Gwent Sport

Second half onslaught consigns Dragons to defeat

By Chris Kirwan

11:00am Saturday 28th January 2012

AN OSPREYS dominated second half means that a repeat of last year’s venture into the knockout stages of the LV= Cup looks highly unlikely for Newport Gwent Dragons.

The regions went into half-time level-pegging at Bridgend’s Brewery Field last night but the hosts pulled away after the break on their way to a bonus point win.

The result means that Northampton are unlikely to be caught at the top of Pool Four, but then that was hardly the point.

The LV= Cup is about development rather than grinding out a result, though the English are tempted to go hard by the promise of a Heineken Cup place for lifting the trophy.

As a result it was an enterprising encounter between two youthful sides with the shackles off.

And there was plenty of reason for optimism for the Dragons with wing Will Harries showing he is returning the form that earned him two Wales caps before a knee injury, centre Andy Tuilagi getting back in shape and posing questions of the Ospreys defence while lock Jevon Groves and flanker Darren Waters produced wholehearted efforts up front.

The summer departure of fly-half Jason Tovey to the Cardiff Blues meant that all eyes were on Steffan Jones in a fascinating battle between two promising number 10s.

Jones, who has been in such fine form for Cross Keys, lined up against Ospreys starlet Matthew Morgan and that was far from the only intriguing head to head.

There was plenty of bulk in the 13 jerseys of Sonny Parker and Tuilagi, threat out wide with Eli Walker directly opposite Harries while two young players that have thrived in the red, black and white of Pontypool started at number eight .

Morgan Allen left for Swansea after finding himself behind Toby Faletau in the pecking order while 18-year-old Ieuan Jones is looking likely to be the next fine player churned out by the Dragons back row factory.

Yet it was through the three-quarters that the Ospreys took the lead on three minutes, a break down the right by centre Stefan Watermeyer allowing wing Hanno Dirksen to put his full-back Ross Jones over, though he beat the tackle of opposite number Jamie Smith a little too easily.

Morgan added the extras only to see Steffan Jones eat into the advantage with a pair of penalties on seven and 11 minutes, the second coming after dynamic bursts by Tuilagi and Jamie Smith had seen Harries denied a try by a foot in touch.

The Dragons had been agonisingly close to crossing the whitewash yet slack work at the lineout and sloppy defence gifted a second converted try to the hosts after quarter of an hour, Dirksen diving over after the visitors’ midfield parted following an overthrown lineout.

The ease with which the Ospreys had scored their 14 points was galling yet the Dragons were back within a score after 24 minutes when wing Pat Leach enjoyed a fairytale return to action after four months on the sidelines.

The utility back – making his comeback from a fractured cheekbone and eye socket that led to him being told by doctors that his career could be over – went over in the left corner after slick handling.

An added bonus was that the high tackle that almost put him over the touchline must have conquered any nerves about taking contact.

Jones failed with the conversion but booted a penalty that allowed the Dragons to go into the break on level terms at 14-14 after surviving a spell of late pressure on their line.

However the Ospreys regained their advantage, eight minutes after the restart when wing Walker darting past Steffan Jones’ tackle from close range after a bout of pressure with Morgan adding the conversion.

And the hosts had their bonus point in the bag on 56 minutes when South African debutant Stefan Watermeyer raced clear to make it 26-14. There was only going to be one winner from that point but replacement wing Luke Williams went over at the death for the Dragons and Monday’s review will provide positives.

Ospreys: R Jones, H Dirksen, S Parker (captain), S Watermeyer (L Morgan 58), E Walker, M Morgan, T Habberfield (T Grabham 58), C Griffiths, S Baldwin, A Jarvis (J Rees 32), L Peers, J Goode (S Williams 73), C O’Toole (R Pitman 73), S Lewis, M Allen. Scorers: tries – R Jones, H Dirksen, E Walker, S Watermeyer; conversions – M Morgan (3) Dragons: J Smith (G O’Driscoll 51), W Harries, A Tuilagi, L Robling, P Leach, S Jones (L Williams 60), J Bedford (captain, J Evans 67), P Price (A Coundley 71), S Parry (R Buckley 51), D Way (K Jenkins 71), R Cadman (J Tyler 51), J Groves, H Ellis (D Hodge 71), D Waters, I Jones.

Scorers: tries – P Leach, L Williams; conversion – L Robling; penalties – S Jones (3) Referee: Greg Garner (England) Attendance: 4896 Argus star man: Darren Waters – the gutsy flanker showed the same determination and desire that he has been showing for Newport on the regional stage, exactly what the tournament is about.

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