Pro12: NG Dragons 25-11 Zebre

Ross Wardle scored Newport Gwent Dragons' opening try against Zebre

Newport Gwent Dragons moved above Zebre in the Pro12 with a 25-11 win over the Italian side.

Dragons led 13-6 at half-time through Tom Prydie's boot and Ross Wardle's try, with Zebre's Mauro Bergamasco sin-binned in stoppage time.

Leonardo Sarto also saw yellow and Hallam Amos and Rynard Landman tries gave the Welsh side a 25-6 lead against Zebre's 13 men.

Hooker Andrea Manici replied for the visitors who now slip to 11th.

Dragons are now three points above Zebre in 10th, and five points behind Cardiff Blues who they face away on Boxing Day.

Prydie and Kelly Haimona exchanged penalties as both sides found it difficult to break down each other's defences in the opening quarter.

Wales number eight Taulupe Faletau made some line breaks for the Dragons before going off injured with strapping on his left ankle.

Shortly afterwards the home side made the breakthrough, as Wardle picked up Prydie's pass and glided through several challenges before crashing over, with Prydie adding the conversion.

Haimona's second successful penalty reduced the Dragons' lead to just four points, after Jason Tovey was penalised for handling on the ground just inside his own 22.

On the stoke of half-time Prydie restored his side's seven point advantage with a penalty, after Bergamasco was yellow-carded for illegally thwarting a Dragons' attack.

Just minutes after the restart, Zebre were down to 13 men, after wing Leonardo Sarto tip-tackled prop Brok Harris.

It did not take long for Dragons to take advantage of their extra numbers, spreading the ball wide for Amos to dive over in the corner.

Four minutes later captain Landman crossed in the opposite corner after the home side worked an overlap and Prydie added the conversion from the touchline.

Back up to 14 men, Zebre hooker Manici crashed over following a drive from an attacking line-out.

The visitors almost scored again with 20 minutes to go, but Sarto, who was back on the pitch, was held up on the line.

The Italians pushed for a losing bonus point towards the end, but were denied by some determined defence by the Dragons.

Teams

Newport Gwent Dragons: Tom Prydie; Matthew Pewtner, Ross Wardle, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Jonathan Evans; Phil Price, T. Rhys Thomas, Brok Harris, Andrew Coombs, Rynard Landman (c), James Thomas, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Evans for Faletau (22), Elliot Dee, Owen Evans, Lloyd Fairbrother, Cory Hill, Richie Rees, Dorian Jones, Tyler Morgan.

Zebre: Hendrik Daniller, Giovanbattista Venditti, Giulio Bisegni, Matteo Pratichetti, Leonardo Sarto; Kelly Haimona, Brendon Leonard; Andrea Lovotti, Andrea Manici, Dario Chistolini, Quintin Geldenhuys, Marco Bortolami (capt), Filippo Cristiano, Mauro Bergamasco, Andries Van Schalkwyk

Replacements: Oliviero Fabiani, Andrea De Marchi, Luciano Leibson, George Biagi, Jacopo Sarto, Luciano Orquera, Giulio Toniolatti, Guglielmo Palazzani

Referee: Gary Conway (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse and Simon Rees (both WRU)

Citing Commissioner: Russell Howell (WRU)

TMO: Paul Adams (WRU)