Ospreys 42 Dragons 10

A SEVERELY depleted Newport Gwent Dragons team battled hard, but went down to an inevitable defeat against an all-international Ospreys team in last night’s Magners League derby at the Liberty Stadium.

The Dragons injury list extended to an incredible 15 players before the game, and they lost another at half-time when Lewis Evans couldn’t resume while they also had prop Aaron Coundley yellow carded.

It left them with a mountain to climb, but they were right in the game for an hour and it wasn’t until 13 minutes from the end that the Ospreys finally got their bonus point to secure a home draw in the play-offs next week.

The Dragons scrum was in terrible trouble throughout and two of the home tries came directly from heavy pressure there.

But the margin of the victory flattered the Ospreys against˙ a brave Dragons team whose season really ended after the Edinburgh game last month.

They suffered yet another blow when ever-present openside flanker Gavin Thomas was forced to withdraw with a stomach bug, replaced by James Harris.

They may have been way below strength, but one of their few regulars, Rob Sidoli stole an early line-out from the Ospreys.

They were soon back pedalling, though, and fell behind in the fifth minute when Dan Biggar landed an easy penalty. Two minutes later the outside half kicked another, this time from much longer range.

The Ospreys were giving early signs of things to come, Tommy Bowe glancing through to within ten yards of the line and Mike Phillips throwing an outrageous pass which came on top of a huge advantage in the scrums.

Emergency full back Will Harries rescued the Dragons’ when he grounded Shane Williams just short of the line, but their scrum was in complete disarray though they gained some respite when Adam Jones needed treatment for a foot injury.

He resumed and when the next scrum went backwards at a rate of knots the inevitable penalty try was awarded by Nigel Owens for collapsing, Biggar converting.

New boys Pat Leach and Adam Hughes tried to break through as the Dragons fought back and Jason Tovey gave them further heart when he put a penalty between the uprights.

But this was quickly cancelled out when Biggar landed his third penalty after a silly offside offence. But again the Dragons fought back, Rhodri Gomer-Davies almost breaking through, co-centre Leach also running strongly again.

The Ospreys came again, Jerry Collins bouncing three players off and James Hook showing some trickery but when Andrew Bishop opted to kick through Wayne Evans was back in time to minor.

That was typical of yet another gritty defensive effort, the star-studded Ospreys confined to just one try in the first half and that a penalty try, hardly the kind of statistic to impress watching Wales coach Warren Gatland.

The injury situation got even worse for the Dragons when No 8 Lewis Evans could not resume because of a calf injury – and he was replaced by a club hooker with Cross Keys player Lloyd Burns replacing him, playing at blindside with Andrew Coombs moving to 8.

It really was backs-to-the-wall time now and the Ospreys applied heavy pressure, but last ditch defence by Sidoli, Richard Fussell and Hoani MacDonald kept them out.

As in the first half, the Dragons scrum was in dire trouble near their own line and home captain No 8 Ryan Jones pounced for another inevitable try. Biggar again added the extra points.

Pat Palmer immediately replaced Ben Castle at tight head and the Dragons attacked bravely, rocking their vaunted opponents by scoring a try.

MacDonald and Coombs both went close and when the ball came back Wayne Evans slipped the cªover and dashed over for a fine try which Tovey converted.

Suitably stung, the Ospreys countered and Hook lost the ball as he was on the point of crossing the Dragons line.

But their scrum was in desperate trouble and under pressure loose head prop Aaron Coundley was yellow carded or persistent collapsing, Castle going back on for Harris.

The Dragons ran out of steam as they tried to stem the tide and Biggar was left with a stroll in for his side’s third try after Jonathan Thomas had done the spadework A Mike Phillips effort was ruled out, but eight minutes from the end Hook made a break which replacement Nikki Walker finished off for the bonus point try, though the pass looked forward. Biggar converted to make it 12 points while the Dragons were down to 14 men.

Replacement prop Ryan Bevington fended off a tackle by Harries to nab the fifth try minutes from the end, Biggar converting from wide out for a match haul of 22 points.

Ospreys: L Byrne (G Owen 69), T Bowe, A Bishop (N Walker 69), J Hook, S Williams, D Biggar, M Phillips, P James, H Bennett, A Jones (R Bevington 67), A Wyn Jones (I Gough 67), J Thomas, J Collins, R Jones, captain F Tiatia 67), M Holah.

Scorers -- tries: R Jones, D Biggar, N Walker, R Bevington, penalty try; conversions: Biggar (4); penalties: Biggar (3).

Newport Gwent Dragons: W Harries, A Hughes, R Gomer-Davies, P Leach (T Riley 68), R Fussell, J Tovey (A Greendale 80), W Evans (J Evans 69) A Coundley, T Willis (captain), B Castle (P Palmer 51), R Sidoli, H MacDonald (J Groves 70), A Coombs, L Evans (L Burns 40), J Harris (B Castle 62-72, R Jenkins 80).

Scorers -- tries: W Evans; conversion: J Tovey; penalty: Tovey.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).

Attendance: 8,004.

Argus star man: Wayne Evans.