Ospreys beat Dragons 38-31 for first URC win of the season
Ospreys claimed their first United Rugby Championship victory of the season by beating Dragons 38-31 in a Welsh derby at Rodney Parade. According to BBC Sport's match report, the lead changed hands eight times before the visitors prevailed, with Sam Parry and Morgan Morris each scoring twice in a contest that produced 10 tries.
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The result ended Dragons' unbeaten start after a draw against Benetton and victory over Scarlets. Ospreys had opened their campaign with defeats by Sharks and Lions in South Africa. Dragons still collected two match points, with a late Angus O'Brien penalty bringing them within seven points of the visitors at the finish.
Driving line-outs supplied seven of the match's tries, and Elliot Dee opened the scoring for Dragons from that platform. Former Dragons flanker Ross Moriarty answered with a maul try for Ospreys. The visitors also scored through Keelan Giles, who gathered Lalaki Foketi's chip after the replacement centre broke through, but Dragons reached half-time with a 14-12 advantage. Moriarty was shown a yellow card before the interval.
Despite beginning the second half a player short, Ospreys scored through Parry from another attacking line-out. Dee replied with his second try and Tinus de Beer's conversion put Dragons back ahead. Parry then completed his own double, securing Ospreys' fourth try and a bonus point, with Dan Edwards adding the conversion as the teams continued to exchange the lead.
O'Brien made an immediate contribution on his first appearance of the season, breaking forward and linking with Che Hope, whose pass released Anzelo Tuitavuki to score. De Beer converted to restore Dragons' advantage. Ospreys subsequently survived pressure near their own line through a Morgan Morse turnover penalty before Morris crossed twice in quick succession to decide the contest.
Both sides lost players to injuries. Dragons saw props Rodrigo Martinez, Rob Hunt and Chris Coleman leave the field, with passive scrums required for the final 17 minutes. Ospreys scrum-half Kieran Hardy was carried off with a leg injury, while former Australia wing Marika Koroibete's debut lasted only 30 minutes. BBC's report did not establish a recovery timetable for those players.
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