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Ospreys strengthen Champions Cup prospects despite Bulls defeat
The Ospreys moved a step closer to Heineken Champions Cup qualification despite suffering a 38-31 defeat to the Bulls in Swansea.
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A pair of bonus points mean Toby Booth’s side are now two clear of the Scarlets at the top of the United Rugby Championship’s Welsh Shield, with the winner set to play in the top tier of European competition next season.
The Scarlets play the Stormers in Llanelli on Saturday and now need a win to overtake the Ospreys.
A hat-trick of tries from centre Cornal Hendricks along with scores from Madosh Tambwe, Chris Smith and Canan Moodie got the Bulls over the line. Smith also contributed eight points from the kicking tee.
The Ospreys scored four tries of their own to pick up two bonus points courtesy of Jac Morgan, Luke Morgan (2) and Sam Parry, with Gareth Anscombe kicking 11 points.
It took the Bulls only three minutes to open the scoring, with a couple of powerful carries putting them on the front foot before an accurate pass from Zak Burger allowed Tambwe to touch down.
The Bulls extended their lead when outside-half Smith glided over the line following a period of sustained pressure from the visitors.
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The Ospreys narrowed the gap a few minutes before half-time when Jac Morgan and Rhys Webb charged forward. After a couple of pick and goes by the visitors, impressive openside Morgan burrowed his way over the line for the Ospreys’ first try.
Anscombe added the extras meaning the Bulls turned around with a 13-10 lead at the interval.
But the Ospreys’ momentum got extinguished very early in the second half when former Springboks wing Hendricks sliced through their defence before drawing in the final defender to put Moodie over.
And the 34-year-old was soon celebrating his own try as he showed tremendous pace to run in unopposed from 35 metres out.
However, the Ospreys refused to throw in the towel and pulled a try back with a terrific finish from flying wing Luke Morgan at the far right-hand corner thanks to a well-timed grubber kick from Anscombe, who converted from the touchline.
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Hendricks scored his second try when he brushed aside a weak tackle from George North to take the game further away from the Ospreys.
He then claimed a well-deserved hat-trick after Moodie gathered a loose kick from Michael Collins before releasing the centre, who ran in from his own half.
The result looked like giving the Scarlets added hope of overhauling the Ospreys at the top of the Welsh Shield until the Ospreys struck for two late tries as Parry snuck over before Luke Morgan intercepted a pass to run in unopposed from 60 metres out, meaning only a win will do for Dwayne Peel’s men on Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to comments