Welsh clubs defy the odds in Europe as Dragons finally win and Ospreys remain perfect

All four Welsh clubs were in action this weekend and it was a good weekend for them in the main

How the Welsh regions fared in European competition this weekend

• SCARLETS: The Scarlets experienced a “chastening night” as they were comprehensively defeated 50-21 by Bordeaux-Bègles in their European Champions Cup clash at Stade Chaban-Delmas. The Welsh region started brightly, taking an early lead through a try from Fletcher Anderson just nine minutes into the match. However, the French champions responded almost immediately and ruthlessly, launching a rapid-fire assault that saw them score four quick tries, including a double from fly-half Matthieu Jalibert, to secure a bonus point and take firm control of the game before the break. Despite Henry Thomas crossing for a try just after the half-hour mark, any hopes of a Scarlets comeback were quickly diminished. The hosts continued their dominant performance, adding four more tries to their tally in the second half, showcasing their strength and clinical finishing. Scarlets managed a second try from Anderson in the second period, but they were unable to secure a bonus point as Bordeaux stood firm to complete a resounding 50-21 victory. The result marks a second consecutive defeat for Scarlets in the competition, following their narrow loss to Bristol Bears in the opening game. This heavy defeat leaves head coach Dwayne Peel’s side second from the bottom in Pool 4 of the Investec Champions Cup, with only one point to their name after the opening two rounds of fixtures.
• OSPREYS: The Ospreys secured their second consecutive win in the European Challenge Cup after defeating French side Montauban 33-22 at Stade Sapiac, also claiming a valuable bonus point in the process. After Montauban took an early lead with a penalty, the Ospreys quickly responded with three converted tries in an impressive first half through Ross Moriarty, Morgan Morse, and Keelan Giles. The visitors capitalized on a yellow card shown to Montauban’s Segundo Tuculet for a deliberate knock-on, establishing a commanding 19-8 lead at the half-time whistle. The home side managed to stay in the contest early in the second half, cutting into the Ospreys’ lead after capitalising on a yellow card shown to Ospreys’ winger Ryan Conbeer, with Tuculet scoring a converted try. However, the Ospreys soon regained their composure and momentum. They secured the crucial bonus point with their fourth try, a rolling maul score from replacement hooker Efan Daniel, before scrum-half Kieran Hardy raced away for the Ospreys’ fifth and final try of the afternoon following a well-worked move. Montauban scored a late consolation try after the final buzzer, but it was a thoroughly deserved 33-22 victory for Mark Jones’ team. The win means the Ospreys have made it two wins from two games in the competition and now sit second in Pool 1 of the European Challenge Cup standings, trailing only leaders Montpellier. The match also saw the return of Wales centre Owen Watkin from injury.
• CARDIFF: Cardiff secured a dramatic 29-26 victory over Ulster in their European match, clawing back from a significant 26-12 deficit to open their Pool 3 account. The hosts started strongly at Cardiff Arms Park, establishing an early lead with first-half tries from second row George Nott and winger Tom Bowen. However, Ulster rapidly turned the momentum before the break. Tries from hooker Tom Stewart and centre James Hume, both converted by fly-half Jake Flannery, saw the Irish province edge ahead 14-12 as the teams headed into halftime. Ulster carried their momentum into the second half, with winger Werner Kok scoring twice within the first 13 minutes to secure a bonus point and stretch the visitors’ lead to a commanding 26-12. Cardiff then began their impressive comeback, starting with a try from replacement Danny Southworth, converted by replacement fly-half Callum Sheedy, to cut the deficit. The game saw a period of disruption with a double yellow card reducing both sides to 14 men, before Ulster were further disadvantaged when Ben Carson was also sent to the sin-bin. Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, Cardiff pressed hard, and back row Dan Thomas scored the crucial bonus-point try. Sheedy’s conversion tied the thrilling contest at 26-26 with seven minutes left on the clock. The match went down to the final moments, where Sheedy held his nerve to slot a last-gasp penalty, sealing an exhilarating 29-26 victory and completing a remarkable fightback for the Welsh side.
• DRAGONS: The Dragons brought an end to a 364-day winless streak with a stunning 23-21 comeback victory against Lyon in the European Challenge Cup. For much of the contest, it appeared the wait would continue, especially after the home side found themselves trailing by a daunting 15 points with only a quarter of an hour left to play. However, two tries in quick succession from replacement Harri Keddie and hooker Oli Burrows set the stage for an extraordinary finale at Rodney Parade. Despite some missed kicks earlier in the half, fly-half Angus O’Brien—who had spoken pre-match about the necessity of a win—ultimately held his nerve to deliver the decisive blow. The first half was a low-quality affair, marked by errors from both teams, but the Dragons initially held the lead thanks to two penalties from O’Brien. Their slender 6-0 advantage was punctuated by a controversial moment when Jared Rosser avoided a red card for a dangerous clearout. Just before the break, however, Lyon found their rhythm, with lock Janse Roux crashing over for the first try, converted by Charlie Cassang, to give the French side a narrow 7-6 lead at halftime. Lyon took firm control shortly after the restart, with Arthur Mathiron scoring a brilliant individual try and the Dragons’ Tinus De Beer being sent to the sin bin, before Ave Maalo crashed over to extend the lead to 21-6, seemingly sealing the victory for the visitors. Facing a 15-point deficit, the Dragons staged a remarkable, unlikely comeback. It began with Harri Keddie scoring off a driving maul, followed minutes later by Oli Burrows repeating the feat, though both conversions were missed, leaving the Dragons needing five points in the final minutes. The tension peaked when Ewan Rosser was tackled into touch right before the line, but the team’s relentless effort paid off moments later when Keddie secured his second try to level the scores at 21-21. With the home crowd in uproar, Angus O’Brien stepped up to kick the match-winning penalty, confirming the 23-21 victory and snapping the Dragons’ year-long drought.