The moneyball player being dubbed Welsh rugby's 'Mr Consistent'
Ask Welsh rugby fans to name the most consistent regional player over the past two or three years and one name will keep cropping up – Morgan Morris.
His sustained excellence is yet to be recognised on the international front, but the back row man just keeps on delivering week-in, week-out, with his tireless carrying and work over the ball.
He was at it again in BKT URC Round 3, producing yet another Player of the Match display as he captained the Ospreys to a 19-5 victory over the Hollywoodbets Sharks at the Twickenham Stoop.
Speaking after the game, his coach Toby Booth summed it up pretty well when he said: “We run out of plaudits for Morgan Morris.
“In our gym, it says player of the year, player of the year, player of the year. There are very few people do that, especially given the history of the club.
“Morgan having the captaincy is a person that’s going to lead by example and he is doing just that.”
So what about the player himself? How does the Swansea-born 25-year-old explain his remarkable consistency?
“It’s a good question! I’m not sure,” he says.
“I just want to play rugby as best as I can.
“I enjoy playing rugby and the more I play, the more confident I get and the better I feel I can get into the game.”
Morris is all the more valuable to the Ospreys, as he can play right across the back row. So where does he feel he is at his most effective?
“Wherever I am getting the most game-time!” he replies with a chuckle.
“I obviously get on the ball a lot more as a No 8, I get my carrying. I have probably played there more than the other two positions.
“So, I think I am probably most comfortable as an 8. But I can still get the carries in from the other two positions and I can get over the ball and get the defensive side in as a 7 or as a blindside. I can do all three.”
Morris’ versatility makes sense when you consider the players he most admires. They are men who cover the full range of back row attributes.
“I liked Duane Vermeulen when I was growing up and, not that I want to make him feel too old, but Justin Tipuric as well. I loved watching him as a kid because he can do everything basically.
“There are lot of other back rowers that have played here, like Jerry Collins and Filo Tiatia. The force they used to bring when they carried, you couldn’t see much like that anywhere else.”
Rugby runs in the blood for Morris, with his father Paul having been something of a back row legend for Swansea club Dunvant RFC.
Now Morgan is following in the old man’s footsteps and doing the family proud.
As for not yet receiving the call from Wales, he remains pretty philosophical.
“It’s out of my control. Whatever happens, happens,” he says.
“I obviously want to play for my country like everybody else, but I’ve got to focus on the things I can control and just do the best I can for the Ospreys week-in, week-out.
“The coaches here are good with that. They just tell me to worry about myself, don’t worry about anything else that’s happening around me, just worry about me for 80 minutes every weekend.”
Reflecting on the victory over the Hollywoodbets Sharks in London, Morris said: “They are a big physical team and we were up against it during the game.
“They came at us with everything, especially after half-time. Credit to the boys in the front five, they were outstanding and the work we did in the scrums and mauls was absolutely fantastic.
“Our defence was good as well. We were in our 22 a lot, but we didn’t give up and won a couple of penalties. Mark Jones (defence coach) has had an amazing effect on us.”
Next up for Morris it’s Saturday’s meeting with Glasgow Warriors back in Swansea. You kind of know what to expect from Mr Consistent!
Comments on RugbyPass
I’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
139 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
139 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
139 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
139 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
139 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
139 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
139 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
139 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
139 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
139 Go to commentsHo hum.
139 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
139 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
139 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
139 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
139 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
139 Go to comments