Williams brace helps Ospreys to victory over Scarlets

MATCH REPORT: Ospreys centre Keiran Williams scored two tries to earn his side a 31-9 derby victory and condemn Scarlets to another defeat in Swansea in the United Rugby Championship on Sunday.

Scarlets have not won at their Welsh rivals since October 2017 and they rarely looked likely to break that losing run as Ospreys’ pack was the dominant force in the clash.

The hosts outscored their opponents four tries to nil with Morgan Morris and Dan Edwards also touching down. Jack Walsh kicked three conversions and a penalty with Edwards adding a conversion.

Three penalties from Ioan Lloyd was the response from Scarlets, although it was the visitors who drew first blood at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Ospreys were penalised at the first scrum, which enabled Lloyd to give his side a fourth-minute lead.

However, Scarlets immediately bungled the restart and the hosts made them pay when Williams joined a line-out drive to force his way over.

Walsh converted before Lloyd kicked his second penalty to leave Scarlets trailing 7-6 at the end of an evenly-contested first quarter.

Ospreys then turned down a couple of kickable penalties in favour of more attacking options and were rewarded when Williams crashed over for his second try.

A thumping tackle from Vaea Fifita on Max Nagy won Scarlets a penalty and once again Lloyd was on target but that score was quickly nullified with a first penalty success for Walsh.

Ospreys led 17-9 at the interval and, 10 minutes after the restart, they extended that advantage when Morris finished off a succession of forward drives for the home side’s third try.

Scarlets replaced internationals Gareth Davies and Wyn Jones in an attempt to reverse their fortunes but it proved fruitless in a disappointing afternoon that left them joint bottom of the United Rugby Championship table.

Their replacement prop Steff Thomas was sin-binned in the 67th minute for repeated team offences and Ospreys took advantage to score their bonus-point try when creative play from Nagy gave debutant Edwards a run-in.

Man of the Match: Pocket-rocket Keiran Williams was lively throughout with his powerful bursts troubling the visitors. His reward was two tries and his all-action performance was a nod to Wales head coach Warren Gatland for future squad inclusion.

Scorers:

For Ospreys:

Tries: Williams 2, Morris, Edwards

Cons: Walsh 3, Edwards

Pens: Walsh

For Scarlets:

Pens: Lloyd 3

Ospreys: 15 Max Nagy, 14 Dan Kasende, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Jack Walsh, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Morgan Morris (captain), 7 Jac Morgan, 6 Rhys Davies, 5 Adam Beard, 4 James Fender, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Nicky Smith

Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Rhys Henry, 19 Harri Deaves, 20 Tristan Davies, 21 Rewan Kruger, 22 Dan Edwards 23 Luke Scully

Scarlets: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Gareth Davies (captain), 8 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 7 Teddy leatherbarrow, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Jac Price, 4 Alex Craig, 3 Harri O’Connor, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Wyn Jones.

Replacements: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Joe Jones, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Ben Williams, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Charlie Titcombe, 23 Ioan Nicholas

Referee: Mike English (Wales)

Assistant referees: Adam Jones (Wales); Rhys Jones (Wales)

TMO: Ian Davies (Wales)