A pushover try, a penalty try from a collapsing scrum, and a five-pointer from a lineout catch and drive illustrated the Dragons power upfront, but they repeatedly put themselves under pressure after scoring, and Connacht were still in the game late into the second half.

It was the try from a lineout catch and drive on 75 minutes from Dragons captain Jason Forster that sealed the win, earning the Welsh side a bonus point and taking away the losing bonus point from the Irish province.

The first try was scored on 13 minutes with a slick passage of play from the Dragons backs. An accurate pass in midfield opened the defence and winger Gareth Chapman cut a brilliant angle to go in for the try at the corner.

Connacht struck back immediately after sloppy play from the Dragons. A loose Dragons kick was returned and the allowed to bounce on the Dragons 22m line. Connact fly-half David Slemen seized on the ball, dummied Gareth Cooper, and went in at the posts for a soft seven points.

As the game wore on the Dragons struggled to breach the Connacht spread defence, and so they turned to the set piece to overpower their opponents, on occasions splintering the visiting team’ scrum.

The result gives the Dragons their second consecutive win, lifting them above the Ospreys in the League, while Connacht remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.