Ospreys' new coach gets off to winning start

MATCH REPORT: Iestyn Hopkins scored a match-winning try with the game’s final action as Ospreys beat rivals Scarlets 23-22 in the United Rugby Championship.

Scarlets looked set to end their miserable record in Swansea when they led 19-8, but two yellow cards and two missed kicks from Ioan Lloyd cost them dear.

But they remain without a win in the city since October 2017 after the dramatic late turnaround.

Lloyd was successful with four penalties and converted a try from Ellis Mee with Sam Costelow adding a penalty.

Sam Parry, Justin Tipuric and Hopkins scored Ospreys’ tries with Dan Edwards kicking two penalties and a conversion.

Ospreys dominated the opening 10 minutes with a clean break from Jack Walsh threatening to open the scoring.

Tom Rogers hauled the full-back down metres short of the try-line but the hosts maintained the pressure with a penalty from Edwards putting them in front.

Scarlets soon responded with two Lloyd penalties in quick succession and the visitors led 6-3 after 20 minutes.

A superb 60-metre run from Mee was the highlight of the first half-hour and it won a penalty for his side, which Lloyd knocked over with ease.

He soon added a fourth when Ospreys were penalised at a scrum but the hosts scored the first try of the game after 36 minutes when Parry finished off a driving line-out.

Edwards missed the conversion before Scarlets scored the try of the night with the last action of the first half.

They won a line-out for Gareth Davies and Costelow to combine neatly in a pre-planned move before Mee was sent on an unopposed 30-metre run to the line.

Lloyd converted for Scarlets to lead 19-8 at the interval but soon after the restart, he missed an opportunity to extend that advantage as his kick sailed wide.

Ospreys needed a score to keep in contention and they got it when Tipuric forced his way over from close range.

Lloyd surprisingly missed another so Scarlets changed their kicker and it paid dividends as Costelow was successful from 45 metres.

But straight from the kick-off the visitors lost possession and Owen Watkin raced into the opposition 22. When Scarlets were penalised, Sam Lousi was yellow-carded with Edwards kicking the resulting penalty.

Lousi returned with no damage done to the scoreboard but Ioan Nicholas soon replaced him in the bin and Hopkins capitalised with the clock 30 seconds into the red to score the match-winning try.

The scorers

For Ospreys
Tries: Parry, Tipuric, Hopkins
Con: Edwards
Pens: Edwards 2

For Scarlets
Try: Mee
Con: Lloyd
Pens: Lloyd 4, Costelow

Yellow cards: Sam Lousi (Scarlets, 57), Ioan Nicholas (Scarlets, 75)

Teams

Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Dan Kasende, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Jac Morgan (captain), 5 James Fender, 4 Will Spencer, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Gareth Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Lewis Lloyd, 17 Garyn Phillips, 18 Rhys Henry, 19 Will Griffiths, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Evardi Boshoff, 23 Iestyn Hopkins.

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Eddie James, 11 Ellis Mee, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Vaea Fifita, 7 Josh Macleod (captain), 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Max Douglas, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Archer Holz, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Joe Roberts, 23 Ioan Nicholas.

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Ben Connor (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)