THE Dragons were knocked out of the Challenge Cup in Johannesburg after the Lions powered to a 60-10 win in a qualification shootout.

Pool Two’s final place in the last 16 was on the line at Ellis Park and the South Africans eased to nine-try victory and will wait to discover their opponents.

The Dragons, who needed to avoid defeat to progress to the knockout stages, were huge underdogs and failed to cause the Lions any trouble.

Defeat leaves them to concentrate on their battle with Zebre Parma to avoid finishing bottom of the United Rugby Championship.

The Lions crossed four times in a dominant first half to lead 31-3, with the Dragons grateful that the hosts blew other opportunities in the 22.

Tighthead Paula Latu went over for the Rodney Parade club after the break but the South Africans scored five more times, with the Dragons falling off far too many tackles.

HAMMERED: The Dragons at Ellis Park (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Ultimately the defeats to Montpellier and Pau – two clubs with deep squads but still a pair of winnable matches – at Rodney Parade cost the Dragons.

They won impressively in Newcastle but the French failures left them needing to upset the odds in South Africa, where they have never won.

It never looked likely.

The Lions were on the attack from the off with penalties racking up before Sam Francis settled for opening the scoring from the tee to reward pressure in the 22.

However, the Dragons responded and Will Reed levelled things up with his second attempt after his first hit the post.

The Lions then struck for their first try of the afternoon with pressure in the 22 ending with Francke Horn going over down the right wing in the 10th minute. Francis converted.

The second soon followed with the hosts carrying hard from close range before Francis dummied a pass out wide – winger Ewan Rosser was stepped, loosehead Rodrigo Martinez over-chased – and went over by the posts.

BREAK: Dragons wing Ewan Rosser on the run (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

It was three in the 23rd minute after a line break by Ruan Venter and a bulldozing finish through full-back Huw Anderson, with the scrambling Rio Dyer unable to stop the flanker.

The Dragons were being run ragged and the bonus point was in the bag with 26 minutes on the clock when a burst through midfield was followed by the ball being put out to the right for winger Tapiwa Mafura to cross.

The pattern continued with successive penalties allowing the Lions to kick to the corner in the 31st minute, but thankfully this time the Dragons escaped.

The Lions had pretty much got the job done but went hunting a fifth on the stroke of half-time but knocked on when driving from a five-metre lineout.

The South Africans had actually been fairly wasteful in the 22 yet still were completely dominant when leading 31-3 at the break.

The Dragons, who brought Brodie Coghlan and Morgan Lloyd on for Wales hooker Elliot Dee and Che Hope, started the second half on the front foot and kicked to the corner.

The drive was stopped so the hard carries came only for the ball to be spilled and the Lions to go right down the other end.

The fifth try came in the 49th minute when Horn was out on the left wing and stepped, then powered through the attempted tackle of Dyer to make it 36-3.

The Dragons got themselves over for a first try in the 53rd minute when Dyer showed his attacking skills to get them on the front foot for Paula Latu to crash over, with Reed converting.

However, the Lions went straight down the other end and it was 41-10 when Gianni Lombard reached over after receiving an offload.

With lungs burning, this was a serious test of character for an inexperienced side but three more scores followed from Jaco Visagie, Venter and Manuel Rass.

Lions scorers: tries – F Horn (2), Francis, Venter (2), Mafura, Lombard, Visagie, Rass; conversions - Francis (4), Lombard (2); penalty - Francis.

Dragons: Anderson; Dyer, Westwood (Ackerman 58), Owen (captain), E Rosser; Reed (L Evans 67), Hope (M Lloyd 40); Martinez (Kelleher-Griffiths 62), Dee (Coghlan 40), Coleman (Latu 50), Davies (Langton-Cryer 46), Nott, Woodman, Lewis-Hughes, Basham (Young 62).

Scorers: try – Latu, conversion – Reed, penalty – Reed.

Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)