Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys: Five takeaways as Welsh region claim ‘famous triumph’ that completes ‘perfect weekend’ for Leinster
Jack Walsh in action for Ospreys.
Following a 32-31 victory for the Ospreys over Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship (URC), here’s our five takeaways from a wonderful game at Scotstoun.
The top line
An unbelievable match on Saturday ended in dramatic fashion as Jack Walsh nailed a penalty with time up on the clock to secure a famous triumph for the Welsh region.
Glasgow thought they had won it when Duncan Weir converted Nathan McBeth’s 79th minute score but Ospreys restarted, won a penalty and Walsh did the rest off the tee.
Earlier, Morgan Morse, Kieran Hardy, Sam Parry and Keelan Giles crossed in the first period before Hardy finished a lovely break from Keiran Williams to claim his brace.
Glasgow’s tries came via Jack Mann, Patrick Schickerling (2), Facundo Cordero and McBeth, with several of the above thinking they had won it for their respective team.
But there was to be one final final moment of drama at Scotstoun to finish a gripping contest as Ospreys won to slingshot themselves up the congested URC standings.
Ospreys a threat to anyone
Sitting in 15th place ahead of kick off and watching them put in a performance such as this just doesn’t marry up as this Ospreys side should be right in the top eight shake-up.
Granted the table does not lie but after watching their two most recent outings in the URC it is hard not to be impressed by their attack and togetherness as a squad. Put simply, Mark Jones looks to have created something special between this group of players and it is starting to pay dividends in performance and now crucially results.
They have Connacht at home next and then a trip to Scarlets with both massive games in the Race to Eight but in this kind of form they have a good chance of sealing victory.
Glasgow miss Scotland stars
Any team, apart from maybe Leinster, would struggle missing over double figures of star players due to international commitments and the Warriors certainly did tonight.
13 Warriors remained in the Scotland camp for this epic tussle and they were sorely missed as Glasgow lacked the required quality to defeat their inspired Welsh visitors.
They will return at some point and be vital to their season run-in, but with five points in their hands with seconds remaining those filling in will feel this is an opportunity lost.
Chipping in when required in terms of league points during the international window and pressing their case for minutes longer term is key, but they came up just short.
Morgan Morse a special talent
The first-half performance of the 20-year-old number eight was something special as Morse followed up a close-range try with a wonderful assist for Hardy to finish expertly.
Alongside the tireless Harri Deaves and Justin Tipuric, the latter once again leaving us baffled that he is calling time on his rugby career while putting in this insane level of performance, this trio were superb in the opening half before Morse departed on 52 minutes with his tank empty. The two flankers, however, soldiered on impressively.
Morse though has so much potential and with Taulupe Faletau in the final chapter of a fine international career, it’s surely only a matter of time before the youngster steps up.
Fantastic weekend for Leinster
After the Round 12 action, Leinster now boast a 13-point buffer over the second-placed Warriors on a weekend that simply couldn’t have gone any better for the Irish province.
Below the leading duo, the Bulls and Sharks – third and fourth before the action – both fell to defeat to South African rivals while fifth-placed Munster were flattened at home to Edinburgh. Incredibly it didn’t end there as the team next in line, Cardiff, fell to the pace-setting Leinster as Leo Cullen’s men have themselves quite a cushion tonight.
If there was any doubt, top spot looks like Leinster’s to lose as those below them let themselves down in their own quest to secure home field advantage in the quarters.