Dragons Secure Dramatic Quarterfinal Berth After Wyn Jones Scores Decisive Last-Minute Try Against Stade Francais

Dragons advance to Challenge Cup quarterfinals after a 36-31 win over Stade Francais. Read the full match report on the last-minute victory.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 6:34 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Rugby365.

A Late Surge to Victory in Paris

The Dragons staged a remarkable late-game recovery to overcome Stade Francais and secure their place in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals. In a match defined by shifting momentum, the decisive moment arrived in the 79th minute when replacement prop Wyn Jones crossed the whitewash to break a deadlock that had persisted through much of the second half. This 36-31 victory represents a significant achievement for the Welsh side, who managed to maintain clinical execution in the final minutes despite the hostile atmosphere of an away knockout fixture.

Early Dominance and the French Response

The contest began with the Dragons establishing a clear territorial advantage, led by the precision of fullback Angus O'Brien. O'Brien opened the scoring with a penalty before crossing for the first try of the match, which he subsequently converted. The advantage was further extended when Brodie Coghlan grounded the ball from a well-executed rolling maul. However, the French hosts signaled their resilience just before the interval. Samuel Ezeala ignited a comeback with two rapid-fire tries, allowing Stade Francais to narrow the deficit to 17-14 at the halftime break.

The Ezeala Hat-Trick and Lead Transitions

Following the restart, Stade Francais momentarily seized control of the narrative. Yoan Tanga crossed the line to give the hosts their first lead of the afternoon, supported by the accurate kicking of Louis Foursans-Bourdette. The Dragons responded through a Chris Coleman try to level the scores, but the momentum swung back to the Parisians when Ezeala completed his hat-trick. With Zack Henry adding the conversion, Stade Francais appeared to be in a commanding position as the match entered its final ten minutes, leading many to believe the French side would coast to the next round.