It has been a busy week in Welsh rugby! With Ospreys, Scarlets, and Cardiff all recording victories in the last round of United Rugby Championship (URC) action before the autumn internationals, Welsh fans go into the international break on a high.

After Warren Gatland’s Wales squad was hailed as a bold step with the right blend of youth and experience, some names in the squad really put their hands up for starting selection this weekend. Let’s get into it:

Ospreys Climb Off The Foot Of The Table

Toby Booth has an oft-cited phrase that Ospreys are in “the entertainment business”, which can sometimes jar with his side’s favourite habit of ‘finding a way’ to win in recent seasons.

When you are winning, not many care about what it looks like. When you have lost four of the first five games of the season, then people start to talk.

Thanks to tries from a trio of front row forwards – Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, and Sam Parry – Ospreys recorded a 22-13 victory over Edinburgh. Wales captain Lake got his try, emerging from the bottom of a powerful rolling maul, marshalled by fellow Wales international Adam Beard.

Ospreys captain Jac Morgan looked back to his best, ready for three Wales games in November, making 18 tackles, 13 carries, and winning three turnovers from blindside flanker. With Tommy Reffell also in excellent form over in the English Premiership, Morgan may stay in the number six jersey for the foreseeable.

“We are very relieved. Block one obviously hasn’t gone as we would have liked and we have probably underperformed,” Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said.

“We went back to basics this week. We started much better, built into the game and then it got into an arm wrestle and we are pretty good at an arm wrestle in Bridgend.

“We go well here, we like the proximity to the pitch, we like the crowd atmosphere, we just do well here. Bridgend is good for us.”

Ospreys are now four from four at the Brewery Field in 2024, having already beaten Cardiff, Sale and the Stormers at the ground this year.

Cardiff Record Epic Comeback Victory

After a cagey opening 10 minutes between Cardiff and Ulster, Evan Lloyd’s yellow card for persistent penalties broke the game open for the Irish visitors, as Cormac Izuchukwu powered over before Jude Postlethwaite’s brace left the home side reeling 0-19 after 23 minutes.

An Ulster yellow card to Dave McCann helped Cardiff back into the game as they used the extra man to go wide to Iwan Stephen whose spectacular finish gave the home side some hope.

Further tries from replacements Daf Hughes and Thomas Young followed giving Cardiff the lead with 12 minutes to go. With their lineout wayward in the first half, Cardiff managed to figure things out, with both Hughes and Young’s tries coming from mauls.

A penalty on halfway from Nathan Doak had Cardiff fans’ hearts in their mouths but the ball fell a yard short of the crossbar and the Blue and Blacks held on for a third win of the season and a first in October.

“We came in at half-time and it wasn’t a great position to be in, 19-0 down, but there was no panic,” fly-half Callum Sheedy said.

“We just knew we had to fire some shots, throw some punches and the second half is probably the best our attack has looked all season.

“We talk about fight and it was there in abundance in the second half.

“Those last 90 seconds, when you are defending and they are throwing everything at us, those are the reasons you play the game.

“To have that feeling in the changing room where you know you have left literally everything out there and to come away with the win and see the Arms Park like that, it’s really special.

“It was an awesome second half and we will really grow from that.”

Sheedy added: “I thought the crowd were outstanding. That really does give us a boost when it’s in those tight finishes.

“It was amazing. To hear them singing and really getting behind the boys in the last five minutes when we were cooked was really special. I enjoyed that. It definitely helped us get over the line.

“We have spoken about making the city proud of us and we knew we had to really put a marker down to keep them coming back, to make them proud of us, and we obviously went 19-0 down so they would be even more proud of us at the end!

“In all seriousness, you are hoping there will be kids going home from the Arms Park who will be playing for their local rugby club saying ‘Did you watch that game? I want to be like those players’.”

Macs Page sparkles again for Scarlets

Is there a better teenager in the URC right now? Macs Page added another outstanding try to his highlight reel this weekend, as Scarlets brushed Zebre aside 30-8.

Page, an outside centre, is not an imposing player, but his step, speed, and deceptive power in contact has made him perhaps the most exciting prospect in Welsh regional rugby this season.

His try against Zebre, set up beautifully by his centre partner Eddie James was classic Page, the burst of speed to break the line and then a double step to beat fullback Geronimo Prisciantelli and burn him on the outside had fans out of their seats.

Further tries from new Wales call ups Tom Rogers and Blair Murray as well as skipper Josh Macleod earnt Scarlets a bonus point victory, lifting them as high as sixth in the URC table at the end of block one.

While Page stole the headlines, James was named player of the match, showing Gatland exactly why he should be a serious part of Wales’ November internationals.

“Eddie has got intent, he carries really well and he is a real astute ball player,” Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said.

“He’s got the ability to carry and slip the ball in contact. He’s really effective at that. That’s what he’s good at. He’s a player that’s going to grow at 12.”

Dragons Struggle on the road again

Connacht – or Wales Slayers as they should now be known – were comfortable 31-7 winners in Galway as Dragons continued to struggle to pick up points away from home this season.

After a jubilant opening day victory vs Ospreys, Dragons have now lost five games on the bounce, despite performances deserving more against Sharks and Lions at home.

Chastening defeats at Connacht and Leinster are not uncommon for Welsh regions, but Dragons next two URC matches – at home and away to Cardiff – will be a big indication as to where Dai Flanagan’s side will end up at the end of the season.

Super Rygbi Cymru Becomes a Two Horse Race

With dominant victories Cardiff RFC over Bridgend Ravens (47-14) and Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins (11-39), Super Rygbi Cymru is starting to become a two horse race at the top.

Both sides have won six out of seven games so far. Cardiff RFC flexed their muscles this weekend, calling upon Wales international Mackenzie Martin whose offload leading to Dewi Cross’ opening try broke the deadlock for the Rags.

With the two sides set to met again in December, that match could go a long way to deciding who will lift the Super Rygbi Cyrmu Trophy at the end of the season.

Elsewhere, Newport thrashed RGC 62-7, while Llandovery pipped Aberavon (26-33) and Pontypool ran out 10-43 winners at Swansea.

Results:

Thursday

Swansea RFC 10-43 Pontypool

Friday

Scarlets 30-8 Zebre

Saturday

Cardiff 21-19 Ulster

Ospreys 22-13 Edinburgh

Connacht 31-7 Dragons

Cardiff RFC 47-14 Bridgend Ravens

Aberavon RFC 26-33 Llandovery RFC

Carmarthen Quins 11-39 Ebbw Vale RFC

Newport RFC 62-7 RGC

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