THE Dragons gave (false) hope by starting 2024 with a shock win against the Scarlets but 2025 started with a 32-15 New Year’s Day hammering in Llanelli.

The Rodney Parade club stunned their Welsh rivals with a victory at a sodden Newport last season, one that was followed by just three more successes in a horrible, yet familiar, calendar year.

This time they never looked like upsetting the odds after a four-try loss that leaves them rooted to the bottom of the United Rugby Championship.

The Scarlets were in total command at the break thanks to tries by wing Blair Murray (2) and flanker Josh Macleod that earned a 24-3 lead.

Wing Ellis Mee went over soon after the restart to secure the hosts’ fifth point before wholehearted back rower Taine Basham went over for the Dragons.

Opportunities were blown but a second try by Huw Anderson gave the Scarlets some nerves, only for a Ioan Lloyd penalty to make it 32-15 and seal the result with 11 minutes to go.

The Dragons - who will point to a short turnaround from Boxing Day - could have no complaints about a pointless trip west after missing too many tackles, losing too many collisions and making too many errors.

Blair Murray of Scarlets goes over for his second (Image: Geraint Nicholas/Huw Evans Agency)

The derby defeats to Cardiff and the Scarlets have allowed the Ospreys, who drew in the capital earlier in the day when they should have won, to build a nine-point lead in the tussle to avoid being Wales’ worst.

They also have home advantage later in the season after losing in Newport on opening weekend.

In all likelihood, all that the Dragons have to play for in the URC is 15th place with the February trip to Zebre looking pivotal for the wooden spoon.

The league woes have also piled the pressure on next Sunday’s Challenge Cup game with Pau at Rodney Parade – knockout rugby would at least salvage something from yet another dispiriting campaign.

It was a cagey and kick-heavy opening in a subdued atmosphere but putting boot to ball gave the Dragons a chance to open the scoring in the eighth minute thanks to Rhodri Williams’ superb 50:22.

Instead the Scarlets struck.

Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright knocked on and the hosts countered with offloads followed by Gareth Davies giving Murray a run-in.

Sam Costelow added the simple conversion and then hammered over a central but longer penalty to make it 10-0 in the 12th minute.

DENIED: Dragons wing Huw Anderson goes up for the ball (Image: Geraint Nicholas/Huw Evans Agency)

Angus O’Brien swiftly responded from the tee to get the Dragons on the scoreboard but they failed to claim the restart and paid the price.

The ball was worked to the left wing where Murray did a number on his Test rival Rio Dyer, who hesitated rather than smashing into the speedster.

Costelow converted and it was 17-3 after a quarter – the Dragons failed to make a dominant start count on Boxing Day and needed to mirror what Cardiff achieved.

They blew a big chance to get back in it when a penalty to the corner was followed by a knock-on, then shipped a third try at the other end.

A huge burst by Sam Lousi got the Scarlets into the 22 hunting a third score, with successive penalties sent to the corner for captain Josh Macleod to barge over.

Costelow, who missed a simple kick to win it a year ago, twisted the knife with another touchline conversion to make it 24-3 with 32 minutes gone.

The Scarlets ended the half hunting what would have been a killer blow but they lost the ball five metres out and the bonus-point score would have to wait.

Wainwright, who had a spell off the field in the first half, didn’t return for the second as the pattern continued.

The hosts took just two minutes and 30 seconds to earn their five-point haul, and it was a shambolic score from both sides.

The Dragons lost their lineout, centre Jared Rosser failed to claim a loose Scarlets pass, Johnny Williams ignored an overlap, his offload wasn’t gathered by Joe Roberts and wing Ellis Mee picked up the ball to dot down.

It was deemed that there was no knock-on and the Scarlets had their killer blow; the Dragons were already playing for pride.

TACKLED: Dragons full-back Cai Evans can't escape (Image: Gruffydd Thomas/Huw Evans Agency)

A big burst by Dyer after he claimed a high ball and raced through a gap gave hope of a first try but it was an opportunity blown when Rosser was bundled into touch down the left.

However, they did cross in the 50th minute when hard-carrying in the 22 ended with Basham powering over for his sixth try of the campaign.

O’Brien added the extras to make it 29-10 and there was a chance to make the scoreboard more respectable.

Whether it was down to the Scarlets clocking off or the Dragons upping their game, the momentum had swung and the visitors were held up over the line approaching the hour.

They had a chance against 14 men when Taine Plumtree was sin-binned for a high shot on Shane Lewis-Hughes.

Suddenly the Dragons had a sniff when a penalty was reversed, replacement scrum-half Che Hope went quickly and then, after the ball had gone loose off a boot at the breakdown, Anderson burst free.

The winger played a one-two with his 9 and dashed over, but O’Brien’s conversion was wide and a penalty was promptly conceded for Ioan Lloyd to make it 32-15 and absolutely secure the win in the 70th minute.

Scarlets scorers: tries – Murray (2), Macleod, Mee; conversions – Costelow (3); penalties – Costelow, Lloyd.

Dragons: C Evans (Reed 60); Dyer, Rosser, Owen (Wilson 60), Anderson; O’Brien (captain), R Williams (Hope 42); Martinez (Kelleher-Griffiths 67), Coghlan (Benjamin 50), Arhip (Coleman 31), Davies (N Thomas 50), Woodman, Lewis-Hughes, Basham, Wainwright (Lydiate 24-33, 40).

Scorers: tries – Basham, Anderson; conversion – O’Brien ; penalty – O’Brien.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse.