Three second half tries couldn’t save the Dragons from going down in a 17th defeat of the season in the BKT United Rugby Championship to end the season bottom of the pile.
The Bulls completed their campaign in second place with a 55-15 victory at an emotional Loftus Versfeld as the South African side paid their respects to former their Springbok centre Cornal Hendricks, who died from a heart attack at the age of 37 earlier in the week.
The Bulls got off to a flying start against a Dragons side missing so many leading lights through injury and scored three tries in the opening 14 minutes. Centre David Kriel led the way with the first after only five minutes, Cobus Wiese powered over for the second and then Sebastien de Klerk added a third.
By half-time the Bulls had bagged the bonus point with a fourth score from a driving maul with hooker Akker Van der Merwe claiming the score. There were also three conversions from outside half Keagan Johannes to make it 26-0 to the home side at the break.
The Dragons needed something quickly to boost their morale at the start of the second half and it was provided by their chief inspiration, Wales scrum half Rhodri Williams. It was his long pass from the base of a ruck on the Bulls line that freed up wing Huw Anderson to score three minutes after the re-start.
Sjx minutes later Williams scored an amazing solo effort as he broke from the base of a breakdown 30 metres out, chipped over the top of the defence and beat Willie le Roux to the touchdown to bag a second Dragons score.
Now the Bulls knew they were in a game and at 26-10 there was a glimmer of hope for the visitors of taking something out of the game. A second maul try from Van der Merwe then put the home side back in charge.
Two tires in quick succession from left wing Sergeal Petersen stretched the Bulls lead and they finished off with eight in the end as replacements Marcell Coetzee and Devon Williams joined the party.
The Dragons at least had the last word with a third try of the second 40 when debutant hooker Lewis Morgan, on loan from Carmarthen Quins, crossed in the 75th minute. There was almost a dream ending to his Dragons career from wing Ashton Hewitt when he was sent racing over the line only for the try to be ruled out for a forward pass.