Pro14: Benetton 19-26 Dragons

Dragons' Ben Fry tackles Benetton's Joaquin Riera

Dragons returned from their four-week absence from competitive rugby with a hard-fought Pro14 win at Benetton.

The Welsh region had seen three games postponed and the team's operations closed down for two weeks, after seven cases of Covid-19 in November.

But tries from Ashton Hewitt, Jamie Roberts and Rhodri Williams and 11 points from Sam Davies' boot sealed victory in Treviso.

Benetton remain without a league victory this season.

Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan managed to keep the same starting side that last took the field against Munster on 1 November.

Before the Covid-19 struggles, Dragons had won one Pro14 game against Zebre this season, losing to the high-riding Irish trio of Leinster, Ulster and Munster.

While the Welsh team have Pro14 matches to rearrange, winless opponents Benetton have also had two postponed and suffered a late 24-22 defeat by Ospreys in Swansea last weekend.

Dragons suffered an early blow with Lloyd Fairbrother injured inside five minutes and replaced by Aaron Jarvis.

Davies opened the scoring with a penalty before Benetton responded with a try from Cherif Traore with Ian Keatley converting.

Dragons flanker Ben Fry was also replaced, by Taine Basham, before Davies reduced the deficit to one point. Wing Hewitt powered over for a try that was checked by the television match official. Davies converted.

Dragons' injury woes continued with centre Adam Warren forced off and replaced by Jack Dixon.

Hooker Hame Faiva took advantage to power over from a driving lineout to add to the hat-trick he scored last week against Ospreys.

Hewitt turned provider from a well-worked set move to set up Roberts for the Dragons' second try.

Benetton wing Leonardo Sarto was denied a try after Giovanni Pettinelli was deemed to have obstructed the Dragons defence.

The visitors led 18-14 at half-time after Davies extended the advantage with his third penalty.

Some neat thinking from Dragons captain Rhodri Williams saw him cross from a quickly-taken tap penalty for the third try.

Roberts stayed on the field despite a clash of heads, with more concern surrounding his neck, before Davies missed two late penalty attempts.

The visitors were denied a bonus-point try in Italy when wing Owen Jenkins was adjudged to have a foot in touch in the act of scoring.

Replacement wing Tommaso Menoncello secured a losing bonus point for the hosts with a fine individual effort to score in the corner late on.

Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan said: "I was pleased on two fronts. A win was always going to give us momentum but I thought the manner of the first 30 minutes was pleasing, we were very precise.

"Towards the end we looked comfortable. They were always going to throw the kitchen sink at us but we will take the win at the moment and prepare for next week.

"We had three injuries which was always the danger when we had sat still for three weeks. Let's hope they are not as serious as first thought."

Benetton: Jayden Hayward; Angelo Esposito, Joaquin Riera, Tommaso Benvenuti, Leonardo Sarto; Ian Keatley, Dewaldt Duvenage (capt); Cherif Traoré, Hame Faiva, Tiziano Pasquali, Matteo Canali, Federico Ruzza, Alberto Sgarbi, Giovanni Pettinelli, Riccardo Favretto.

Replacements: Tomas Baravalle, Thomas Gallo, Zac Nearchou, Davide Ruggeri, Marco Barbini, Callum Braley, Tommaso Menoncello, Luca Petrozzi.

Dragons: Josh Lewis; Owen Jenkins, Adam Warren, Jamie Roberts, Ashton Hewitt; Sam Davies, Rhodri Williams (capt); Brok Harris, Richard Hibbard, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Ben Fry, Harrison Keddie, Ollie Griffiths.

Replacements: Ellis Shipp, Conor Maguire, Aaron Jarvis, Joe Maksymiw, Taine Basham, Tavis Knoyle, Jack Dixon, Jared Rosser.

Referee: Sean Gallagher (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Manuel Bottino, Clara Munarini (both FIR)

TMO: Alan Falzone (FIR)