Heineken Champions Cup: Bordeaux-Begles 47-8 Dragons

Dragons centre Jack Dixon is stopped in his tracks against Bordeaux-Begles

Depleted Dragons suffered a second Champions Cup defeat as Bordeaux-Begles inflicted a heavy loss.

Missing 17 players, Dragons endured a seven-try loss in France with Argentina wing Santiago Cordero crossing for a hat-trick and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert scoring 15 points.

It was a second successive win for Bordeaux-Begles to follow up their victory over Northampton.

Wales centre Nick Tompkins scored a late consolation try for Dragons.

The Dragons have been hampered by injuries and illness during their first Champions Cup campaign for 10 years, which started with an opening loss to Wasps.

Dean Ryan's side were missing the likes of Wales internationals Ross Moriarty, Aaron Wainwright and Ollie Griffiths through injury or Covid-19 issues, while British and Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts was rested.

The region still travelled to France despite recording three more positive Covid-19 cases earlier in the week.

Six players were withdrawn late from the Dragons' matchday squad before the 24-8 loss to Wasps last week, after two players tested positive.

Prop Lloyd Fairbrother was allowed to end his self-isolation to travel after the region said Public Health Wales gave permission "following a close contact review" of his interaction with the squad.

There was further disruption when captain and Wales fly-half Sam Davies was a late withdrawal because of a leg injury.

Josh Lewis moved up to 10 from full-back, with Will Talbot-Davies wearing the number 15 jersey. Number eight Lewis Evans took over the captaincy.

An early try from captain Mahamadou Diaby was controversially awarded despite an apparent knock-on from scrum-half Maxime Lucu from a quick tap penalty was missed by the officials despite television replays.

Lewis responded with a penalty before Cordero stepped his way over after a long Jalibert pass.

Wing Rio Dyer and Talbot-Davies almost created a try for Jack Dixon but the centre was bundled into touch just short of the line.

Fly-half Evan Lloyd was brought on for his debut for injured wing Jared Rosser, with Lewis switching to full-back in another backline reshuffle.

The hosts crossed for their third try just before half-time with hooker Maxime Lamothe crashing over from a well-worked short-range lineout.

Cordero scored the bonus-point try straight from the second-half kick-off after a break from outstanding Franck flanker Cameron Woki before the classy Jalibert also crossed for his own opportunist effort.

Jalibert again turned creator with an incisive break before handing Cordero the chance to complete his hat-trick.

The plucky Dragons scored a late try through Tompkins who squeezed in at the corner before Bordeaux wing Ben Lam fittingly finished the scoring.

Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan said: "This was the highest level some of our guys have played at.

"For 30-40 minutes it was a real great, gutsy effort. We were too loose just after half-time and they were too good.

"We had two guys who played tonight who had not played senior rugby before and to do that against them (Bordeaux-Begles) is quite a significant ask.

"We have never planned the last two weeks, we planned this (Champions Cup) quite differently but circumstances have forced this upon us."

Bordeaux-Begles: Romain Buros; Santiago Cordero, Yoram Falatea-Moefana, Rémi Lamerat, Ben Lam; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Thierry Paiva, Maxime Lamothe, Vadim Cobilas, Kane Douglas, Cyril Cazeaux, Cameron Woki, Mahamadou Diaby (capt), Scott Higginbotham.

Replacements: Joseph Dweba, Zakaria El Fakir, Ben Tameifuna, Alexandre Flanquart, Marco Tauleigne, Jules Gimbert, Ben Botica, Pablo Uberti.

Dragons: Will Talbot-Davies; Jared Rosser, Nick Tompkins, Jack Dixon, Rio Dyer; Josh Lewis, Tavis Knoyle; Brok Harris, Elliot Dee, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Joe Maksymiw, Huw Taylor, Taine Basham, Lewis Evans (capt).

Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Conor Maguire, Aaron Jarvis, Ben Carter, James Benjamin, Rhodri Williams, Aneurin Owen, Evan Lloyd.

Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)

Assistant referees: Tual Trainini (France); Cedric Marchat (France)

TMO: Eric Briquet-Campin (France).