United Rugby Championship: Ospreys 54-36 Scarlets - Hosts win 13-try thriller

Ospreys kept alive hopes of Heineken Champions Cup qualification next season with an eight-try defeat of Scarlets in a United Rugby Championship thriller.

Dewi Lake crossed for two tries with scores from Nicky Smith, Morgan Morris, Keelan Giles, Michael Collins, Owen Watkin and Sam Parry.

Wales star George North celebrated his return from a year out through injury.

Scarlets wing Ryan Conbeer scored a brilliant hat-trick while Gareth Davies and Kieran Hardy also crossed.

Trailing 24-14 at half-time, Ospreys stunned Scarlets with a devastating second-half six-try display as they scored 40 points in a 13-try thriller.

Toby Booth's side took advantage of a yellow card for visiting wing Corey Baldwin with a 19-point spree.

Gareth Anscombe orchestrated the win with a 14-point haul, while Wales hooker Lake was outstanding.

There was anticipation around this Welsh derby with some actual jeopardy involved in the fixture as more than 10,000 attended the Swansea.com Stadium.

The Welsh Shield is awarded to the top finishing region in the URC with the winning team handed a place in the Champions Cup next season.

Ospreys knew they needed to win to keep alive their hopes of overhauling Scarlets after starting the day nine points adrift of their Welsh rivals but having a game in hand.

They claimed victory in emphatic fashion and ended Scarlets' hopes of finishing in the top eight of the league this season and reaching the play-offs.

In the race to finish as the top Welsh side, Ospreys have two home games remaining against Dragons and Bulls, while Scarlets host Stormers on the final weekend of the season.

There are five league points separating the two sides and two bonus point wins for Ospreys will ensure they finish as Wales' leading region and book a place among Europe's elite next season.

Williams withdrawal

Ospreys captain Rhys Webb celebrates Dewi Lake scoring his second try against Scarlets

Scarlets made two changes with fly-half Costelow and wing Conbeer starting instead of Rhys Patchell and Steff Evans.

Wales full-back Liam Williams was due to return from injury but pulled out before kick-off with Angus O'Brien staying in the number 15 jersey.

Ospreys made one starting change to the team that beat Cardiff 22-6 with Mat Protheroe replacing injured full-back Max Nagy.

Scarlets prop Javan Sebastian and Ospreys lock Adam Beard led the sides out on their 50th and 100th appearances respectively.

In a frantic start, Costelow glided through the opposition defence only for Giles to stop the try.

Costelow's half-back partner Gareth Davies scythed through and released O'Brien who was also stopped by Giles. Ospreys later infringed and Costelow slotted over the penalty.

The hosts responded with Anscombe pulling the strings. First there was a deft chip over the top, and later a clever slip pass to Alex Cuthbert who laid the foundations for replacement prop Smith to score.

Scarlets responded with another Costelow break feeding flanker Tomas Lezana, who released Davies for a fine finish.

This was followed by a superb individual effort by Conbeer as he glided outside Protheroe and Cuthbert to score. Costelow converted both tries.

Scarlets wing Ryan Conbeer scored a hat-trick in a losing cause

The free-flowing exchanges continued as Ospreys responded, with Protheroe and Giles launching a counter-attack that was taken on by Rhys Webb before number eight Morris crashed over.

Scarlets retaliated with a second Conbeer try that looked too easy from an attacking scrum, as Ospreys backs were exposed by a long, looping Costelow pass.

North star return

Just before half-time, North made his first appearance for a year after recovering from a knee injury.

The Wales and British and Irish Lions back suffered a knee injury in April 2021, with his comeback delayed in recent weeks.

He came on as a replacement for Protheroe and slotted into the centre with Collins switching to full-back as Scarlets led 24-14 at half-time.

Anscombe inspired the Ospreys' third try early in the second half with a clean break before providing the scoring pass to Giles.

The flying Ospreys wing caused havoc in the Scarlets defence as he sprinted onto a long kick and forced Baldwin to give a professional foul away.

Baldwin was shown a yellow card as Ospreys capitalised on their extra man with two tries for hooker Lake from driving lineouts, the hosts snapping up a bonus point in the process.

The shellshocked Scarlets brought on five replacements but still failed to turn the tide.

Another brilliant Giles break allowed centre Collins to cross for the sixth try as the hosts proved rampant against 14 men.

Scarlets were stunned and could not stop Watkin from crossing for a seventh score.

Replacement Scarlets scrum-half Hardy ensured a losing bonus point with the visitors' fourth try, which could prove crucial at the end of the season.

Conbeer grabbed his brilliant hat-trick, before Ospreys replacement hooker Parry completed the scoring with the 13th try of the match.

Anscombe added the conversion to ensure a combined match haul of 90 points.

Ospreys: Protheroe; Cuthbert, Collins, Watkin, Giles; Anscombe, Webb (c); G Thomas, Lake, Francis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Griffiths, J Morgan, M Morris

Replacements: Parry, N Smith, Botham, R Davies, Roots, Morgan-Williams, Myler, North.

Scarlets: O'Brien; Baldwin, J Davies (c), J Williams, Conbeer; Costelow, G Davies; S Thomas, Elias, Sebastian, Lousi, J Price, Macleod, Lezana, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: D Hughes, R Evans, WG John, M Jones, Shingler, Hardy, Patchell, S Evans.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)

Assistant Referees: Adam Jones (WRU), Rhys Jones (WRU)

TMO: Wayne Davies (WRU).