Scarlets were edged out 17-16 by the Ospreys in a see-sawing WRU Academies U18 Championship opener at a sun-kissed Tenby RFC.
In front of a bumper West Wales crowd, the home side led 10-5 at half-time, but it was the Ospreys’ forwards, thanks to a penalty try from a powerful line-out drive and a short-range effort that claimed the spoils.
The line-out drive was a big weapon for the Ospreys all game and it gave them their first score of the afternoon through tight-head prop Lewys Morse.
Scarlets hit back through a well-struck penalty from Llandovery College fly-half Madoc Evans, who plays his club rugby with Tenby, then finished the half strongly with a well-worked score by flanker Austin Sandford, created by a break and slick off-load from centre Dafydd Williams. Evans added the conversion
With back-rower Harvey Thomas standing out with his strong carrying and centre Jayden Brown looking lively behind, Scarlets pushed further ahead through a second Evans penalty.
But back came the Ospreys with a penalty try awarded after the Scarlets collapsed an advancing drive.
A third Evans penalty gave the home side a little more breathing space, but a third Ospreys try 10 minutes from the end secured the points, despite a late flourish from the Scarlets, who almost created a last-minute score, only to be called back for a forward pass in the build-up.
The Scarlets continue their campaign on Sunday when they head north to take on RGC in Colwyn Bay.