Llanelli still in the hunt

Neath-Swansea Ospreys 15 Llanelli Scarlets 18

Llanelli kept their Celtic League title hopes alive in dramatic fashion in a tense derby at St Helen’s.

Ospreys full-back Gavin Henson missed with a long-range penalty with the last kick of the match which means the Scarlets will lift the league title if they beat Ulster at Stradey Park on Friday.

Defeat for the Ospreys means they must now go to Glasgow and win next weekend to ensure they qualify for next season’s Heineken Cup.

The Scarlets weathered an early storm and claimed the game’s first try.

Fly-half Stephen Jones, who is heading to Montferrand in a two-year deal next season, made the initial break and with the home cover stretched prop John Thiel was put away for an unconverted score.

Another impressive Scarlets move then saw lock Chris Wyatt lose the ball diving in at the corner, but for all their pressure the visitors had to be satisfied with a long-range penalty from Jones.

The Scarlets had dominated the opening half-hour, but then had to defend for their lives for the remainder of the half following the sin-binning of number eight Scott Quinnell.

Quinnell was yellow-carded for a professional foul which led to a dust-up with replacement hooker Huw Bennett and from it the Ospreys enjoyed their best period of the game.

Another Llanelli infringement gave Henson a simple penalty shot to make it 8-3, but with the last move of the half Llanelli put themselves firmly in command with a superb individual score from replacement fly-half Gareth Bowen.

Bowen, the man who will fill Stephen Jones’ boots next season, was on as a 37th-minute replacement with the Wales number 10 receiving treatment for a cut head.

But in the short time he was on the field, he scythed open the Ospreys midfield from 35 yards out and with the home defence holding off he darted in under the posts for a try he converted himself.

A patched-up Jones returned for the start of the second half and his second penalty success increased Llanelli’s advantage to 18-3 eight minutes into the half.

However, with Llanelli again on the attack, former Springbok wing Stefan Terblanche pounced on a loose Quinnell pass to intercept and race 80 metres.

Things then got worse for the Scarlets when hooker Robin McBryde saw yellow for a punch right under the nose of Scottish referee Gregg Davies and a clever chip through by Henson saw Wales wing Shane Williams provide the punishment.

Henson’s missed conversion meant the score remained 18-15 although Bowen then missing a gilt-edged penalty chance with three minutes left on the clock.

It all came down to Henson’s 45-metre kick three minutes into injury, but he sent it agonisingly wide for the home side.