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It was Jac Morgan’s night as his home farewell for the Ospreys saw the unassuming Wales captain write his perfect farewell script, scoring a late winning try against his former side, Scarlets.
The victory sealed the Welsh Shield for the Ospreys, as well as west Wales derby bragging rights.
Here’s how the players rated…
Ospreys
15. Jack Walsh: 7
Targeted a little under the high ball and there were a few loose passes. But such a lovely threat when working in tandem with Dan Edwards in broken play.
14. Iestyn Hopkins: 6
Gives everything under the high ball. So close to a late try from a Dan Edwards’ kick-pass.
13. Owen Watkin: 8
The sensible head in this Ospreys backline put in a defensive masterclass.. Remarkable try-saver on Eddie James, before an even-better one on Macs Page minutes later.
12. Keiran Williams: 6
Good read in defence early on, before getting into the breakdown to win a penalty. Impact faded a bit after that.
11. Luke Morgan: 6
Few early touches, but not heavily involved.
10. Dan Edwards: 8
Missed a few touch-finders. Only things he probably did wrong in the first-half. Two tries for the Wales fly-half.
9. Kieran Hardy: 6
His eye for the gap created the first before he put Edwards over for the second.
1. Steffan Thomas: 8
Made massive strides this season. Was superb at the scrum, keeping the foot on the Ospreys. Offered a lot around the field, too.
2. Sam Parry: 6
Lineout woes won’t fall entirely on his shoulders, but the hooker would be disappointed with how that area of the game went. Final act looked to have been a try, but he was held up.
3. Tom Botha: 7
He’s there to scrummage and he does it very well.
4. Rhys Davies: 7
Physical shift from the second-row. Could be in the Wales squad early next week.
5. Ryan Smith: 7
Like a Sherman tank on one break into the Scarlets’ 22. Huge turnover in the dying minutes.
6. James Ratti: 6
Tough as teak and as consistent a player as you could wish to find. Lineout woes will have annoyed Ratti, though.
7. Jac Morgan: 8
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. He’d been his usual self in his final home game for the Ospreys – some big hits, explosive carrying and deft moments. But when his side needed him, he came through with the match-winning score.
The fitting end.
8. Morgan Morris: 7
In his final audition for that long-awaited Wales call-up, Morris did what he always does. Carried a hell of a lot, going toe-to-toe with Fletcher Anderson for an hour.
Replacements
16. Lewis Lloyd: 7
An explosive carrier, but, like Parry, didn’t have the answers for the Ospreys’ malfunctioning lineout. One big jackal penalty near his own line.
17. Garyn Phillips: 7
Scrum still functioned well when Phillips came on.
18. Ben Warren: 7
Same for the replacement tighthead. Scrum was a constant source of penalties for the Ospreys.
19. Huw Sutton: N/A
On late on, with little time to make an impact.
20. Ross Moriarty: 6
Threw himself about as you’d expect late on.
21. Reuben Morgan-Williams: 6
On for the final minutes, playing his part in getting the Ospreys over the line.
22. Keelan Giles: 6
On for last 20. Showed some nice feet at times.
23. Evardi Boshoff: 7
On for final quarter. Got back well to deny Dane Blacker with a last-ditch tackle
Scarlets
15. Blair Murray: 7
Can beat a defender in a phone box. In the right place for his try on the edge.
14. Tom Rogers: 6
Against his future employers, Rogers didn’t have many chances. Ospreys backline shepherded him fairly well.
13. Joe Roberts: 7
Lovely rip on Luke Morgan in contact. Got a little keen with his tip tackle on Morgan Morris and was rightly sin-binned. Even so, more good than bad.
12. Eddie James: 7
Continually offered himself as a carrier. One deft offload nearly created a try for Dane Blacker.
11. Macs Page: 8
Showed off his huge boot in the first-half. Some mazy moments in the second-half – denied a superb score by an ankle-tap by Watkin. Deft hands to set up Blair Murray’s score. Got better as the match went on.
10. Joe Hawkins: 6
Kicking wasn’t always on point – either from the tee or out of hand – but decent enough from the fly-half against his former club.
9. Dane Blacker: 6
Always lively. Looked to be in for a try after running a perfect scrum-half cheatline, but was dragged down just short.
1. Kemsley Mathias: 4
Tough times in early scrums. Nearly got on the end of a try-scoring tip-on pass from Ryan Elias, but he couldn’t hold onto it. Yellow card ended his day.
2. Ryan Elias: 7
Carried well but helpless to stop the Scarlets‘ scrum. Made a huge number of tackles, too. One of the Scarlets’ best players.
3. Henry Thomas: 5
Did well around the loose – including one huge turnover near his own line. But the scrum was in reverse in the first-half.
4. Jac Price: 6
Crucial intervention to hold up Sam Parry in the second-half. Got through a number of tackles, too.
5. Max Douglas: 7
Physical throughout, forcing his way over for an early try. Big performance both sides of the ball.
6. Taine Plumtree: 6
Solid outing by the Wales international. Took his try very well.
7. Josh Macleod: 6
The Scarlets captain was his usual busy self throughout.
8. Fletcher Anderson: 7
As he has done since arriving in Llanelli, Anderson was the Scarlets’ best carrier. Like Morgan Morris, departed on the hour-mark.
Replacements
16. Harry Thomas: N/A
Too late to make an impact.
17. Josh Morse: 7
On early in the second-half. Was like a baby rhino on the rampage in the build-up to Blair Murray’s score.
18. Harri O’Connor: 5
No joy at the scrum like those before him.
19. Dan Davis: 6
On for his 100th appearance a week later than expected, but couldn’t help his side over the line.
20. Jarrod Taylor: 6
Some decent moments during the last quarter.
21. Archie Hughes: 5
A little scrappy in his time on the field, just when the Scarlets were chasing it late on.
22. Carwyn Leggatt-Jones: N/A
Didn’t make it on.
23: Ioan Jones: N/A
Too late in the day to influence matters.
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