THE DRAGONS’ nightmare away streak in the Guinness PRO14 was extended to 37 games by Connacht and a win on the road has rarely felt so far away.

The Rodney Parade region were humiliated 33-12 at the Sportsground with the Irish province having their bonus point in the bag before half-time.

The Dragons had their chances when the game was scoreless but blew them. When Connacht exploited that wastefulness and struck, the visitors folded.

Hallam Amos scored on his return from injury in the second half and teenage back row forward Taine Basham scored at the death but the scoreboard didn’t do justice to how demoralising it was.

When drubbings happen at Leinster or Munster you have to shrug and laud the quality of the big Irish provinces but Connacht, while a fine side, especially on home soil, should be peers for the Rodney Parade region.

The Dragons have not won away from Newport since beating Treviso in March, 2015 and after showing fight at Glasgow and Ulster they were a rabble in Galway.

These sorts of displays simply must heap the pressure on head coach Bernard Jackman after his frequent pleas during his first season at the helm to be judged on 2018/19.

Has there been any progress? If there has then it is negligible and the heat will be intense when, after a short PRO14 break, play-off hopefuls Edinburgh head to Rodney Parade at the end of the month.

The Dragons’ hosts won with bonuses on every occasion last season and the pattern has repeated at the Royal Dublin Society, Scotstoun, Ravenhill and Sportsground.

The defence continues to leak, the error count is sky high and the battle on the gain line is being lost. Just what is the Dragons’ style?

There were no positives in Galway, unlike last season there couldn’t even be the consolation of young talent getting a taste of professional rugby.

These are worrying times and it’s a grim situation that must lead to fears about talent like Wales international Hallam Amos, who was tried in midfield rather than the back three, staying in the east when his contract expires next summer.

South Wales Argus:

The Dragons made a sloppy start with errors that cannot be afforded at a venue like the Sportsground.

Joe Davies took his eye off the ball to drop a Richard Hibbard pass after the hooker was sent through the middle, the lock then flung lineout ball at the toes of Rhodri Williams and then the scrum-half booted the ball straight into touch.

That allowed Connacht to get into their high-octane game, playing with width and invention despite the challenging wind.

However, the hosts also made plenty of mistakes in what was a low-quality opening that was summed up by the province going to the corner with a 16th minute penalty only to be pinged for offside.

The Dragons matched that frustration on 19 minutes when Jason Tovey took to the ball to the line and put Harri Keddie charging through but the powerful blindside’s pass didn’t give Rhodri Williams a chance.

Another golden opportunity swiftly followed, and once again it wasn’t taken.

Centres Jarryd Sage and Hallam Amos worked teenage back rower Taine Basham free down the right and he charged down the touchline. With one defender to beat, wing Dafydd Howells opted to run for the inside ball but the pass went to grass.

Connacht made the most of their lucky escape to go 7-0 up after 24 minutes when a brave kick to the corner from a penalty set up a driving lineout try for lock James Cannon that fly-half David Horwitz converted.

A second soon followed with wing Colm De Buitlear winning the race to a kick through before the ball was worked to the other flank where his fellow speedster Darragh Leader crossed.

The dam had burst and a third was chalked up past the shell-shocked and fragile Dragons; a counter attack from the 22 by Horwitz led to flanker Colby Fainga’a racing away.

It was demoralising action and the bonus was close after 33 minutes when Jordan Williams’ shockingly loose fly-hack at the ball resulted in Leader snaffling the loose ball only for the TMO to rule out the score for offside.

But the fourth score came with a minute of the half left when the pack hammered away at the line and hooker Tom McCartney picked up smartly to power over, the extras making it 26-0 at the break.

The lead was nearly extended early in the second half only for scrum-half Kieran Marmion’s try to be chalked off after replacement lock James Thomas was held at a ruck.

And the Dragons finally got on the scoreboard in the 58th minute when Sage’s strong run was followed by Tovey finding Thomas with a nice flat ball.

The lock offloaded smartly and Amos finished smartly on his return from a dislocated elbow.

However, the Dragons couldn’t keep that momentum and instead had to defend in their 22 as Connacht turned down shots at goal to chase a fifth only for their visiting set piece to stand firm.

The pressure told in the 70th minute when more disorganised defence led to centre Tom Farrell easing over for a try that Jack Carty converted for 33-5.

The Dragons had the final say when, after Connacht had held firm against a 30-phase attack, they opted for a scrum from a penalty.

Sage went close and Basham was swiftly in support to power over. Tovey converted to make it 33-12 – it certainly felt more than a 21-point loss.

Connacht: T O’Halloran, D Leader (E Griffin 66), K Godwin, T Farrell, C De Buitléar, D Horwitz (J Carty 58), K Marmion (C Blade), D Buckley (M Burke 66), T McCartney (S Delahunt 51), C Carey (C O’Donnell 19), U Dillane, J Cannon (J Maksymiw 65), S O’Brien, C Fainga’a, J Butler (captain, J Connolly 72).
Scorers: tries – J Cannon, D Leader, C Fainga’a, T McCartney, T Farrell; conversions – D Horwitz (3), J Carty

Dragons: J Williams (J Dixon 75), D Howells (A Warren 40), H Amos, J Sage, W Talbot-Davies, J Tovey, R Williams (T Knoyle 55), B Harris (A Jarvis 65), R Hibbard (captain, R Lawrence 71), L Fairbrother, J Davies (J Thomas 40), L Evans, H Keddie (H Taylor 65), N Cudd, T Basham. 
Scorers: tries – H Amos, T Basham; conversion – J Tovey

Referee: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Attendance: 5,146