So it’s the Ospreys who came out on top in the second Welsh derby of the United Rugby Championship season, beating Cardiff 18-14 in a tight old contest.
Which players stood out and put their hands up for Wales squad selection?
Here are our head-to-head player ratings.
Max Nagy 7 v Hallam Amos 7
Buckingham RFC product Nagy can be pretty satisfied with his first start for the Ospreys. He’s a big lad with a big boot on him and looks to have a composed head on young shoulders.
As usual, Amos was effective chasing his own up and unders, while he showed good ambition running out of defence, with one burst leading to a yellow card for Michael Collins.
Mat Protheroe 6 v Josh Adams 8
When you are a kid starting out in the game, you are always told to chase kicks at goal and Adams showed exactly why as he was rewarded for his endeavours, reacting fastest to Priestland’s penalty bouncing back off the upright and pouncing for a typically predatory try.
He also came off his wing into midfield to lay the foundation for Cardiff’s second try and has really hit the ground running after his post-Lions break. In contrast, Protheroe didn’t have too much opportunity to demonstrate his undoubted attacking flair.
Michael Collins 6 v Rey Lee-Lo 7
After his two-try Man of the Match display last week, it was back down to earth with a bump for Wales hopeful Collins. He was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on in the first half and then had to hobble off late in the game after he had pulled up off the ball as if he had been shot, clutching the back of his leg. It provoked a grimace both from him and the watching Wayne Pivac.
Turning to Lee Lo, well you know what you are going to get from the Samoan centre and that’s class, as demonstrated by him producing one of the few tackle-breaching breaks of note and always needing close monitoring.
Owen Watkin 6 v Willis Halaholo 6
Watkin paid the price for waiting for the bouncing ball to come to him as Priestland’s penalty ricocheted back off the woodwork, with Adams darting in claim the game’s opening try.
It looked as though he had made amends when his carry up to the line appeared to have paved the way for a score, only for Morgan Morris to lose possession going for the line. We didn’t see too much of Halaholo’s trademark side-stepping during what was a pretty tight old affair.
Luke Morgan 6 v Owen Lane 7
Morgan was left with a bloodied nose after a tackle from Tomos Williams, but it did result in the Cardiff scrum-half spending ten minutes on the naughty step. The fleet-footed Ospreys winger showed his Sevens background with the way he kept the ball alive at times.
As for Lane, well he just can’t stop scoring, adding another try to the brace he picked up against Connacht last weekend, while he looked for work well coming off his wing.
Gareth Anscombe 8 v Rhys Priestland 7
What a comeback it is proving to be for Anscombe after more than two years out of the game. Five successful kicks at goal in the victory over the Dragons and he goes one better this week, with six out of six, some of them particularly testing.
It was a contribution that earned him the Man of the Match award as he won the battle of the Wales fly-half contenders with Priestland, who did show some nice touches with ball in hand.
Rhys Webb 6 v Tomos Williams 6
Webb took a bang to the face against the Dragons and was in the wars again this week, with a stray elbow connecting with his head. He was also pinged for dummying at a ruck, somewhat to his bemusement, and for a side entry.
But there was sterner punishment for Williams, who was yellow carded for a dangerous, high-speed, no wrap tackle on Luke Morgan. There were flashes of his X-factor, but he wasn’t really able to impose himself as he can, with Webb marshalling affairs pretty well overall behind a strong pack.
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Nicky Smith 7 v Dillon Lewis 6
Loosehead Smith got on top in the scrum battle between the two Wales props, with Lewis first being done for standing up under pressure and then for going onto his knees.
The Cardiff tighthead showed up pretty well around the field, but was also penalised for holding on as he carried up into the opposition 22.
Sam Parry 6 v Kirby Myhill 6
Not much in it in this hooking battle, with Myhill perhaps edging it in his lineout throwing, hitting his targets pretty consistently, but Parry part of a strong first half scrummage and also getting around the park to useful effect.
Tomas Francis 6 v Rhys Carre 7
Francis was ahead on points at the break, with the hosts having had the better of the scrum, while he also won a penalty by jackaling over Carre. But then the tables turned after the interval.
Francis was first penalised for his feet being too far back at the scrum and, from the resulting attack, Carre showed great soft hands to give the scoring pass to Owen Lane, ahead of winning another scrum penalty as he drove Francis back.
Bradley Davies 7 v Seb Davies 6
That old warhorse Bradley won some decent lineout ball, showing his experience to good effect, while also providing a physical presence before making away for Lions lock Adam Beard after taking a bang. Seb Davies tried hard to get involved but just overstepped the mark a couple of times, giving away penalties.
Rhys Davies 8 v Matthew Screech 6
What a work-rate from young Davies, perhaps best personified by the way he rushed up on Priestland to force a fumble in the first half.
The uncapped former Bath lock also put in a succession of tackles and drew a penalty when he carried into Screech who slipped up head high in the collision and was pinged. Davies, who turns 23 next month, is one to watch. Size and graft don’t go unnoticed, while he’s also a decent lineout operator. A Wales call-up could beckon on this form.
Will Griffiths 6 v Josh Turnbull 6
Griffiths is a man with a second row background and that shows with the way he plays his part at the lineout, while he also has a great engine on him. Like Davies, he’s another youngster with a big work ethic in the Ospreys pack.
Skipper Turnbull led by example with his tireless efforts, pulling off a steal at the front of a lineout and tackling his socks off, while his big carry up to the line paved the way for Lane’s try.
Jac Morgan 7 v Ellis Jenkins 6
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
A couple of really crucial interventions at key moments from former Scarlet Morgan who is growing into life with his new region. He earned a relieving penalty with a great piece of work over the ball in his own 22 in the first half and then pulled off a clean steal five minutes from time just as Cardiff were looking threatening on the breakaway.
Jenkins put in a crunching hit on Anscombe, the other man to have spent two-plus years out injured. Happily both emerged unscathed. He also did some good work at picking up the scraps, but was penalised a couple of times.
Morgan Morris 7 v James Ratti 6
The look to the heavens from Morgan Morris said it all. He had the line at his mercy on the hour mark, only to lose his grasp on the ball just as he was about to touch down. Did plenty of good work though, taking responsibility as the main under the drop-outs.
Playing against his former region and now transformed into a No 8, the athletic and dynamic Ratti was Cardiff’s main forward carrier.
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