Dragons stun Ospreys with last-gasp derby win

United Rugby Championship: Dragons v Ospreys

Dragons (13) 23

Tries: Keddie, Yendle Cons: Evans 2 Pens: L Evans 3

Ospreys (16) 21

Tries: K Williams, Conbeer Cons: Edwards Pens: Edwards 3

Dragons replacement prop Luke Yendle scored a last-minute try to steal a famous victory against Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (URC) opening day Welsh derby.

Ospreys led 21-13 with five minutes remaining before the hosts battled back with Yendle's try and a conversion from Lloyd Evans.

It completed a 13-point haul for Evans in his first competitive game since his arrival from Gloucester, while flanker Harrison Keddie also crossed.

Ospreys duo Keiran Williams and Ryan Conbeer scored tries while fly-half Dan Edwards added 11 points.

Ospreys will be kicking themselves for their wastefulness after dominating the second half as they suffered a third successive defeat at Rodney Parade.

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan will be delighted with the resilience of his side as the hosts secured their first opening day win since 2013.

His opposite number Toby Booth will be distraught as he embarked on his fifth and final season as Ospreys head coach before leaving at the end of the campaign.

Mark Jones will step up from defence coach, a role which will be filled by Justin Tipuric when he retires at the end of the season.

Ospreys welcomed back lock Adam Beard after he missed the end of last season and Wales' summer because of an ankle problem.

Beard was joined in the starting side by fellow Wales internationals Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, James Ratti and Owen Watkin, while former captain Justin Tipuric packed down in the same back row as new skipper Jac Morgan.

Dragons were missing 13 injured players including influential Wales trio Aaron Wainwright, Elliot Dee and Taine Basham and new recruits Steve Cummins and Solomone Funaki.

The absence of Wainwright and Funaki meant Shane Lewis-Hughes made his first competitive Dragons appearance at number eight after his move from Cardiff.

Fly-half Evans also started following his arrival from Gloucester and opened the scoring after Ospreys were caught offside.

Edwards levelled before a well-worked move for the opening try for centre Williams, following Lake's pass and Luke Morgan's burst.

Evans responded with his second penalty before the hosts created the opening try with their first real attack which was initiated by the lively Wales wing Rio Dyer and Aneurin Owen.

Lock Matthew Screech cleverly offloaded to the rampaging flanker Keddie who cantered away to score and give Dragons the lead.

Edwards levelled the scores after he was taken out by his opposite number Evans while his third successful kick nudged the visitors in front.

A brainless penalty conceded by Beard gave Dragons the platform to attack just before half-time but the visitors were indebted to a try-saving tackle from Conbeer on home hooker Brodie Coughlan.

Ospreys squandered an early second-half try after a fine break from Jack Walsh found centre Williams, but he was held up by Dragons duo Joe Westwood and Jared Rosser.

Some more Walsh magic paid off as he released Conbeer to score in his first competitive game since leaving Scarlets.

With Dragons trailing by eight points, they brought on another new player with Australian centre Harry Wilson replacing Westwood.

Wales prop Leon Brown was replaced by the hosts after an encouraging hour on the field in his first competitive game in almost nine months.

Former Ospreys flanker, Dan Lydiate, who has just signed a new Dragons player-coach deal was also introduced from the bench, while another home replacement James Benjamin was shown a yellow card for his team's persistent maul defence offending.

Wales captain Lake was replaced and responded provocatively to the raucous Rodney Parade crowd as he walked back to the bench.

That gesture was to backfire spectacularly.

Dragons weathered the Ospreys pressure and Dyer just failed to capitalise on an O'Brien cross kick.

Evans gave the hosts hope with a third penalty before the grandstand finish.

Replacement scrum-half Rhodri Williams made the incisive break and the hosts were patient as they searched for the match-winning score which Yendle and Evans provided.

Ospreys players left the field shellshocked and Lake was given the predictable send-off from the jubilant home fans.

Dragons: Angus O'Brien; Rio Dyer, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser; Lloyd Evans, Dane Blacker; Rodrigo Martinez, Brodie Coghlan, Leon Brown, Ben Carter (capt), Matthew Screech, Ryan Woodman, Harri Keddie, Shane Lewis-Hughes.

Replacements: James Benjamin, Rhodri Jones, Luke Yendle, George Nott, Dan Lydiate, Rhodri Williams, Harry Wilson, Ewan Rosser.

Sin-bin: Benjamin 69

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Luke Morgan, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Jac Morgan (capt), Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris.

Replacements: Lewis Lloyd, Steffan Thomas, Math Iowerth-Scott, Huw Sutton, Harri Deaves, Luke Davies, Phil Cokanasiga, Max Nagy.

Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)

Assistant referees: Mike English (WRU), Ben Connor (WRU)

TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)