Yachvili the hero for Biarritz

Newport Gwent Dragons 8 Biarritz 26

Dimitri Yachvili’s 23-point haul all but booked Biarritz’s Heineken Cup quarter-final place with a hard-fought win against the Newport Gwent Dragons.

The scrum-half proved the difference as the French side maintained their 100% record in the competition.

And the defeat all but left the Welsh side facing elimination at the group stage.

Paul Turner’s men knew they had to topple group leaders Biarritz if they were to reach the knockout stages. But after an impressive first-half display, the Dragons fell away.

The Welsh region, ever-improving under coach Paul Turner, had suffered a blow before they had even kicked off.

They were forced to switch from their fortress Rodney Parade home to Llanelli’s Parc y Scarlets stadium because of the frozen pitch which forced the game to be postponed last night.

On neutral territory and in front of a low-key crowd 80 miles down the M4 motorway, it was always going to be a tough afternoon for the Dragons.

Yet after falling behind to Yachvili’s early penalty, the Dragons responded almost immediately through Richard Fussell’s try.

Joe Bearman, who had the presence of mind to know he did not have the gas to go all the way, chipped ahead for flying winger Fussell to touchdown in the corner.

Bearman, a strong-running No.8, has been tipped to win a Wales call for the Six Nations and he did not do his cause any harm here.

His team-mates played their part as the Dragons battered at the French side’s door.

Fussell again came close to capitalising on Arlidge’s clever chip, with Karmichael Hunt having to come to the rescue.

Despite their dominance, the Welsh side’s discipline was poor.

Yachvili and Arlidge swapped penalties before Turner’s men were penalised on the stroke of half-time by the pint-sized scrum-half.

You sensed the power had shifted and, after Yachvili had missed a penalty, Aled Brew was sin-binned moments after the break.

It proved a key moment as after another break from the veteran French scrum-half, Damien Traille slotted over a drop goal to hammer another nail into the Dragons’ coffin.

Any doubts was evaporated when Yachvili wrapped up the win with his side’s first try after 61 minutes.

Taking lineout ball from the top in a set move, the 29-year-old burst through unchallenged, before adding the extras.

Full-back Martyn Thomas should have sent Lewis Evans in for a consolation try.

It summed up the difference between the two teams and the clinical visitors added insult to injury as Yachvili combined with Arnaud Mignardi to wrap up the win with a touchdown underneath the posts in the dying moments.