one brings two applied and a terrific sweeping move was finished off by Llandovery centre Rhodri Jones, his midfield partner Billy McBryde adding the extras for a 12-0 lead.

The Dragons were huffing and puffing a little, understandably losing their way after a few phases through inexperience, but fly-half Arwel Robson settled the nerves with a simple penalty after half an hour.

However, the Scarlets backs were causing all manner of problems on the counter-attack and on the stroke of half-time went from their 22 to the Dragons, forcing a breakdown infringement that McBryde punished for 15-3 lead at the break.

The hosts showed some nice touches but failed to build up a head of steam in the first half.

However, they started the second half in a manner to make forwards coach Ceri Jones purr with a scrum penalty, driving lineout penalty, then driving lineout try for replacement hooker Ellis Shipp.

They now had, by Anglo-Welsh Cup standards, an experienced pack on the field and they had the Scarlets in all manner of bother.

Persistent infringing saw prop Javan Sebastian yellow-carded and the Dragons were level-pegging with half an hour to go when flanker James Benjamin went close before Babos sniped over for a try on debut.

Robson converted for 15-15 before making way for Henson, who brought the average age up considerably along with fellow replacements Harris and Landman.

It was soon 20-15 thanks to another well-drilled lineout drive with tighthead Harris diving over while advantage was played for another infringement.

The Scarlets were back to 15 men for the final quarter and McBryde made it 20-18 with a penalty with 13 minutes left.

The Dragons went pressing for a bonus point score but chances came and went, meaning they settled for a Henson penalty to increase their lead in the 76th minute after the visitors had lost possession in their 22 trying to run the length of the field.

The Scarlets had a second man sent to the sin bin when forward Joseph Powell infringed at a lineout and the hosts hunted a bonus score.

Unfortunately Babos’ youthful exuberance saw a chance from close range go begging, but the win was secured to return to the PRO14, and tough dates at Leinster and home to Ulster, with a spring in the step.

Dragons: A O’Brien, J Rosser, J Thomas, A Warren, J Goodchild (C Edwards 50), A Robson (G Henson 50), D Babos, J Reynolds (S Hobbs 40), G Ellis (E Shipp 40), L Fairbrother (B Harris 52), J Davies (R Landman 52), M Screech, B Roach, O Griffiths (captain), H Worthington (J Benjamin 38).

Scorers: tries – E Shipp, D Babos, B Harris; conversion – A Robson; penalties – A Robson (2)

Scarlets: T Lewis, M Griffiths (D Ford 40, S Jenkins 52-60), R Jones, B McBryde, T Rogers, J Maynard (S Lloyd 69), L Rees (G George 75), S Thomas (C Thomas 75), T Myhill (S Phillips 56), J Sebastian (S Jenkins 75), J Helps, J Jones, S Worrall (J Powell 69), D Davis, T Phillips (captain).

Scorers: tries – T Lewis, R Jones; conversion – B McBryde; penalties – B McBryde (2)

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)

Attendance: 3,917

Argus star man: Matthew Screech