Callum Sheedy Leads Welsh Fightback In URC To Earn Best Weekend For Three Years

Cardiff celebrate beating Ulster after a dramatic fightback. Pic: URC

Callum Sheedy Leads Welsh Fightback In URC To Earn Best Weekend For Three Years

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By Simon Thomas

Welsh rugby enjoyed its most successful weekend in the league for more than three years amid a hat-trick of victories for the Scarlets, Ospreys and Cardiff.

It’s the best return since all four regions won in March 2021. There have been three wins since then, but not all against teams from other countries.

To hear Hymns and Arias echoing around Welsh grounds over the weekend was an indication of just how much the victories meant after some tough times.

The most dramatic triumph came at the Arms Park where Cardiff staged a stunning second half comeback to turn around a 19-0 deficit and beat Ulster Rugby 21-19.

It was left to fly-half Callum Sheedy to land what proved to be the match-winning conversion ahead of a huge defensive effort in a nerve-jangling last play, with the final whistle signalling scenes of jubilation both on and off the field.

Giving his thoughts, Sheedy said: “We came in at half-time and it wasn’t a great position to be in, 19-0 down, but there was no panic.

“We just knew we had to fire some shots, throw some punches and the second half is probably the best our attack has looked all season.

“We talk about fight and it was there in abundance in the second half.

“Those last 90 seconds, when you are defending and they are throwing everything at us, those are the reasons you play the game.

“To have that feeling in the changing room where you know you have left literally everything out there and to come away with the win and see the Arms Park like that, it’s really special.

“It was an awesome second half and we will really grow from that.”

Sheedy added: “I thought the crowd were outstanding. That really does give us a boost when it’s in those tight finishes.

“It was amazing. To hear them singing and really getting behind the boys in the last five minutes when we were cooked was really special. I enjoyed that. It definitely helped us get over the line.

“We have spoken about making the city proud of us and we knew we had to really put a marker down to keep them coming back, to make them proud of us, and we obviously went 19-0 down so they would be even more proud of us at the end!

“In all seriousness, you are hoping there will be kids going home from the Arms Park who will be playing for their local rugby club saying ‘Did you watch that game? I want to be like those players’.

“If we are doing that, then we are ticking boxes.”

He concluded: “The connection the players and the crowd have here is really special, with all the kids running on the pitch at the end of the game. I love it. I think it’s awesome.

“As players, we are in the entertainment business. Without the crowd, we are nothing, so to be able to put a smile on their faces is great.”

There were also plenty of smiles among Ospreys fans following a welcome 22-13 victory over Edinburgh Rugby at Bridgend’s Brewery Field.

There were tries from front row trio Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas and Sam Parry as Toby Booth’s team battled through for the win to move off the bottom of the table.

Skipper Jac Morgan was named Player of the Match after making 18 tackles, 13 carries and winning three turnovers from the blindside flank.

Delivering his verdict on Morgan, coach Booth said: “He is an incredible player, he leads by example. You saw from the get-go, he was driving people backwards in the collisions, ball-carrying relentlessly, getting off the floor. He is a special player.”

As for the victory, Booth said: “We are very relieved. Block one obviously hasn’t gone as we would have liked and we have probably underperformed.

“We went back to basics this week. We started much better, built into the game and then it got into an arm wrestle and we are pretty good at an arm wrestle in Bridgend.

“We go well here, we like the proximity to the pitch, we like the crowd atmosphere, we just do well here. Bridgend is good for us.”

It’s a result which means the Ospreys are now four from four at the Brewery Field in 2024, having already beaten Cardiff, Sale and the Stormers there this year.

What was to prove a very positive weekend for Welsh rugby had begun in Llanelli on Friday night with the Scarlets claiming a 30-8 bonus point victory over Zebre Parma.

The Player of the Match award went to young centre Eddie James who showed just why he has been included in Wales’ autumn squad as he produced a tremendous all-round performance.

Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel said: “Eddie has got intent, he carries really well and he is a real astute ball player.

“He’s got the ability to carry and slip the ball in contact. He’s really effective at that. That’s what he’s good at. He’s a player that’s going to grow at 12.”

James’ deft handling really caught the eye, notably when he delivered a perfectly timed short pass to put teenage co-centre Macs Page into a gap.

It was then over to the 19-year-old Page to demonstrate his huge potential as he delivered a superb finish, standing up the last man before scorching around him.

“That’s what Macs has,” said Peel. “He has that X-factor and that speed.”

After turning round with a narrow 11-8 lead, the Scarlets burst into life after the break to secure a third win on the bounce and move up to sixth in the table.

“We said at the start of the season that we were here to compete and we have been competitive in every game and we have got better,” said Peel.

“You can see a group of players that want to play for the shirt and are fighting hard for each other.”

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