And there was also a 33-11 win for the Scarlets Premiership Select XV at Nottingham, although the other three Regional Select teams all suffered defeats in round 1. The Dragons picked up a try bonus at Bedford, the Blues got a losing bonus point at home to London Scottish, but the Opsreys just missed out against London Irish.
NOTTINGHAM 11 v SCARLETS PSXV 33
The Scarlets were forced to battle back from an 11-8 interval deficit, but dominated the second half and picked up three more tries to bag a priceless bonus point.
Will Millett kicked two penalties and hooker TJ Harris scored a try to give the home side the lead over Billy McBryde’s opening penalty and a try from Irish lock Tadgh Beirne. The Ospreys made light of losing Ioan Nicholas to the sin-bin just before the break and took the lead three minutes into the second half.
Jack Maynard scored a try within four minutes of taking over from the injured Gareth Owen and McBryde added the extras. The Wales Under 20 outside half then extended the lead with two more penalties.
The visitors then turned the screw in the final 10 minutes, when Nottingham lost No 8 Josh Poullett to the sin-bin, when Tom Williams crossed twice. McBryde converted the first of them to make it 13 points in the game.
CARDIFF BLUES PSXV 21 v LONDON SCOTTISH 21
Cardiff Blues saw a 14-12 interval lead slip away as they fell to a 26-21 defeat to London Scottish at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park. Exiles hooker Cameron Fenton converted two driving line-outs into tries in the first-half to give his side the lead on both occasions, but the Blues battled back.
Wing James Beale and skipper Lewis Jones crossed for tries and Jarrod Evans improved both of them to give his side a slender interval advantage. The lead was extended two minutes after the break when centre Aled Summerhill rounded off an Evans break for a third try that the outside half again converted.
Former Blues Academy and Wales Under 18 cap Matt Marley then came back to haunt many of his former team mates as he barged his way over from a close range ruck after 50 minutes. Peter Lydon added a second conversion of the day to cut the gap to two points.
The visitors then struck again in the 56th minute with a bonus-point try from prop Ewan McQuillan, once again scored from five metres out. Lydon’s conversion sent the visitors five points clear nd left the home side with a mountain to climb in the final quarter.
Their push for victory was hampered by the 65th minute sin-binning of prop Brad Thyer, but it looked as though they might have snatched a fourth try two minutes from time when a chip in behind the Scottish defence led to a breakneck race for the touchdown. Patrick Kelly just managed to get his fingertips to the ball and the Blues were left with a losing bonus point.
OSPREYS PSXV 14 v LONDON IRISH 25
Rob McCusker ensured his former club got a warm Welsh welcome at The Gnoll, but it wasn’t enough to stop the unbeaten English Championship leaders leaving with a bonus-point, 25-14 win.
Tries from Ross Neal and Ben Ransom, one of which Greig Tonks converted, made it 12-0 to the visitors before centre Keiron Williams crossed for a try which outside half Luke Price improved on the stroke of half-time.
In the second half, Irish No 8 Senitiki Nayalo scored a third try for the visitors and Tonks added a penalty to extend the lead to 13 points. A try from home hooker Hugh Gustafson, converted by Price, set up an exciting final 10 minutes, but a try from replacement prop Richard Palframan on the stroke of time made victory safe and stripped the gallant home side of a worthy losing bonus-point.
BEDFORD BLUES 46 v DRAGONS PSXV 33
There were 10 tries to savour in a bit of a points fest at Goldington Road and at least the Dragons were able to leave with a try bonus point in the bag. Arwel Robson scored one of the visitors’ four tries and ended the game with 18 points.
A close first-half ended 14-9 in the home side’s favour, but the Dragons went into the lead when Robson rounded off some great team work to score his try three minutes after the break. He also added the conversion.
Robson kicked three first-half penalties for the Dragons, but an interception try from Tom Griffiths, converted by Myles Dorrian, hauled the home side back into the contest. Dorrian then improved a second try from Tom Whiteley.
The Dragons second half lead was short lived as Bedford hit them with a 15 point salvo that included two more tries to lead 31-16. Will Talbot-Davies then hit back with a second try for the Dragons and centre Barney Nightingale grabbed two more to ensure the Welsh regional side left with something for a wholehearted effort.
MUNSTER A 15 v LONDON WELSH 30
London Welsh made their greater experience and physicality tell after conceding the opening try in Cork. That sixth minute try from Munster Academy flanker John Malone was converted by Steve Crosbie and it looked as though the Exiles were still struggling with the effects of having to catch a 9.30am flight from Heathrow on the morning of the match.
Jet lag over, full back Chris Elder raced over for the first of his two tries. That try went unconverted and home hopes were still high when Crosbie struck a penalty. But then the champions hit their straps and began to take control via their well drilled pack.
A pin-point cross-kick then enabled wing Robbie Narin cross for a second try for the Exiles and Ben Pienaar soon added a third from a driving maul. Joe Carlisle converted one and added a penalty to make it 20-10 to the visitors at the break.
Crosbie then helped to fashion a try for wing Colm Hogan midway through the second half with a superb cut-out pass and that cut the gap to five points and made it anyone’s game.
Elder then bagged his second try as he got involved in a driving maul and Carlisle slotted the conversion. A penalty from replacement kicker Glyn Hughes sealed the win for London Welsh on 78 minutes.
