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Gareth Anscombe's comeback continues as Ospreys triumph in Welsh derby

By PA
Gareth Anscombe. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The Ospreys beat Cardiff 18-14 in Swansea to make it two wins from two in this season’s United Rugby Championship.

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Wales outside-half Gareth Anscombe kicked all of the home side’s points in only his second competitive game back from a two-year injury lay-off.

Josh Adams and Owen Lane scored tries for Cardiff, while Rhys Priestland kicked four points.

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Ollie Phillip on Lomu, Madonna, and Moulin Rouge.

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Ollie Phillip on Lomu, Madonna, and Moulin Rouge.

Anscombe gave the hosts an early lead with a tremendous penalty from the halfway line.

The Ospreys pack held the upper hand, but they would have been wary of a dangerous Cardiff back line.

Anscombe doubled the home side’s lead with another three points after Seb Davies was penalised for an early tackle.

Cardiff finally got in the Ospreys’ half, winning a penalty in the process. Priestland lined up to take the shot at goal, with the kick hitting one of the posts.

What should have been dealt with comfortably by the hosts turned into a disaster as Owen Watkin hesitated and Wales wing Josh Adams pounced to score on his first appearance since the British and Irish Lions tour.

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The Ospreys responded by turning the screw up front, with their maul and scrum putting their visitors under pressure.

Scrum-half Tomos Williams then tackled Luke Morgan without wrapping his arms and was punished with 10 minutes in the sin-bin.

The Ospreys were also temporarily reduced to 14 men, with Michael Collins sent to the bin for a deliberate slap down just when Hallam Amos had worked an overlap. Anscombe kicked yet another penalty after Cardiff crumbled at the scrum.

The last 90 seconds of the first half were extremely hectic as Anscombe intercepted just outside his 22 and chipped ahead. Owen Lane covered, but instead of taking the safe option and kicking the ball dead, Amos decided to run it as he galloped up the touchline.

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But a promising move came to an end with tight-head prop Tomas Francis winning a penalty at the breakdown, meaning the hosts turned around with a 12-7 lead.

Cardiff came out of the blocks firing in the second half with some strong carries deep in the Ospreys’ 22.

After a period of sustained pressure, some lovely handling from Williams and Rhys Carre allowed Lane to touch down at the far right-hand corner, with Priestland converting from the touchline.

However, the Ospreys retook the lead almost immediately through Anscombe’s boot. The former Cardiff man then extended the hosts’ lead soon after, and Cardiff failed to find a way back into the game.

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DarstedlyDan 44 minutes ago
New Zealanders may not understand, but in France Test rugby is the 'B movie'

Italy have a top 14 issue too, that’s true. I doubt SA are overly pleased by that, although it’s countered somewhat by the fact they would expect to thrash them anyway, so perhaps are not that bothered.


The BIL teams are (aside from Ireland) A/B teams - still with many A team players. I would rather the England team touring Argentina be playing the ABs than this French one.


France could have reduced the complaints and the grounds for such if they had still picked the best team from those eligible/available. But they haven’t even done that. This, plus the playing of silly b@ggers with team selection over the three tests is just a big middle finger to the ABs and the NZ rugby public.


One of the key reasons this is an issue is the revenue sharing one. Home teams keep the ticket revenues. If the July tours are devalued to development larks then the crowds will not show up (why go watch teams featuring names you’ve never heard of?). This costs the SH unions. The NH unions on the other hand get the advantage of bums on seats from full strength SH teams touring in November. If the NH doesn’t want to play ball by touring full strength, then pay up and share gate receipts. That would be fair, and would reduce the grounds for complaint from the south. This has been suggested, but the NH unions want their cake and eat it too. And now, apparently, we are not even allowed to complain about it?


Finally - no one is expecting France to do things the way NZ or SA do. We oddly don’t really mind that it probably makes them less successful at RWC than they would otherwise have been. But a bit of willingness to find a solution other than “lump it, we’re French” would go a looonnng way.

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