Tyro Giles shows why he’s the talk of Wales
KEELAN Giles produced another special, scintillating performance to help overwhelm the Dragons and demonstrate just why he is so highly regarded by the Welsh management.
The teenage wonder with the dazzling, dancing feet raced over for another brace of tries in this bonuspoint win to make it eight in four games as a makeshift Ospreys outfit were still far too good for their rivals.
Swansea kid Giles, 18, is hoping to make a big splash on the wing for his country in the coming Autumn internationals having been called into the Wales squad. On this form, who would bet against him taking the highest stage by storm with defences struggling to stop him.
With fly-half Josh Matavesi also in inspirational form, Giles took the chance to take centre stage in this one-sided affair at Liberty Stadium.
A fifth victory of the season with no fewer than 15 first-team regulars absent training with Wales for next weekend’s opening Autumn clash with Australia, showed just how strong and impressive the Ospreys squad is right now.
And head coach Steve Tandy insisted: “Keelan is a fantastic young talent and he is a natural finisher. He’s a difficult lad for defences to stop when he’s in that kind of form. He took both his tries very well.
“I thought the whole team were excellent. We had to change things around because of the international call-ups but I could not have asked for more from the guys who stepped in.”
If the Newport Gwent Dragons arrived believing they could end a four-year, nine-match losing streak against their rivals, they were badly mistaken. Hopes that the international call-ups would make it a level playing field were quickly dispelled despite Nick MacLeod kicking an early penalty to put the visitors ahead.
Even when Ospreys were reduced to 14 men with tighthead Dmitri Arhip shown a yellow card for a forearm smash to fend off No.8 Ed Jackson, the Dragons could not take advantage or impose themselves on a game.
Arhip returned to the action and Ospreys broke down their visitors defence when swift hands from Joe Bearman at the back of a scrum helped create a gap for Tom Habberfield to dart
through for the opening try. Matavesi converted for 7-3.
Matavesi and Giles took over the spotlight and swept Ospreys into top gear. The No.10’s sublime offload sent the young wing bursting down field to show off his scintillating pace and moments later the Osprey forwards finished the job by mauling their way across the line.
Hooker Scott Baldwin dived down with ball in hand and Matavesi added the extras for a 14-3 half-time lead.
Dragons recent signing from Cardiff Blues, scrum-half Tavis Knoyle was replaced and it was Ospreys and Giles who struck again with a fine try.
The ball ran loose and Giles, punted it towards the line. He raced after it, coolly slid to pick up the ball and place it down.The bonus point was in the bag and Matavesi converted. Replacement scrum-half Brendan Leonard cut through a big gap for the fifth try while Ospreys struck for their own two tries near the end with replacement Matthew Screech and wing Pat Howard charging over, both converted by Geraint Rhys Jones. But it was too little, too late.
Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones admitted: “We were comprehensively beaten and can have no complaints. We began well but did not make the most of our early chances. It’s very disappointing.”