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Challenge Cup

Former England star shines as Benetton humiliate Dragons

By PA
Referee Clara Munarini and Jacob Umaga of Benetton Treviso during the United Rugby Championship match between Zebre Parma and Benetton Treviso on December 27, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Levati/Getty Images)

Dragons suffered European Rugby Challenge Cup humiliation as Benetton routed them 74-21 at Stadio Comunale di Monigo.

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Benetton crossed 11 times with dual England and Samoa international Jacob Umaga scoring 34 points in an exceptional individual display.

Dragons trailed 34-7 at the break with Oli Burrows’ close-range try providing some respite from their Benetton battering.

VIDEO

The hosts bagged a bonus point before half-time as Alessandro Izektor, Onisi Ratave, Malakai Fekitoa, Paulo Odogwu and Umaga went over.

Umaga and Odogwu scored again in the second half, and Louis Lynagh and replacement Leonardo Marin claimed their own braces to take the Italians’ try count into double figures.

Attack

255
Passes
133
184
Ball Carries
108
629m
Post Contact Metres
307m
18
Line Breaks
10

Rio Dyer, with an excellent effort from distance, and Shane Lewis-Hughes struck at the other end as the Dragons fell short of a losing bonus point.

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Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 21 minutes ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

Which is what the ABs have done >.<

901 Go to comments
J
JW 23 minutes ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

No way, Hansen would be a a few (low) hundred k at most, doubt Razor would get more than players either.

Yea exactly, agreed a circumstance like ROG is just a great fit. I see theres headlines he’s meet with his bosses about whether their might be a mutual departure at the end of the season.



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901 Go to comments
J
JW 26 minutes ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

ROG by all accounts has his sights set on Ireland job. I don’t think he could get a better introduction to that than helping the All Blacks.

901 Go to comments
J
JW 28 minutes ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

Yeah nar,

I think there is a pretty well proven trend, where coaches (are the catalyst), who then put in improved structures, improved training, who generate better players, more effective game strategies, which feeds into more dominant club success, then greater regional club success (usually Investec) and then it feeds into International success, usually TRC or 6N’s and then into RWC success.



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901 Go to comments
j
johnz 48 minutes ago
Fissler Confidential: Ronan O'Gara on the brink at La Rochelle

I'm pretty sure a review of last season will include all staff, even those who have departed. And it will be far more wide ranging than just staff performance, hopefully. Besides, how can you define recruiting needs without having reviewed whether the coaches you've got are worth keeping?

3 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

On NZ they have found it difficult to go week to week for a while not, they even did it with Aus a few years ago. RC wise I think it is a lot to do with increased competitiveness, as well as just not being as good. But I think there is a little lost of their aura internally which could be the irreversible part.

Rotation is only a recent thing (but relevant to that time). What I hope is that teams will stop trying to beat us so much now.



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901 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?



So they are all ‘super’ constructs

Thats what I’m saying. When I said Prem I was specifically referring to them when talking about clubs. I was just saying SR was in a better position to make a an American teams entry viable (competitiveness wise).



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901 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

That’s not the reason they are ahead. French teams get cap boosts for having internationals (because they supposedly have rest and play without their best players more than other teams do), that is why Toulouse and UBB are in front. It stops there.

I don’t know if I would be sold on the rugby but it would still certainly be more fun to go to their games. That’s where they are really ahead. That’s on the world, we have massive respect for them here. It was so cool hearing in the amatuer days and pro start that a massive country like that had Rugby as their main sport. The soccer boom may have taken over but I’m big on encouraging them to improve their league because I would love to see them, and reckon they can, match football again.



