Watermeyer makes his mark
Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:31
Making his mark. (c) Getty
Former South African Under-20 centre Stefan Watermeyer picked up a try and the man of the match award on his senior Ospreys debut, as he helped his new team earn a 26-21 bonus point victory over the Newport Gwent Dragons.
The Ospreys all but ended the Dragons' slim hopes of progressing in the LV= Cup with the four-try victory over their Welsh rivals at the Brewery Field.
Watermeyer's breakaway try from half-way in the second half allowed the home side to edge two scores ahead. It was the Ospreys' first win in the tournament this season following defeats on the road to Exeter Chiefs and at home to Northampton Saints.
On a heavy pitch it was all-square 14-14 at the break, although tries from fullback Ross Jones and wing Hano Dirksen topped the one from the visitors scored by centre Pat Leach. Eli Walker grabbed a third for the Ospreys in the second half before a lovely floated pass by back row man Sam Lewis sent former Blue Bulls
centre Watermeyer racing to the line.
Flyhalf Matthew Morgan converted three of the Ospreys tries, Hanno Dirksen and Eli Walker also touched down. While opposite number Steffan Jones added three penalties to Leach's first half try.
The Dragons earned themselves a bonus point with the last move of the match when replacement wing Luke Williams was worked over in the left corner for a try which Lewis Robling converted superbly off the touchline.
The scorers:
For Ospreys:
Tries: Jones, Dirksen, Walker, Watermeyer
Cons: Morgan 3
For the Newport Gwent Dragons:
Tries: Leach, Williams
Con: Robling
Pens: S Jones 3
Teams:
Ospreys: 15 Ross Jones, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Sonny Parker (captain), 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Eli Walker,
10 Matthew Morgan, 9 Tom Habberfield, 8 Morgan Allen, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Chauncey O'Toole, 5 James Goode, 4 Lloyd Peers, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 2 Scott Baldwin, 1 Cai Griffiths.
Replacements: 16 Mefin Davies, 17 Joe Rees, 18 Jonathan Thomas, 19 Sam Williams, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Tom Grabham, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Luke Morgan.
Dragons: 15 Jamie Smith, 14 Will Harries, 13 Andy Tuilagi, 12 Lewis Robling, 11 Pat Leach, 10 Steffan Jones, 9 Joe Bedford (captain), 8 Ieuan Jones, 7 Darren Waters, 6 Hugo Ellis, 5 Jevon Groves, 4 Royce Cadman, 3 Dan Way, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Phil Price.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Buckley, 17 Aaron Coundley, 18 Keiron Jenkins, 19 Dan Hodge, 20 Josh Tyler, 21 Jonathan Evans, 22 Luke Williams, 23 Geraint O'Driscoll.
Referee: Dean Richards (England)