Ospreys …………. 19pts
AN error-ridden performance from Sharks ensured Ospreys celebrated their first URC visit to London.
With crowds in Swansea dwindling, Ospreys only had just over 3,000 for last weekend's visit of Zebre, the bold decision was made to take the game to The Stoop and they were rewarded with an attendance of over 7,000 and a deserved win.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said: “We had the ambition and the foresight to take a chance on coming here and I believe if it had been a Saturday afternoon, we could have even doubled the crowd.
Tries: Walsh 15, Nagy 28, K Williams 40
Conversions: Walsh 28, 40
Sharks …………….. 5pts
Tries: Buthelezi 3
“Tonight we were into everything and we were a real pain and irritant to them.”
For Sharks it was a third defeat on the road, which has seen them concede 87 points and not pick up a single point.
They deserved nothing on the night for after an explosive start, they imploded due to a number of basic errors and eventually had to concede being second best as back rowers, Morgan Morris and Harri Deaves were at the forefront of a committed effort from the Welsh pack.
Sharks were quickly out of the blocks with a sweeping move which culminated in Phepsi Buthelezi out-flanking the cover defence to score. Ospreys' response was swift and after Ethan Lewis' try was disallowed for a knock-on before grounding, they drew level when Jack Walsh darted through a gap to race over.
Owen Williams was forced to leave the field to be replaced by Max Nagy and it was the replacement that put his side in front as Sharks collapsed.
Their centre, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, split the defence with a clean break but instead of passing, he attempted a kick and it was charged down by Nagy, who raced an unopposed 55 metres.
Van Rensburg's night went further downhill when he was yellow carded for leading with his forearm to catch Harri Deaves in the face.
A miserable 10 minutes for Sharks was completed when Aphiwe Dyantyi failed to minor the ball and Keiran Williams was on hand to touchdown to give his side a 19-5 interval lead.
Eight minutes after the restart, van Rensburg returned but despite having the better of possession and territory, his side couldn't make it count and the third quarter finished scoreless.
MATCH STATS…
OSPR v SHAR
6 Penalties conceded 13
12 Lineouts won 9
2 Lineouts lost 1
6 Scrums won 5
0 Scrums lost 0
0 Sin bin 1
Walsh had a chance to seal victory but was off-target with a 30 metre penalty but it made no difference as Sharks never looked like clawing back the deficit.
TEAMS
OSPREYS: Walsh 7, Morgan 6, K Williams 7 (L Scully 78, 6), Watkin 6, Fricker 6 (L Davies 78, 6), O Williams 5 (Nagy 19, 8), Morgan-Williams 6, Phillips 6 (Henry 54, 6), Lewis 7 (Lloyd 64, 6), Botha 6 (Warren 60, 6), R Davies 7 (Jones 78, 6), Fender 6, Ratti 6, Morris (c) 8, Deaves 8 (Morse 54-62, 6)
SHARKS: Fassi 5, Kok 7, Venter (c) 5 (Koster 62, 6), Janse van Rensburg 4, Dyantyi 4, Bosch 5 (Chamberlain 62, 6), Wright 5 (Mikhabela 61, 6), Mchunu 6(Bleuler 57, 6), Richardson 7(van Vuuren 57, 6), Oosthuizen 7(Jacobs 57, 6), Rahl 6, van Heerden 7 (Andrews 66, 6), J Venter 6, Notshe 6 (Cronje 60, 6), Buthelezi 7
REFEREE: ATTENDANCE: Mike Adamson (Sco) 7,183
Star man
Harri Deaves-Ospreys
