Ospreys 56-34 Scarlets: Toby Booth's side romp to victory in 13-try epic

The Ospreys ran out 54-36 victors in an enthralling 13-try epic in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday evening.

Nine points separated the sides in the race for the Welsh Shield – and more pertinently a place in next season’s Champions Cup – before kick off and it looked like being a cracker from the opening minute. Keelan Giles had to make two try-saving tackles in the opening eight minutes, first after a break from impressive Sam Costelow and then after a Gareth Davies snipe, with the latter leading to a penalty from the young Scarlets fly-half.

The Ospreys also came to play, though, with Gareth Anscombe varying his game nicely in the No.10 shirt. It was his delayed pass that sent Alex Cuthbert through a dog legged defence in the 16th minute and HIA replacement Nicky Smith burrowed his way over from close range.

Four minutes later and the visitors were back in front and Costelow was causing the problems again with a jinking run between Will Griffiths and Adam Beard, playing his 100th game for the Ospreys. He went through and the ball found scrum-half Davies via openside Tomas Lezana, putting the visitors back in front.

Just beyond the midway point of the first half, Scarlets wing Ryan Conbeer powered through some weak tackling from Mat Protheroe to run in a try from 35 metres.

The Ospreys hit back almost immediately, though, after an electric counter-attack from Protheroe and Giles on the near side was finished off by a powerful carry from No.8 Morgan Morris.

But it was the Scarlets who had the final say in the half when the hosts got their numbers wrong on their own line, with a pass over the top giving Conbeer a walk-in for his second score.

Just before the break, George North made his return after spending a