Two fiery Welsh derbies kicked off 2025 with a bang as Ospreys managed a draw at third-placed Cardiff, regardless of enjoying greater than half the sport with a purple card.
Scarlets kicked off the New 12 months in fashion as Blair Murray led the cost to tug Dwayne Peel’s aspect again into the playoff locations.
Listed here are the reviews for each contests:
Cardiff 13 – 13 Ospreys
The Ospreys overcame the first-half purple card of lock James Fender for a croc roll to earn a 13-13 draw in opposition to Cardiff in entrance of a sell-out crowd at Cardiff Arms Park.
Regardless of the purple card within the thirty eighth minute, the guests had been the higher aspect all through the competition as Cardiff needed to survive sustained late strain with a view to seize two factors and maintain themselves third within the United Rugby Championship.
Younger fly-half Dan Edwards scored all of Ospreys’ factors with a splendidly taken strive, two penalties and a conversion whereas James Botham and Dafydd Hughes scored Cardiff’s tries, which had been each unconverted, alongside a Ben Thomas penalty
Cardiff flew out of the traps to dominate the opening exchanges and turned down three kickable penalties, choosing lineouts from short-range as a substitute and had been rewarded with a strive from Botham from the again of a maul.
Ospreys’ penalty rely was 5 within the opening 10 minutes, however they sparked into life when scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams sliced open the Cardiff defence from a midfield scrum.
Edwards was readily available to hold on the transfer however powerhouse No.8 Morgan Morris uncharacteristically misplaced possession within the means of touching down.
Nonetheless, they did seem to have scored when centre Keiran Williams ripped by means of the defence to ship Morgan-Williams over, however after TMO replays dominated a knock on within the build-up, they needed to accept three factors.
Simply earlier than the break, Ospreys suffered a hammer blow when Fender was despatched off for a nasty croc roll on Dan Thomas, the anticipated consequence with the latest crackdown on that trucking approach.
Second Half
With Cardiff main 5-3 at half-time, the primary actual motion after the restart noticed second row Teddy Williams yellow-carded for repeated group infringements.
Ospreys took benefit of the numbers being degree when Edwards danced by means of the defence for a wonderful particular person strive, just for the hosts to reply minutes later when Hughes scored their second strive from the again of a maul.
Williams returned from the sin-bin however was quickly changed there by Rhys Litterick for persistent scrum infringements, an space which Ospreys dominated all afternoon, with Edwards kicking the ensuing penalty.
Nonetheless, Thomas instantly responded with one for Cardiff to degree the scores.
The ultimate quarter noticed Ospreys, regardless of being a person brief, pile on the strain and are available inches away from snatching an unlikely victory a number of instances.
But it surely was to not be as Cardiff’s defence stood sturdy and the perimeters shared the spoils within the first recreation of the New 12 months.
Scarlets 32 – 25 Dragons
Scarlets’ dominant first-half exhibiting ensured a cushty 32-15 dwelling win over the Dragons as Dwayne Peel’s aspect moved again into the URC play-off locations.
The hosts crossed the road 4 instances courtesy of Blair Murray (twice), Josh Macleod and Ellis Mee whereas each Sam Costelow and Ioan Lloyd kicked 12 factors between them.
The Scarlets’ first strive was a contender for the strive of the season.
After the Dragons misplaced possession, Scarlets unfold it huge earlier than Taine Plumtree launched Welsh winger Tom Rogers with an excellent offload down the touchline.
The 26-year-old broke just a few tackles earlier than one other wonderful offload discovered the palms of Johnny Williams and Gareth Davies, who then put Blair Murray in area for the strive beneath the posts, which Sam Costelow transformed.
Scarlets’s subsequent rating got here from The Dragons’ failure to cope with a restart after a Sam Costelow penalty.
Some neat dealing with from Williams and Sam Lousi discovered Josh Macleod, who then threw a stunning looping go to seek out Murray on the wing as he danced previous the final defender for his second of the half
Peel’s aspect had been in full management and shortly claimed their third strive when Macleod powered over from brief vary off the again of a maul with Costelow including the extras to provide the hosts a commanding 24-3 lead on the break
Second Half
The Scarlets made a powerful begin to the second-half when Gareth Davies ripped the ball from the possession of a Dragons participant straight from the kickoff.
The ball ultimately discovered Williams, who very almost butchered an overlap, however offloaded in touch to seek out Ellis Mee who touched down.
Regardless of the 26-point deficit, the Dragons refused to throw within the towel and received a strive again when Taine Basham barrelled over the road from shut vary.
They added extra strain within the closing phases when alternative scrum-half Che Hope broke clear earlier than placing Huw Anderson over for his or her second strive.
However the hosts put the end result past any doubt a couple of minutes later when Ioan Lloyd slammed over a penalty to safe a hard-fought victory for the Scarlets.
