Former England star shines as Benetton humiliate Dragons

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

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

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

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.

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.

*Stade Francais flyhalf Leo Barre’s late penalty in Paris clinched his side a thrilling 27-25 win against Exeter in the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Exeter, who drew their opening pool game 31-31 at Racing 92 last month, let slip a 22-0 lead to trail 24-22 with 10 minutes left before Henry Slade’s drop goal edged them back in front, only for Barre and Stade Francais to have the last word.

The Devon side appeared to be in control when 17-0 ahead at the break through tries from wing Paul Brown-Bampoe and Australia prop Scott Sio, both converted by Slade, who also landed a first-half penalty.

*Article continues below…

Nous sommes les parisiens 🗣️💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/kOAjf4yCSQ

— Stade Français Paris (@SFParisRugby) January 10, 2026

Sio barged over for his second try soon after the restart – Slade missed his conversion attempt – before two tries in eight minutes from Giorgi Melikidze and Thibaut Motassi reduced the deficit to 22-12.

Stade Francais further reduced the arrears to 22-19 after being awarded a penalty try and they went over through Charles Laloi to edge 24-22 ahead.

Slade’s 71st-minute drop goal swung the game back in Exeter’s favour, but Barre’s decisive penalty with four minutes remaining sealed Stade Francais a memorable win.

See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers!

Newcastle 26-19 Perpignan

The scorers:

For Newcastle:
Tries: Wade, Arnold, Obatoyinbo, McGuigan
Cons: Grayson 3

For Perpignan:
Tries: Yato, Granell 2
Cons: Reus 2

Teams

Newcastle: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Oll Spencer, 10 Ethan Grayson, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz, 8 Tom Gordon, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Oscar Usher, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 4 Tim Cardall, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 George McGuigan (captain), 1 Murray McCallum
Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Adam Brocklebank, 18 Luan de Bruin, 19 Finn Baker, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 James Elliott, 22 Cammy Hutchison, 23 Nathan Greenwood

USAP: 15 Lucas Dubois, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Job Poulet, 12 Duncan Paia’aua, 11 Maxim Granell, 10 Hugo Reus, 9 Tom Ecochard, 8 Lucas Velarte (captain), 7 Mahamadou Diaby, 6 Bastien Chinarro, 5 Adrien Warion, 4 Peceli Yato, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 2 Victor Montgaillard, 1 Bruce Devaux
Replacements: 16 Mathys Lotrian, 17 Lorencio Boyer-Gallardo, 18 Nemo Roelofse, 19 Posolo Tuilagi, 20 Mathieu Tanguy, 21 Andro Dvali, 22 Gela Aprasidze, 23 Gabin Kretchmann

Referee: Peter Martin (Ire)
Assistant referees: Keane Davison (Ire) & Stuart Gaffikin (Ire)
TMO: Mark Patton (Ire)

Montauban 28-31 Black Lion

The scorers:

For Montauban:
Tries: Reilhac, Da Costa, Wilkins, Bosviel
Cons: Bosviel 4

For Black Lion:
Tries: Tsirekidze 2, Tabutsadze, Penalty Try, Sinauridze
Cons: Takaishvili 2

Teams

US Montauban: 15 Segundo Tuculet, 14 Stephane Ahmed, 13 Romain Fonnicola, 12 Gibson Popoali’i, 11 Yvan Reilhac, 10 Jerome Bosviel, 9 Mael Castel, 8 Tyrone Viiga (captain), 7 Vaea Fifita, 6 Jules Bousquet, 5 Lewis Bean, 4 Clement Bitz, 3 Valentin Simutoga, 2 Kevin Firmin, 1 Nugzar Somkhishvili
Replacements: 16 Maixent da Costa, 17 Lucas Seyrolle, 18 Victor Moreaux, 19 Karl Wilkins, 20 Merlin Leflamand, 21 Joe Powell, 22 Simon Renda, 23 Sione Mafileo

Black Lion: 15 Luka Takaishvili, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Demi Tapladze, 12 Tornike Kakhoidze, 11 Sandro Todua, 10 Luka Tsirekidze, 9 Tengiz Peranidze, 8 Giorgi Sinauridze, 7 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 6 Lasha Tsikhistavi, 5 Demuri Epremidze, 4 Mikheil Babunashvili (captain), 3 Giorgi Chkhartishvili, 2 Irakli Kvatadze, 1 Vasil Kakovin
Replacements: 16 Tamaz Tchamiashvili, 17 Giga Kobakhidze, 18 Kakhaber Darbaidze, 19 Guram Ganiashvili, 20 Giorgi Kervalishvili, 21 Giorgi Spenderashvili, 22 Zaur Lutidze, 23 Shalva Aptsiauri

Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy)
Assistant referees: Riccardo Bonatto (Italy) & Gabriel Chirnoaga (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)

Stade Francais 27-25 Exeter

The scorers:

For Stade Francais:
Tries: Melikidze, Motassi Dibongue, Laloi
Cons: Barre
Pens: Barre

For Exeter:
Tries: Brown-Bampoe, Sio
Cons: Slade 2
Pens: Slade
DG: Slade

Teams

Stade Francais: 15 Joe Jonas, 14 Charles Laloi, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Tani Vili, 11 Lester Etien, 10 Louis Foursans-Bourdette, 9 Thibaut Motassi, 8 Iakopo Mapu, 7 Mathieu Hirigoyen, 6 Juan-Martin Scelzo, 5 Setareki Turagacoke, 4 Paul Gabrillagues (captain), 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Jack Iscaro
Replacements: 16 Alvaro Garcia Albo, 17 Moses Alo-Emile, 18 Giorgi Melikidze, 19 Baptiste Pesenti, 20 Romain Briatte, 21 Julien Delbouis, 22 Paul Abadie, 23 Leo Barre

Exeter: 15 Olly Woodburn, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Will Rigg, 11 Paul Brown-Bampoe, 10 Will Haydon-Wood, 9 Charlie Chapman, 8 Greg Fisilau, 7 Ethan Roots, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Dafydd Jenkins (captain), 3 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Will Goodrick-Clarke, 18 Jimmy Roots, 19 Rus Tuima, 20 Lewis Pearson, 21 Kane James, 22 Tom Cairns, 23 Ben Coen

Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)
Assistant referees: Carwyn Sion (Wal) & Gareth Newman (Wal)
TMO: Keith David (Wal)

Cardiff 32-23 Racing 92

The scorers:

For Cardiff:
Tries: Bowen, Thornton, Assiratti, Thomas
Cons: Sheedy 2, Beetham
Pens: Sheedy 2

For Racing 92:
Tries: Ravutaumada, Prisciantelli
Pens: Gibert

Teams

Cardiff: 15 Jacob Beetham, 14 Iwan Stephens, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Taine Basham, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 George Nott, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Liam Belcher (captain), 1 Rhys Barratt
Replacements: 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Josh McNally, 20 James Botham, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Rory Jennings, 23 Harri Millard

Racing 92: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Sam James, 12 Vladi Ashvetia, 11 Nolann Donguy, 10 Antoine Gibert, 9 Leo Carbonneau, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Noa Zinzen, 6 Maxime Baudonne, 5 Jordan Joseph (captain), 4 Junior Kpoku, 3 Demba Bamba, 2 Lehopoame Leota, 1 Edouard Jabea Njocke
Replacements: 16 Janick Tarrit, 17 Lino Julien, 18 Gia Kharaishvili, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Auguste Albuisson, 21 Lekima Tagitagivalu, 22 Kleo Labarbe, 23 Arthur Espeut

Referee: Sara Cox (Eng)
Assistant referees: Harry Walbaum (Eng) & Jamie Parr (Eng)
TMO: Peter Allan (Eng)

Benetton 74-21 Dragons

The scorers:

For Benetton:
Tries: Izekor, Ratave, Fekitoa, Odogwu 2, Umaga 2), Lynagh 2, Marin 2
Cons: Umaga 8

For Dragons:
Tries: Burrows, Dyer, Lewis-Hughes
Cons: De Beer 2, Lloyd
Pen: Umaga

Teams

Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Andy Uren (captain), 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Nicholas Gasperini, 1 Mirco Spagnolo
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Giosue Zilocchi, 19 Scott Scrafton, 20 Eli Snyman, 21 Michele Lamaro, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Leonardo Marin

Dragons: 15 Huw Anderson, 14 Ewan Rosser, 13 Dai Richards, 12 Joe Westwood, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Rhodri Williams (captain), 8 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 7 Harry Beddall, 6 Ryan Woodman, 5 Matthew Screech, 4 Levi Douglas, 3 Cebo Dlamini, 2 Oli Burrows, 1 Rodrigo Martinez
Replacements: 16 Brodie Coghlan, 17 Jordan Morris, 18 Rob Hunt, 19 Barny Langton-Cryer, 20 Thomas Young, 21 Morgan Lloyd, 22 Jac Lloyd, 23 Aneurin Owen

Referee: Benoit Rousselet (Fra)
Assistant referees: Pierre Bru (Fra) & Thomas Chereque (Fra)
TMO: Tual Trainini (Fra)