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901 Go to comments
c
cw 1 hour ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

This is a highly implausible theory. First no impact packs. The Boks game is heavily reliant on the impact pack, usually to overpower opposition. In fact the only time they lost against a tier one team last year (the All Blacks) they had a smaller impact pack. They lost against Australia too when they fielded a smaller pack. Second, in all games the SB’s won against tier one teams they depended heavily on essentially the same players, Ox or Boan, T du Toit, Marx, Lood, Ruuan, SFdT, Kolisi, Wiese, Cobus, SFM, Wilemnse, Kriel, Kolbe, Moody, Louw, Synman, and Smith. Eben featured too in most wins as did Wessels and Steenekamp. I note in this regard that 15 of the same players played against all tier one teams last year and 20 of the same players featured against Ireland and France. Third, other SA combinations missing only a few of these players failed last year against Australia and New Zealand. Fourth, several of your “second” and third choice players are untested against the tier one teams and it is purely speculative to suggest they would beat a fully fit France, England, Ireland or NZ. Sixth, against the bigger teams, SA is almost totally reliant on 11 key players to ensure scrum dominance - Ox or Boan, Marx, T du Toit, Lood, Ruaan, Eben, SFdT, Wiese, Synman and Louw. By splitting them up you greatly de power the scrum. The four lock combination was instrumental in beating France last year.

So I disagree Wayneo. To the extent that past performance is a measure of future outcomes, by splitting the core players, your cannot say, let alone be sure, that any two SA teams would beat the other tier one teams.



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69 Go to comments
S
Sima 1 hour ago
Top 100 Men's Rugby Players 2025 | Best Rugby Player in the World | RugbyPass

when South Africa has 6 legends in the top 10, that pure fire!!!😍

124 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

NPC is his level still, where he should be getting games anyway. I would rather see Perofeta at 10 and Beaudy at 15 being replaced by Sullivan (who I was referring to). I don’t rate Simpson as having any 1st5 nous, he looked a better 15 and I’d rather see Spencer or Cashmore get 10 time. Diff team to Cashmore ofc, rate other young Auckland 10s above Simpson already as well.

Carrying about the Blues for a second, I’d hope that Sullivan gets some consistent time in one spot (theyve done that well so far), so that might be better continueing at 15 even though I’d love him to break it and suddenly command the 10 jersey (if Pero was to be 15 or injured too etc).



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901 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

Haha if that is even possible I will try once you do Nick!

I bet you don’t even now what you’re replying to, there is no “whole host of facts” in this thread. I was replying to him dodging my facts about squad depth of SR and the quality of its players and then he incorrectly went on to talk about the CC length and squad size necessity when we are talking about the World Club Championship, which is not going to be a full CC schedule like he was stating.



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901 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

Dmac was a noticeable improvement whenever he came on at 10, even when you’re counting his game management from 15 (which he mostly played).

I still haven’t seen anyone analyze the ruck speed of that England NZ game PMCD, have you?



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901 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part two: Have New Zealand Rugby been too insular?

As per NBs criticisms of Joe though, it was very static. There wasn’t a lot left in it (basically highlighted by how it compared from the semi to the final in 23) and this group had greater ambitions than Joe could in just two years. And you know what that means.

The attack is actually still very similar really, there are just a few differences are speed and timing now, otherwise it is still largely Joes strike team (as per NBs stats hes highlighted). Very poor on the counter attack with Beauden, and disconnected in midfield from Jordie/Rieko to whoever this year.



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901 Go to comments
J
John 2 hours ago
Have the Western Force answered their biggest questions for 2026?

Totally agree JW, it will be tricky for sure.

6 Go to comments
J
John 2 hours ago
Have the Western Force answered their biggest questions for 2026?

I am unsure about the fortunes of both the Blues, Reds and Brums. Crusaders will be better yet again. Canes look set for top four.

6 Go to comments
J
John 3 hours ago
Have the Western Force answered their biggest questions for 2026?

I think the improvements in the pack cannot be understated as a boost to this side. In the backline, they must ensure things click. Big year for Donno.

6 Go to comments
W
Wayneo 3 hours ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

The games are going to be everything but “comfortable” SC. Beating the URC teams is also not a given.

69 Go to comments
W
Wayneo 3 hours ago
'We should never forget': Former Bok great's warning on looming All Blacks series

A big difference between the SBs & Abs right now is that the SBs have depth and legitimately could field two teams on the same day that could beat any of the top teams in the world, and a third that would give them all a proper run for their money. SBs probably also have the 4 best front rows in WR.

Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, RG Snyman, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche.



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69 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 3 hours ago
Bok-heavy Bulls can't stop unbeaten Bristol at Loftus as losing run continues

This is true. That flight between JHB and CPT is grueling.

But don’t you think altitude was the biggest factor coming from sea-level the prior week?



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