Ospreys do the derby double
MATCH REPORT: The Ospreys completed the double over West Wales rivals Scarlets as they won their first league game at Parc Y Scarlets since 2015 with a 25-11 triumph.
Unlike the other Welsh regional derby earlier in the day at the Arms Park, where there were 12 tries in Cardiff’s game against the Dragons, tries and points were at a premium in a good old-fashioned arm wrestle.
It was scoreless at the break with everything to play for in the second half.
That’s when the Ospreys pack turned on the power and the visitors conjured up three tries to take the win. The home side’s cause wasn’t helped by Wales hopeful Ioan Lloyd missing with three penalty attempts in the opening 40 minutes.
The deadlock was eventually broken two minutes into the second half when scrumhalf Gareth Davies snapped up a loose ball just inside his half as the Ospreys tried to move the ball wide and he raced to the line to score.
Once again, Lloyd missed with his wide-angled conversion, but at least the home side, who had been beaten by the Georgian side Black Lion 23-9 in their last outing, were ahead.
The Ospreys had been on the back foot for much of the first half, but their tigerish defence kept them in the contest and after the break they were able to build pressure of their own.
They eventually hit the front in the 50th minute when scrumhalf Reuben Morgan-Williams dived over after his forwards had laid siege to the Scarlets tryline.
Owen Williams added the extras and then landed a penalty to make it 10-5. The Wales flyhalf then dropped into the pocket to land a crucial drop-goal six minutes later to push his side more than a single score ahead.
It was still a very tight contest and the Ospreys put themselves under pressure when Owen Watkin picked up a yellow card in the 70th minute as Craig Evans ran out of patience with the number of offences from the visitors. This time Lloyd hit the target to cut the gap to five points.
There was all to play for in the final 10 minutes, but the Scarlets couldn’t make their extra man work for them. Instead, they lost returning skipper Josh Macleod to the sin-bin in the 73rd minute for a no arms tackle.
That allowed the Ospreys to pop the ball into the corner and work replacement hooker Sam Parry over for their second try. Owen Williams couldn’t convert, and only a wonder tackle by Luke Morgan stopped Ben Williams from scoring in the corner.
Lloyd kicked a second penalty to make it 18-11 with the clock showing 80 minutes. That looked as though it had earned the Scarlets a losing bonus-point but as they tried to break out of their 22 in the last play of the game, a pass from Johnny Williams to Tom Rogers hit the deck.
Quick as a flash, Jack Walsh nipped in to scoop up the loose ball and race 22 metres to the line. Owen Williams converted to complete the victory.
Play of the Match
With the numbers matched up at 14 versus 14 with the yellow card for home skipper Josh Macleod, the Ospreys pack found a way to convert a driving one-out into a score for Sam Parry with only four minutes to play.
Player of the Match
James Fender (Ospreys). One of the discoveries of the season, the Ospreys second row marked his first west Wales derby with an epic effort in both the tight and the loose.
The scorers
For Scarlets
Try: Davies
Pens: Lloyd 2
For Ospreys
Tries: Morgan-Williams, Parry, Walsh
Cons: Williams 2
Pen: Williams
DG: Williams
Yellow cards: Owen Watkin (Ospreys, 68), Josh Macleod (Scarlets, 72)
Teams:
Scarlets: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ryan Conbeer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Josh Macleod (captain), 7 Teddy Leatherbarrow, 6 Sam Lousi, 5 Jac Price, 4 Alex Craig, 3 Sam Wainwright, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Joe Jones, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Ben Williams, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jonathan Davies, 23 Ioan Nicholas.
Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Mat Protheroe, 13 George North, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Harri Deaves, 6 Rhys Davies, 5 Adam Beard (captain), 4 James Fender, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Gareth Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Garyn Phillips, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Morgan Morse, 20 Tristan Davies, 21 Luke Davies, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Luke Morgan.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Adam Jones (Wales), Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Jon Mason (Wales)
