Ospreys enjoyed a happy homecoming with a bonus-point victory over Dragons at St Helen’s, scoring five tries in horrendous conditions in front of 5,592 supporters. Mark Jones’ side returned to the famous Swansea venue in style, completing a quickfire double over their Welsh rivals after winning at Rodney Parade a fortnight earlier.
Ospreys (Credits: BBC Sport)
Ospreys led 19-7 at half-time after a double by scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams and an effort by captain Sam Parry. Dragons scored with the final play of the half through Rio Dyer, but the second half belonged to the home side’s driving line-out.
Ospreys Dragons: Morgan-Williams Double Sets Up St Helen’s Return
Ospreys started strongly and got their reward in the sixth minute when Morgan-Williams burrowed over from close range, Dan Edwards adding the extras. The visitors had arguably been the better side playing into the wind, but then conceded a scrappy second on the half hour when Morgan-Williams pounced after Dragons failed to fall on the ball following a grubber through by centre Lalakai Foketi.
A third try arrived as half-time approached, with Edwards brave with a penalty touch-finder and the pack muscling over from a five-metre driving line-out for Parry’s score. Dyer’s late reply gave Dragons hope at the break, but those seven points were cancelled out almost straight from the restart.
Penalty Try and Moriarty Score Seal Bonus Point
Ospreys were awarded a penalty try for a 20-metre line-out drive being stopped illegally, with Dragons scrum-half Rhodri Williams sin-binned. The visitors then lost co-captain Ben Carter to a head injury, and straight after Williams’ return, Tinus de Beer was shown yellow too.
Edwards pinned Dragons into the corner from the resulting penalty and the pack did the rest, with back-row forward Ross Moriarty following Parry in scoring against his former side. Anzelo Tuitavuki gave Dragons a glimmer of hope with a quarter of an hour left, but Aneurin Owen’s yellow card for a head-on-head tackle ended any realistic comeback.
It was an evening to forget for Dragons, who had three players sin-binned and also saw Dyer fail to come out for the second half, giving Wales a scare ahead of the Nations Championship.
New Old Home Feels Like Home for Ospreys
The match marked Ospreys’ return to St Helen’s, the famous venue they left in 2005, after playing in Bridgend in 2025-26 and downsizing from the Swansea.com Stadium. It was their first game at the ground since a Benetton fixture during the Covid pandemic in 2020.
Despite torrential rain, there were smiles all around, with a lively atmosphere making up for the rough edges of the revamped ground. After a tough start to the season in South Africa, Ospreys have now won three on the spin and will try to make it four when they host Cardiff on Saturday, October 31. Dragons, meanwhile, will look to react with victory against Zebre in Newport.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
