JAKE LEAVING FOR OZ WOULD BE A SORE LOSS FOR SCARLETS
IT was a busy Boxing Day on the rugby front with two Welsh derbies and games across the border.
So, who were the winners and losers? Here’s our take on the action.
WINNERS JAKE BALL
There have been rumours that the big lock may be thinking of returning to Australia, where he spent his late teens after his parents emigrated.
His wife and children have been out there staying with relatives while he has been on Wales duty this autumn, with his wife giving birth to the couple’s fourth child Down Under.
If the 29-year-old were to leave, it would be a big blow to the Scarlets and Wales, as he confirmed with a huge display in the 16-14 victory over the Ospreys.
Amid wretched conditions, it was an occasion made for his raw-boned grunt as he carried with power and intent, put in the big hits, smashed into rucks and even claimed a jackal penalty. He leaves people feeling sore and he would be sorely missed.
BLUES BENCH
With the game against the Dragons hanging in the balance, it was the Cardiff Blues replacements who made the difference.
Tomos Williams brought a spark at scrum-half, with Rhys Carre, Dmitri Arhip and Shane Lewis-hughes adding oomph up front, while Rey Lee-lo is always a class act in midfield.
Prop Arhip and flanker LewisHughes were both on hand to latch on to Josh Turnbull and help drive him over the line for the matchwinning try 12 minutes from time.
A mention, too, for the stalwart Turnbull, who dug in after taking an early bang to the leg and came up with the goods.
REUBEN MORGANWILLIAMS
There were an array of Wales scrumhalves on duty in the two derbies, with Lloyd Williams, Gareth Davies, Rhys Webb, Tomos Williams and Kieran Hardy all in action.
But it was an uncapped 22-yearold who produced the individual moment of the day from a No. 9 with a special solo score.
You can see Reuben MorganWilliams has been working with Webb at the Ospreys as it was a gem right out of his play-book.
Throwing a big dummy at a ruck, the youngster stepped inside prop Javan Sebastian before bursting away on a 30-metre angled run to the line. He is a real prospect.
JIM BOTHAM
Spending Christmas Day alone with his French bulldog Roscoe clearly proved good preparation for the Cardiff Blues flanker.
His defensive work was crucial to the hard-fought 13-12 victory over the Dragons as he put in 19 tackles to earn the man-of-the-match award, while also carrying with purpose and dynamism. He really has had a few months to remember.
OSPREYS FLANKERS
Dan Lydiate and Justin Tipuric have delivered together so many times over the years for the Ospreys and Wales and they were at it again on Saturday.
Blindside Lydiate is now 33 and hasn’t played international rugby for more than two years, but he is back to his destructive best, putting his body on the line to such an extent that he required treatment a couple of times.
As for Tipuric, we know all about the footballing class, but he showed again he can also deliver the nitty gritty on days when the conditions demand, as exemplified by his ruck clearout turnover ahead of MorganWilliams’s try.
DAN JONES
It didn’t all go Jones’s way against the Ospreys, with the Scarlets flyhalf twice hitting the woodwork with penalty attempts and twice being done for stepping offside in defence.
But he kept his nerve and kept putting his team in the right areas, sending raking touch-finders through the driving rain and into the corners.
It was fitting that he should land the winning conversion to cap a man-of-the-match performance.
DRAGONS VOLUNTEERS
On Christmas Eve a number of the groundstaff at Rodney Parade either tested positive for Covid-19 or were identified as close contacts and therefore went into self-isolation.
That meant there was a real question mark over whether it would be possible to get the pitch ready for the game against Cardiff Blues.
But a number of key people stepped into the breach over the festive period, in particular Lewis James and Nick Rawlings, to enable the match to go ahead.
Santa hats off to them.
THE BRISTOL WELSH
Flanker Dan Thomas was named man of the match following an all-action try-scoring display in Bristol’s 27-19 victory away to Harlequins. It was a deserved award because he was into everything.
Teenager Ioan Lloyd also shone brightly, showing his versatility by starting on the left wing and then shifting to full-back, from where he repeatedly beat the first man on the counter-attack.
Welsh-qualified No. 9 Harry Randall was outstanding, too, demonstrating sheer pace for his sniping try, while his half-back partner Callum Sheedy brought tactical control at 10 as the visitors took charge after the break.
DAN BIGGAR
There was some concern last week when Wales fly-half Biggar pulled out of Northampton’s Champions Cup clash with Leinster due to a knee injury.
But he was back for the Gallagher Premiership meeting with Worcester and helped the Saints to their first win in four months, scoring one
try and setting up another as he accumulated 12 points during a man-of-the-match effort.
LOSERS DRAGONS AND OSPREYS
There was a strange symmetry to the two Boxing Day derbies in Wales.
In both, the home side led for much of the game, only to ultimately lose out to the visitors, who were actually playing on their home ground! Work that one out.
Rodney Parade has been Cardiff Blues’ temporary home this season, with the artificial Arms Park surface being relaid following the ground’s use as a field hospital, and it’s been kind to them in terms of results.
They were the away team on this occasion, but the venue remained a happy hunting ground as they came from behind to leave the Dragons to mull over what might have been.
The relaying of a pitch – at the Liberty Stadium – was also the reason for the Ospreys moving their home game to Parc y Scarlets.
They looked to make a statement pre-match by covering up the Scarlets’ “West is Best” slogan with a banner to emphasise it was their home for the day.
But their hopes were dashed as the tide turned late on and the slogan was back on show in the stand after the game, with the Scarlets having secured bragging rights.
JOHNNY MCNICHOLL
The 30-year-old back-three man hasn’t had much luck to shout about this season.
An ankle injury ruled him out of contention for Wales’s original autumn squad, and then when he was called up midway through the campaign he damaged his ribs in the game against Georgia.
He was due to make his first appearance for the Scarlets in six weeks against the Ospreys, having recovered from his rib issue.
But he then had to pull out of the game at the eleventh hour.
With Leigh Halfpenny already sidelined, that meant the versatile
Angus O’brien coming in at fullback and he proceeded to score the decisive try.
PREMIER SPORTS
It was a Boxing Day to forget for the PRO14 broadcasters.
Problems with their online Premier Player streaming service meant viewers were unable to watch the first half hour of the Dragons-cardiff Blues match.
They were met with messages saying the game was not available in their region, which was a bit galling when they were in Wales trying to watch a Welsh derby!
Premier has apologised and launched an investigation into what went wrong.
But the indications are the rugby was geo-blocked by mistake instead of their football coverage.
Of course, there is an argument they did people a favour by preventing them from watching the Dragons-blues match, given it was such a turgid affair.
On the subject of which...
WELSH RUGBY
It has to be said, the Boxing Day derbies weren’t exactly Christmas crackers.
Admittedly, the conditions didn’t help, with Storm Bella bringing wind and rain sweeping across Wales.
But the quality of rugby on show was pretty poor at times, particularly during the opener at Rodney Parade. That was a tough watch.
To prolong the agony, the first half lasted 52 minutes amid a succession of stoppages, while there were more penalties than points overall – 30 compared to 25.
It wasn’t a classic by any means. One player I spoke to afterwards said it was “a dire game to play in” – and he was on the winning side!
The West Wales derby had more going for it, with a higher level of intensity and a couple of fine tries.
But it wasn’t a day we’ll remember for too long in the annals of the regional era. Let’s hope the weather is better for the next round of derbies on New Year’s Day and that the rugby follows suit.