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Morris hat-trick sets up Ospreys win

MATCH REPORT: Morgan Morris scored a hat-trick of tries as Ospreys collected a bonus-point 50-31 victory over Dragons to maintain the pressure on Scarlets as both vie to be this season’s leading Welsh club and qualify for the European Champions Cup.

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Ospreys’ five points saw them draw level with Scarlets, with both now on 44 and each having a home game in their final fixture in a fortnight’s time.

The result did not look likely when spirited Dragons led 24-8 midway through the first half, but the hosts’ pack took control to be convincing winners in an entertaining game.

Reuben Morgan-Williams scored two of Ospreys’ seven tries with Nicky Smith and Sam Parry also on the try-scoring sheet. Gareth Anscombe added six conversions and a penalty.

Jared Rosser, Adam Warren, Lewis Jones and Mesake Doge scored Dragons’ tries with Will Reed kicking three conversions and a penalty. Sam Davies added a conversion.

An Anscombe penalty gave Ospreys a second-minute lead before the visitors responded with the first try.

From a line-out in the home 22, swift passing from Dragons’ three-quarters resulted in Rosser dashing over.

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Minutes later, the Ospreys were stunned when their opponents scored a second. A well-judged kick ahead from Reed was collected by Rosser, whose inside pass gave Warren an easy run-in.

Ospreys needed a quick response and it came when prop Smith forced his way over from close range but Dragons continued their impressive first quarter and were rewarded with a penalty from Reed and a converted try from Doge.

The hosts suffered a further blow when skipper Rhys Webb was forced off with an injury to be replaced by Morgan-Williams.

However, they soon overcame this setback to score two tries in quick succession. First Morris finished off a line-out drive before a break from Michael Collins put Morgan-Williams in under the posts.

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Anscombe converted both before Dragons lost flanker Taine Basham to a yellow card for an attempted trip.

The home side immediately capitalised with a second try from Morris to give them a bonus point and a 29-24 interval lead.

Basham returned with no further damage to the scoreboard but Morris completed his hat-trick, with the number eight having run less than 10 metres in order to do so.

Morris was then substituted with Morgan-Williams and Parry scoring tries to emphasise Ospreys’ second-half superiority before a late try from Jones stopped Dragons from finishing the second half scoreless.

The scorers

For the Ospreys
Tries: Smith, Morris 3, Morgan-Williams 2, Parry
Cons: Anscombe 6
Pen: Anscombe

For the Dragons
Tries: Rosser, Warren, Doge, Jones
Cons: Reed 3, Davies
Pen: Reed

Teams

Ospreys: 15 Michael Collins, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 George North, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Rhys Webb (captain), 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 Will Griffiths, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Adam Beard, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Reuben Morgan Williams, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Luke Morgan.

Dragons: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Rio Dyer, 13 Adam Warren, 12 Josh Lewis, 11 Jared Rosser, 10 Will Reed, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Ollie Griffiths, 7 Taine Basham, 6 Harri Keddie (captain), 5 Ben Carter, 4 Joe Davies, 3 Chris Coleman, 2 Taylor Davies, 1 Aki Seiuli.
Replacements: 16 James Benjamin, 17 Josh Reynolds, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Huw Taylor, 20 Ben Fry, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Jonah Holmes.

Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Gareth Newman (Wales), Jason Bessant (Wales)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales)

Source: PA & RugbyPass

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