Ospreys 27-20 Scarlets: Jac Morgan takes his leave in fine style

Ospreys ……………………… 27pts

Tries: Douglas 11, Plumtree 47, Murray 56

Conversion: Hawkins 56

Penalty: Hawkins 57

Jac Morgan marked his final home appearance for the Ospreys with a late match-winning try against Scarlets as they secured the URC Welsh Shield.

The Gloucester-bound flanker forced his way over with just five minutes to go after the Scarlets had staged a second half revival to lead having trailed 17-5 at the break.

It was a dramatic victory and one which has seen the Ospreys move above Cardiff in the Shield table, with the trophy decided by overall Welsh derby results.

Commenting on Player of the Match Morgan, his head coach Mark Jones heaped praised on the departing Morgan.

World class

He said: “His performance was exceptional. He is a world class player, one of the best in the business.”

The Scarlets’ interim director of rugby Nigel Davies said: “We are hugely frustrated.

“I can’t ask any more of the players. They went at it and gave everything.”

In their final home game at Bridgend‘s Brewery Field ahead of next season’s move to St Helen’s, Swansea, it was the Ospreys who took an early lead in front of a 7,700 full house through a try carved out by their Wales half-backs.

Star man: Ospreys’ Jac Morgan evades a tackle from Dane Blacker
PICTURE: Alamy

Match action

Kieran Hardy put in a sniping break and then offloaded from the deck to No 10 Dan Edwards who raced in.

The Scarlets soon responded as Aussie lock Max Douglas managed to get the ball down from close range after a big carry from Kiwi No 8 Fletcher Anderson, ahead of Edwards landing a shot at goal.

The hosts were dominating the scrum and that contributed to a 12-1 penalty count in their favour in the first half.

The Scarlets’ repeat offending saw them have two players sin binned just before the break – centre Joe Roberts for a tip tackle and Kemsley Mathias for a scrummaging indiscretion.

In between those two yellow cards, Edwards crossed for his second with Hardy again providing the scoring pass amid an attack down the narrow side.

Break: Macs Page on the attack for Scarlets

Second half

Despite being down to 13 men at the start of the second half, the Scarlets managed to cut the deficit to 17-8 through a long range penalty from Joe Hawkins.

Then, when the game went to 14-a-side for a spell after a yellow for Ospreys lock Ryan Smith, the visitors scored again, with flanker Taine Plumtree stretching over following a tap penalty move.

They completed the turnaround shortly before the hour mark as fullback Blair Murray was worked over in the left.

However, they were to be denied by Morgan’s late try, with Edwards closing the game with a penalty to take his haul to 22 points.