Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

United Rugby Championship: Ospreys 23-31 Glasgow Warriors - Visitors maul proves a winner

Written by 
Published in Rugby
Saturday, 11 November 2023 11:29

Glasgow Warriors claimed a first win at Ospreys in five years after the hosts had no answer to their driving maul.

Keiran Williams gave Ospreys an early lead before Glasgow replied with 21 unanswered points.

Johnny Matthews, twice, and Sione Vallanu both scored from line-out drives only for Ospreys to regain the lead through Reuben Morgan-Williams and the boot of Jack Walsh.

However Allan Dell's last-gasp try denied the hosts a losing bonus.

That was a cruel twist for Ospreys who thought they had snatched a third win in a row when Walsh kicked them 23-21 ahead in the 74th minute.

But a game that had swung one way and then the other had more twists to come in a dramatic final three minutes.

Duncan Weir kicked five more points, Justin Tipuric was shown a yellow card and Dell cross for a bonus-point fourth try as Glasgow racked a third win from four games.

The result means Glasgow, without a win in Swansea since November 2018, stay in touch with the leading pack while Ospreys missed the chance to leap into the top five.

Franco Smith made six changes, including Jamie Dobie in the number nine jersey just days after Scotland scrum-half Ali Price's surprise move to Edinburgh.

The switch came at the behest of Gregor Townsend in a bid to get Price more game time and Warriors accepted in the "national interest".

Price's move came in the same week Ospreys announced an arrangement with South African side Cheetahs that saw three players arrive in south Wales this week, though too late to feature in this match.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland was in the crowd to watch as Wales trio Adam Beard, Dewi Lake and Nicky Smith returned to play a key role in the game's opening try.

Ospreys won a scrum penalty then had Glasgow back-pedalling with a line-out drive that ended with Williams crashing through on five minutes.

The centre would have been keen to impress Gatland having missed out on the World Cup and weighed in with a huge tackle on giant lock Greg Peterson, only to leave early following a clash of heads with Weir.

Glasgow's fly-half, making his first start of the season, was shown a yellow card for the high tackle that also prompted George North's return off the bench for Ospreys.

Ospreys almost doubled their lead, but wing Mat Protheroe was seconds too late touching down Morgan-Williams' kick before the forwards spilt a promising line-out drive.

Trailing 10-0, Glasgow finally got their own line-out into gear to stun their hosts with three carbon copy tries to score 21 unanswered points.

Hooker Matthews added to his brace last week against Stormers with another double either side of half-time before Vallanu crossed as home resistance dissolved.

Weir converted all three for a 21-10 lead before Ospreys hit back with 10 quickfire points.

Tipuric's breakdown work earned a penalty that Walsh converted before an over-thrown Glasgow line-out ended with with Ospreys' Morgan-Williams scoring under the posts.

Luke Morgan's kick bounced kindly for the scrum-half and Walsh's conversion made it a one-point game before nudging Ospreys ahead with six minutes remaining.

But Ospreys lost composure at the crucial moment and Glasgow rallied for the late win.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said:

"Sport can be cruel and sometimes you don't get what you deserve. It's a tough pill to swallow.

"Glasgow are a very good side, but they didn't do anything we didn't expect. For 75 minutes we more than matched that so we're not going to thrash ourselves over this loss.

"We just didn't nail those key moments when we had the chance early on."

Glasgow head coach Franco Smith said:

"We obviously planned for a bonus point, but not in that manner.

"Ospreys were excellent early on and we had to fight on to stay in the game

"Our maul was doing well so we knew if we could get up field we could have that chance to win late on. We want to play expansively as well, but the line-out is part of our DNA."

"It's a good start to the season and we're going to build on that."

Ospreys: Max Nagy; Luke Morgan, Keiran Williams, Owen Watkin, Mat Protheroe; Jack Walsh, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Ben Warren, Rhys Davies, Adam Beard, Harri Deaves, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris.

Replacements: Ethan Lewis, Garyn Phillips. Tom Botha, James Fender, James Ratti, Luke Davies, George North, Dan Edwards.

Glasgow: Ollie Smith; Sebastian Cancelliere, Sione Tuipulotu, Stafford McDowall (capt), Kyle Rowe; Duncan Weir, Jamie Dobie; Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Lucio Sordoni, Sintu Manjezi, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Sione Vailanu, Henco Venter.

Replacements: Angus Fraser, Allan Dell, Enrique Pieretto, Greg Peterson, Alex Samuel, Ally Miller, Sean Kennedy, Tom Jordan.

Replacements: TBC

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

Assistant referees: Gwyn Morris & John Darcy (WRU)

TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

Read 124 times

Soccer

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Diego Simeone's 700th game in charge of Atlético Madrid ended in a late 2-1 win over Deportivo Alave...

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Aston Villa and Sweden defender Olof Mellberg has signed a m...

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMikel Arteta has hit back at anyone questioning Bukayo Saka's commi...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

EmailPrintThe NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes followi...

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

EmailPrintNew Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has undergone multiple treatments on his left ha...

Baseball

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one of the few people on Earth who can r...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated