SAM Davies snatched an eighth Guinness PRO14 victory of the season for the Dragons against the Cheetahs on Saturday, his late penalty sealing a dramatic 13-10 win in awful conditions at Rodney Parade.

Here are some of the talking points from a match that appeared to be heading towards a draw until that all changed in the last few seconds.

Sam’s the man yet again

It was by no means the first time that Sam Davies has been the Dragons’ hero this season, winning another game with a last-ditch kick from that trusty left boot.

Actually, it was third time lucky for the fly-half in the closing stages after a drop-goal attempt went horribly wrong and then a penalty from distance was just off target.

The kick that won it was one of the easier he has had this term, but with an extra couple of points riding on it, he did well to hold his nerve on a mudbath of a pitch.

There is talk of him receiving a call-up to the Wales squad, and if he does, his loss would be a big one for the Dragons.

What were the Cheetahs up to?

Sometimes you have to admire teams for throwing caution to the wind late in a game in a bid to go home with a win under their belts.

But the Cheetahs’ decision, with the clock well in the red, to run the ball from their own line following Sam Davies’ first late missed penalty was simply bizarre, as Dean Ryan said after.

They were full value for at least a draw and should probably have stuck with what they had rather than try and go the length of the field.

As we know, the gamble failed, and the Cheetahs shot themselves in the foot by conceding another penalty on their own 22.

Basham bashed ‘em

What a return to the starting line-up it was for flanker Taine Basham, back at the Dragons after being released from the Wales squad.

Boss Dean Ryan hailed the back-rower’s man-of-the-match performance, going so far as to say he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the field.

If he keeps playing like that then that first Wales cap might not be too far away.

Pitch not so perfect

Kudos to the Rodney Parade ground staff for getting the game on after all the rain that fell in the days before.

If there had been more rain in the few hours before kick-off, the match probably wouldn’t have survived.

The pitch was already very, very heavy when the action started, and it didn’t look in too good a state by the end.

What’s the solution? It’s the question Dragons, Newport County and Newport RFC supporters are keen to know the answer to.

At the end of the day, three teams on one pitch doesn’t go, and until that changes it seems we’ll keep seeing the pitch struggle.