By David Williams
Dwayne Peel has admitted his sinking Scarlets were second rate in a one-sided derby defeat to the Ospreys in Swansea.
The Scarlets coach watched his team suffer a crushing 31-9 humbling at the Swansea.com Stadium at the hands of their fiercest rivals.
It leaves the region facing a growing crisis – rock bottom of the United Rugby Championship, weakened by significant departures and injuries, and with Europe to soon follow.
The pressure is mounting on Peel who had no excuses and bluntly conceded: “I am bitterly disappointed. I thought we were second best in every facet.
“It was a game that produces a lot of emotion but I didn’t think we were accurate enough in the fundamentals.
“We are better than what we showed at times today and in big games like this we need to be more accurate.”
The Ospreys overpowered the Scarlets as they cruised to a comfortable 31-9 derby victory over their arch-rivals in Swansea.
Photos copyright Ashley Crowden / @Inphosports / @sport_jmp pic.twitter.com/9mLH3LX7jG
— Ashley Crowden (@ashleycrowden) November 26, 2023
It was a fifth defeat in six matches for Peel’s side, who slipped to the bottom of the URC table. The Dragons are one place above them and now they have to prepare for another regional derby at the Arms Park.
The Ospreys moved up to ninth in the BKT United Rugby Championship even though they were missing 16 players.
But they had Wales captain Jac Morgan making his first start for the side since January and he was once again outstanding.
Keiran Williams scored twice as the home pack put their side in charge of proceedings from the start and laid the platform for a four try triumph.
The only response from the Scarlets were three penalties from the boot of outside half Ioan Lloyd.
As well as Williams, skipper and No 8 Morgan Morris scored a try and the bonus-point was brought up by Wales U20 outside half Dan Edwards on his debut off the bench as he raced 40 metres to the line.
@scarlets_rugby also had major defensive deficiencies around fringes & sad to see coach Dwayne Peel looking & sounding despondent by scale of defeat @ospreys in front of a poor attendance for a W Wales derby
— Andy Howell (@andyhowellsport) November 26, 2023
Edwards converted his own try and Jack Walsh kicked nine points.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said: “You know how hard these things are and we are delighted with the outcome, especially on the back of a Welsh derby defeat against Dragons the week before.
“Everyone knows the west Wales derby is important and we got up for it tonight.
“If we can create that atmosphere in every game, those things are important to us and the boys respond to them.
“You have days when you win and play well. You’re in the entertainment business and people want to come back and that’s our responsibility.”
Attendance 8090@ospreys 31 @scarlets_rugby 9@URCOfficial pic.twitter.com/Gzku2pir0z
— Ioan Dyer (@Ioan_Dyer) November 26, 2023
Peel had made seven changes from the team that had been ravaged by Leinster in Dublin a week earlier with Lloyd, Gareth Davies, Ryan Elias, Vaea Fifita, Johnny McNicholl, Joe Roberts and Steff Evans all returning.
Lloyd’s first penalty gave the visitors an early lead, but then Williams got in on the scoring act with a try from a rolling maul. Walsh added the extras.
A second penalty from Lloyd cut the gap to a single point before Williams crashed through to the posts for his second. Walsh converted before Lloyd kicked his third and final penalty.
Walsh slotted a penalty of his own to give the Osprey a 17-9 interval lead. Two more tries flowed after the break with Morris being driven over and then Edwards scampering away for his try.
https://twitter.com/ospreys/status/1728827078152507687?s=20
