THE Dragons suffered a heavy friendly defeat at the hands of Northampton, although at least it wasn't as bad as last summer’s 71-21 hammering at the hands of the Saints.

Bernard Jackman’s side lost 42-10 to their European Rugby Challenge Cup rivals in Newport, ultimately paying the price for a pair of cheap first half interception tries than an inability to stop the Englishmen’s driving lineout.

Results, of course, doesn’t really matter in August and it must be remembered that last season’s drubbing at Franklin’s Gardens was when a makeshift, vastly inexperienced side was flung together and cruelly exposed.

This was more seasoned Dragons side, so there will be a few eyebrows raised, but it wasn’t as bad as the scoreboard suggests. Things just got out of hand in the second half with new combinations.

There is plenty to work on but that still would have been the case had the home supporters been celebrating a pre-season win.

After winning in Ealing last weekend, things have so far been preferable to the summer of 2017 when Jackman’s men were hammered by Montpellier, the Saints, Exeter and Glasgow.

The last of those drubbings was particularly galling and provided a caution for those who are still on the books – Dorian Jones, now enjoying a fresh start in France, was hauled off for walking against the Warriors.

To that end, Jackman will have watched body language closely from his unusual position in the dugout in front of the Rodney Road Terrace (no longer the Hazell Terrace) rather than the gantry on the Bisley Stand.

The head coach will expect his charges to take another step towards Benetton against Gloucester on Thursday night, potentially with the addition of some Welsh international class.

While it wasn’t about the result, there was still the need to get the scoreboard ticking and fly-half Josh Lewis knocked over a fifth-minute drop goal after Saints defended solidly in their 22.

The advantage was stretched to 10-0 after 13 minutes when scrum-half Rhodri Williams sneaked over from close range after a penalty was kicked to the corner, Lewis adding the extras.

Northampton had offered little but were back within reach after 23 minutes when Lewis’ telegraphed pass just outside his 22 was picked off by wing Ken Pisi, who went under the sticks to make Dan Biggar’s conversion an easy one.

And annoyingly the mistake was repeated on the half hour when the Dragons were on the attack only for scrum-half Cobus Reinach to be gifted a run-in from 70 metres by opposite number Williams with Biggar making it 14-10.

Two cheap scores when in attack were not the order of the day, especially as the defence, so porous last season, had been solid.

Saints changed their entire side at the break while Jackman opted to just alter his front row and it was the fresher side that struck first through a driving lineout, James Fish dotting down and James Grayson converting for 21-10.

The Dragons brought on a raft of subs with half an hour remaining and the game became a tad disjointed.

However, the Saints secured the spoils on the hour with another driving lineout try, David Ribbans credited with the score that Grayson improved for 28-10.

The feat was repeated on 76 minutes – Fish driven over, Grayson converting – and then the replacement hooker went over from close range for a hat-trick as the Dragons started to look a little ragged.

Still, another week ticked off in the countdown to the must-win Guinness PRO14 opener against Benetton.

Dragons: J Williams (D Howells 60); J Goodchild, A Warren (T Morgan 60), J Dixon (captain, T Loots 48), G Gasson (W Talbot-Davies 77); J Lewis (J Botica 48), R Williams (R Davies 48-72); R Bevington (G Ellis 40), R Hibbard (R Lawrence 40), B Harris (L Fairbrother 40), M Screech (B Nansen 48), R Landman, A Wainwright (H Taylor 48), N Cudd, L Evans (J Benjamin 48).

Scorers: tries – R Williams; conversions – J Lewis; drop goal – J Lewis

Northampton: T Collins, O Sleightholme, F Dingwall, P Francis (captain), K Pisi, D Biggar, C Reinach, F van Wyk, M Haywood, E Painter, A Ratuniyarawa, J Craig, J Haskell, L Ludlam, P Ryan.

Replacements: A Waller, W Davies, J Fish, J Gray, B Franks, C Lawes, D Ribbans, J Gibson, H Brussow, M Eadie, A Mitchell, J Grayson, N Tuitavake, R Hutchinson, M Worley, T Emery

Scorers: tries – K Pisi, C Reinach, J Fish (3), D Ribbans; conversions – D Biggar (2), J Grayson (4)

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)

Attendance: 3,331