OSPREYS: Morris and Parry at the double in bonus-point derby thriller at Rodney Parade

The Ospreys have their first win of the season, and they did it the hard way.

Morgan Morris and Sam Parry both scored twice in a helter-skelter 38-31 victory over the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

The lead changed hands time and again in front of 6,037. Ross Moriarty and Keelan Giles got the Ospreys’ other tries, and the four-try bonus point came with them.

Elliot Dee scored twice for the hosts, and a penalty try and Anzelo Tuitavuki added the rest.

Moriarty hits back as Koroibete’s debut ends early

Dee struck first from a driving lineout, but former Dragon Moriarty soon answered in kind.

It was an attritional opening. Kieran Hardy limped off with a muscular injury, Dragons prop Rob Hunt went with a wrist problem, and Marika Koroibete’s debut was over around the half-hour.

The Ospreys’ best moment of the half came from a Liam Wright steal. Replacement Lalakai Foketi sniped through and kicked ahead, and Giles gathered and stepped his way over.

The Dragons had the final word before the break. With the clock in the red, referee Robbie Jenkinson awarded a penalty try and sent Moriarty to the sin bin, and the hosts went in two points up.

Parry’s double brings the bonus point

Foketi’s power took the Ospreys up the pitch after the restart, and Parry, another former Dragon, was at the back of the maul to finish it.

Dee hit straight back for his second of the night, and his fifth of the season.

But Parry wasn’t done. His second try secured the bonus point, and Dan Edwards’ conversion opened up a five-point lead.

Back came the Dragons again, Tonga wing Tuitavuki finishing off a flowing move.

Morris has the last word at Rodney Parade

Morris said before kick-off that he enjoys the hostility at Rodney Parade. With ten minutes left, he made the most of it.

He crossed twice in the closing stages, and the second put the game to bed.

Angus O’Brien’s late penalty at least sent the Dragons home with a losing bonus point.

After back-to-back defeats in South Africa, where Mark Jones stood by his rotation, this was the result he needed.

Ospreys team v Dragons

Ospreys: 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Sam Parry (capt), 3. Tom Botha, 4. Rhys Davies, 5. Ryan Smith, 6. Liam Wright, 7. Ross Moriarty, 8. Morgan Morris, 9. Kieran Hardy, 10. Dan Edwards, 11. Keelan Giles, 12. Keiran Williams, 13. Evardi Boshoff, 14. Marika Koroibete, 15. Tom Rogers.

Replacements: 16. Efan Daniel, 17. Steffan Thomas, 18. Rhys Henry, 19. Lewis Jones, 20. Morgan Morse, 21. Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22. Lawson Creighton, 23. Lalakai Foketi.