Here’s the latest rugby headlines for Tuesday, 2 January.
Winning coach’s stylish gesture to Wales star
Dragons coach Dai Flanagan put the hard-fought victory over the Scarlets to at least one aspect to make an aesthetic point out of Sam Costelow, after the Wales fly-half’s late penalty miss proved essential of their defeat at Rodney Parade.
Despite seeing his aspect edge out the Scarlets in a win that relieves a few of the stress on him after their Boxing Day hammering in opposition to Cardiff, one of many first issues on Flanagan’s thoughts was Costelow – with the pair having beforehand labored collectively on the Scarlets.
“I simply wish to make a particular point out for Sam Costelow, who I labored with for some time,” he mentioned. “That was very unusual for Sam and other people cannot maintain that in opposition to him. He is a implausible participant and now we have to again him.”
On the win, he added: “The uncooked emotion is satisfaction. We requested the group to come back out and entrance up bodily and we appeared a unique aspect.
“We have to ensure this isn’t a one-off, there’s a cycle now we have to interrupt.”
Speaking in regards to the missed penalty by Costelow late on within the defeat, Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel backed the fly-half – making his first begin for the west Walians this season after harm on Wales obligation – to come back again stronger from the frustration.
“That’s simply a type of issues,” he mentioned. “You do not count on it but it surely’s occurred. It’s robust on Sam however he’ll bounce again.”
Test stars slam muddy pitch
A few Cardiff’s internationals had been lower than impressed by the standard of the pitch on the Brewery Field in Bridgend after their 27-21 defeat to the Ospreys.
Josh Adams tweeted “Pitch appears to be like in good situation” accompanied by mendacity face emoji with a protracted nostril, whereas Thomas Young posted: “That’s a primary! Acceptable for an expert recreation to be performed on a pitch like that?”
Heavy rain all through the festive interval had turned the pitch, which normally hosts Welsh Premiership rugby, right into a mud tub, with many followers expressing their disapproval. There had been loads, nevertheless, who loved the spectacle of a regional match being performed at a packed old floor in tough circumstances moderately than a half empty stadium in Swansea.
After the sport, Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt slammed Cardiff’s lack of self-discipline after his aspect surrendered a 13-point lead.
Cardiff had been in whole management of the sport at half-time however misplaced the bodily battle after the break, and consequently coughed up quite a few penalties, a few of which had been avoidable. “The first half went in addition to it might however that was solely half a job,” mentioned Sherratt.
“The message was to do the identical once more however the 8-2 penalty depend says all of it. In these circumstances, it was about territory, effort and self-discipline.
“The effort was there and we picked up one other bonus level away to aspect. But foolish penalties within the second half gave away territory and if you happen to do this, you are going to get punished.”
Booth praises particular expertise Morse
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth has praised the affect 18-year-old No 8 Morgan Morse had on his aspect’s victory over Cardiff.
With the sport within the steadiness Morse ran the ball again from a 22 restart, side-stepped two gamers, earlier than touching down from 45 metres out. And Booth believes the Ospreys have a particular expertise on their palms.
“The boy is fast proper,” mentioned Booth. “We know he is a expertise, like Dan (Edwards). A whole lot of the kids are pushing by now.
“We’ve bought the primary wave by and now it is about pushing the second wave by. These boys carry a great deal of vitality and it is nice to work with them as a result of they wish to be taught and so they wish to get higher.
“Morgan Morse has bought nice bodily functionality. Everyone has seen that.
“You noticed that with the U20s when he performed there. He’s fast, and he can beat individuals.”
Booth is assured the extra skilled gamers on the Ospreys will assist Morse take his recreation to the following degree over the following few seasons. “Watch Morgan Morris, Justin Tipuric, and Jac Morgan in entrance of him. There’s some good individuals round him for him to be taught off,” he mentioned.
“He’ll be the primary to say he is not the completed product as a result of he is bought some tough edges particularly on the attacking aspect of the ball we’re engaged on. If you may get that you’re going to get a extra full participant, and in the end he’ll have extra affect on the sport.”
Dragons skipper insists aspect silenced their critics with Scarlets win
Dragons captain Rhodri Williams believes his aspect went a protracted technique to proving their critics flawed with their slender 13-12 victory over the Scarlets at Rodney Parade.
The Dragons got here in for some fierce criticism after they had been humiliated 55-21 in opposition to Cardiff on Boxing Day however they had been a lot better in opposition to the Scarlets. Even although they had been let off the hook after Sam Costelow missed a penalty from proper in-front of the posts Williams believes his aspect proved their price.
“I assumed the boys dug deep,” Williams instructed S4C.
“It got here all the way down to the bodily battle and I do not assume we took one backwards step. We had been questioned after final week, and there was loads of issues within the media thrown at us.
“What higher technique to do it than at home at Rodney Parade in entrance of a passionate set of followers.
“The kids stepped up. Harri Ackerman and Aneurin Owen bossed that midfield in opposition to an excellent Scarlets aspect.
