Dee scores twice as Dragons beat Scarlets 38-26 in Welsh derby

Dragons maintained their unbeaten start to the United Rugby Championship season by beating Scarlets 38-26 at Rodney Parade, with Elliot Dee scoring twice in a match featuring 10 tries. According to BBC Sport Wales, the hosts overturned a 14-12 half-time deficit to secure their first league victory of the campaign in front of 7,163 spectators in Newport.

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The result followed Dragons' opening 19-19 draw at Benetton and left Scarlets with two defeats from two Welsh derbies, having already lost to Cardiff. Dee was joined on the home scoresheet by Anzelo Tuitavuki, Rodrigo Martinez, Huw Anderson and Rob Hunt. Macs Page scored twice for Scarlets, while replacements Sam O'Connor and Ioan Jones also crossed to earn the visitors a four-try bonus point.

Page opened the scoring with an individual effort, evading the home defence before gathering his own chip. Tuitavuki responded with his first Dragons try, and Dee then finished a driving attack after the hosts had built pressure through their line-out. Scarlets regained the initiative when Eddie James broke through midfield and Sam Costelow's pass released Page for his second. Costelow's conversion put the visitors ahead at the interval.

Dragons moved back in front shortly after the restart. Rio Dyer claimed the kick-off, and Martinez eventually finished an attack that included a Tuitavuki break stopped by Blair Murray's tap tackle. Scarlets answered through O'Connor, whose converted try restored their lead, but penalties allowed the hosts to build pressure again. Anderson then crossed in the corner for Dragons' fourth try and another change of lead.

The decisive closing spell included a yellow card for Scarlets captain Josh Macleod after a Dyer break. Dee scored his second from a driving maul before Jones replied for the short-handed visitors. Hunt's late try finally settled the contest, completing a four-try contribution from the Dragons starting front row and preventing Scarlets from turning their response into a comeback.

Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia told BBC Sport Wales that his team had not made enough of its first-half possession and territory, while expressing pride in the players and a desire for further improvement. Scarlets director of rugby Nigel Davies pointed to key moments that had gone against his side. Dragons scrum-half Rhodri Williams also marked his 150th appearance for the club against his former team.