LV= Cup: Ospreys 26-21 Dragons

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Ospreys (14) 26
Tries: R. Jones, Dirksen, E. Walker, Watermeyer Cons: M. Morgan (3)

Newport Gwent Dragons (14) 21
Tries: Leach, L. Williams Cons: Robling Pens: S. Jones (3)
The Dragons had been level 14-14 at the interval thanks to a try from wing Pat Leach and three penalties from fly-half Steffan Jones, but replacement Luke Williams' last-gasp converted try was their only score of the second half.

Instead, it was all the Ospreys after the break. With 48 minutes gone a solid scrum on the 22 gave the hosts something to attack from, Watermeyer twice driving forward, before Walker was able to twist and turn his way over from close range with Morgan converting.

After a scrappy spell with both teams tossing away possession, the Ospreys grabbed their fourth try.

Habberfield did extremely well to secure the high ball under pressure, offloading to Sam Lewis immediately.

The openside spun a great pass out to Watermeyer and there was no stopping the South African as he charged forward 40m to mark his debut with a try.

Morgan missed the conversion, leaving the Ospreys advantage at 12 points which was enough to hold on for the win - despite being down a man after Chauncey O'Toole was pinged at the breakdown and sent to the sin-bin.


15 Ross Jones, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Sonny Parker (Capt), 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Matthew Morgan, 9 Tom Habberfield, 1 Cai Griffiths, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 4 Lloyd Peers, 5 James Goode, 6 Chauncey O'Toole, 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Morgan Allen

Replacements:16 Mefin Davies, 17 Joe Rees, 18 Jonathan Thomas, 19 Sam Williams, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Tom Grabham, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Luke Morgan

26 - 19 FT. I have to admit, I lost interest in the second half, and had the telly on in the background...

That's the magic of the Low-Value Cup.

The Luther Vandross Cup you mean?

Nice to see the youngsters get a run.


Clemency Merciful, mild, gentle is no better or worse than Charity, Mercy, Faith, etc.

Must say I enjoyed that although my side lost. There is clearly plenty of young talent coming through in both regions and I am not fearful of the Dragons being unable to replace those players who are said to be abandoning the club. Defence improved after a terrible start, the scrum was pretty solid but the lineout was a lottery.

Just back from the game, good first half very poor 2nd half.

Lots of effort from the youngsters but low on skill, 14 all at half time and when the Os turned down 4 kickable penalties just before half time was hoping it wud bite them but alas it didn't.

Oh well few sociables in house tonight onto the Big one tomorrow Newport v Ebbw in the Swalec C'Mon the Vale

Not the best game but both sides tried to play some pretty good stuff, looks like there are some decent youngsters coming through in both regions.
I'd like to know more about that Josh Tyler, he's an absolute beast of a lad and looks like he has a fair bit of bulking up to do. Apparently highly rated and going to be on some sort of conditioning programme ready for next season.
I thought Groves had a good game but our scrum suffered with him at lock, he is a talented player but too light to play lock at this level. U20 fine but not now. Dan Hodge to start next week for me.

Not the best of games, but it was enjoyable to watch on the TV and the crowd looked happy too, so more please. Maybe a Pro12 game here and there or possibly a HEC pool game in the future.

Not the best of games?

Having been an advocate for the Dragons moving some games around the Gwent Region I am hoping that the game last night might have pricked the concious of the Dragons board.

There was a crowd of just under 5k which is not bad for an LV game considering some of the Pro12 attendances and there was a tidy little atmosphere there.

I thought the atmosphere was great, had a brilliant time. Bloody cold there though last night.

I agree it would be great to seethe regions move a few more of their games, but I guess they're tied into contracts and loan repayment for the new stadiums and stands. These may prevent too many games away from home within the region.

maes,

It was bloody freezing, good atmosphere though and proved it can work moving the games around.

Yes be nice to see a few more games move, ponty park, Sardis road, Eugene park, Wrexham etc can all hold a few thousand crowd..

I'd be more than happy to travel to Eugene Cross Park for a Dragons match. The Dragons are Gwent's team, so why not?

Be wonderful to see the ospreys back at the gnoll too

They announced the crowd as 4,9?? but it seemed far more there than that, sadly is was bloody freezing so there wasn't much of an atmosphere because we were all shivering and trying to keep warm!

Good game though, it was basically Bridgend and Swansea Vs Newport, Pontypool and Cross Keys, with Bridgend and Swansea winning!

I don;t think anybody really stood out, Matthew Morgan had an odd day with the boot, if he had a difficult kick he nailed it, if he had a sitter he fluffed it. I thought Dirksen, Walker and Watermeyer did well though, and Morgan Allen looks useful.

The match was partially ruined by a very fussy referee though.

The atmosphere did drop at the end, particularly when the referee showed he didn't know much about scrummaging on the Dragons five yard line around the end of the third quarter.

I was impressed by the young Tom Habberfield, joe ress, and the ospreys back row. The dragons lad o'Driscoll looked very usefull.

Nigel Davies, the scarlets coach, son came on for Morgan too.

Great evening out. I hope we can all do it again soon.

maestegmafia wrote:The atmosphere did drop at the end, particularly when the referee showed he didn't know much about scrummaging on the Dragons five yard line around the end of the third quarter.

I was impressed by the young Tom Habberfield, joe ress, and the ospreys back row. The dragons lad o'Driscoll looked very usefull.

Nigel Davies, the scarlets coach, son came on for Morgan too.

Great evening out. I hope we can all do it again soon.

They do that every week in the Welsh premiership!
They had exactly that type of atmosphere at Newport Vs Pontypool, Cardiff Vs Swansea, and Bridgend Vs Pontypridd.
The problem is this 4 nations Rabo direct league has made people forget what it is like to have away fans at games.

Good point. Every game I have been to this year there has been a lack of away fans. Ospreys vs Saracens probably had fifty Saracen fans max

Saracens only have about 100 proper fans so that's pretty good

I see I wasn't aware of that.

They've got some cardboard cutouts of fans they put up at Vicarage Road and give people a fiver to go and see them at Wembley

HammerofThunor wrote:They've got some cardboard cutouts of fans they put up at Vicarage Road and give people a fiver to go and see them at Wembley

It's ok mate we know how you feel...
When you can look on Dragons fans forums with them saying we should change our name from Ospreys to Ostriches.



And change our theme tune from "Call of the Ospreys" to the Red Dwarf theme, then you know we have problems!

It's cold outside, there's no kind of atmosphere,
I'm all alone, more or less.
Let me fly far away from here, fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun....

I hope Geraint O'Driscoll goes all the way to international honours for Wales, mainly as I'd love us to have a player with the acronym GOD! Beats the Irish boys of BOD, ROG and DOC any day!

Griff wrote:I hope Geraint O'Driscoll goes all the way to international honours for Wales, mainly as I'd love us to have a player with the acronym GOD! Beats the Irish boys of BOD, ROG and DOC any day!

Shush, you'll alert Ireland to him... Derwyn Jones will sign him up, and We will have another Loxton, Jarvis, Prydie, Shingler on our hands...

Oh god quick... it's a scout from Connacht... hide the evidence!

I thought Keiran Murphy played well for scarlets, are the Irish likely to steal him too?

maestegmafia wrote:I thought Keiran Murphy played well for scarlets, are the Irish likely to steal him too?

Dont be so silly...... He was born in Aberdeen, that's in Scotland!