Connacht 6 - 17 Ospreys

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The Ospreys moved back to the top of the PRO12 as their understrength side still proved too strong for Connacht in a windy Galway.

Miah Nikora and Matthew Morgan swapped early penalties before scrum-half Rhys Webb's break set up Morgan to score under the posts on 32 minutes.

Nikora kicked another penalty before the break but with the wind advantage to follow, the Ospreys were in control.

Sonny Parker's try made the game safe as Connacht lacked a cutting edge.

The Ospreys were without 18 squad members because of Wales and Wales Sevens duty and injuries but Tommy Bowe was in action for the Welsh outfit in his native country.

Connacht had the gale force wind at their backs in their first half but kicking was still difficult and Nikora was off target with the game's opening penalty chance in the 11th minute.

As Connacht pressed, Paul O'Donohue sniped towards the Ospreys line in the 13th minute before being bundled into touch.

Connacht's early pressure did yield a penalty for Nikora in the 16th minute but Morgan quickly levelled for the Ospreys after a George Naoupu infringement in a ruck.

The conditions suggested that Connacht would need a healthy lead going into the second half so the game was going to plan for the Ospreys.

It got even better for the visitors in the 32nd minute as scrum-half Webb's midfield break set up Morgan to score under the posts and the fly-half added the conversion for good measure to increase the Ospreys lead to 10-3.

Nikora replied with a Connacht penalty but Richard Hibbard wasted a chance to score a second Ospreys try before the break as the visitors had numbers out wide.

However given the conditions, the Ospreys' 10-6 interval lead appeared a dominant position.

Connacht summoned up a big effort after the break and pressure in the Ospreys 22 resulted in Ian Gough being yellow carded in the 45th minute.

But after opting for the line-out, Connacht failed to control the possession and the chance was lost - something that happened on several occasions during the 80 minutes.

Replacement scrum-half Murphy attemped to generate quicker Connacht possession but the visitors held firm and invariably punted the ball, wind-assisted, back into home territory.

After the Connacht huff and puff had come to nothing, Duncan Jones, making his 150th appearance for the Ospreys, produced a run which helped set up the decisive second try on the hour.

After Jones had charged to the edge of the Connacht 22, slick handling in the Ospreys backs culminated in Richard Fussell setting up replacement Parker to score under the posts.

Morgan added the conversion and with almost 20 minutes left, the game was already over.

The defeat leaves Connacht without a win since 23 September.



Connacht: Gavin Duffy (c); Brian Tuohy, Dave McSharry, Henry Fa'afili, Tiernan O'Halloran; Miah Nikora, Paul O'Donohoe; Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Rodney Ah You; Dave Gannon, George Naoupu; TJ Anderson, John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa.

Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Ronan Loughney, Stewart Maguire, Mike Kearney, Eoghan Grace, Frank Murphy, Niall O'Connor, Mark McCrea.

Ospreys: Barry Davies; Tommy Bowe, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Richard Fussell; Matthew Morgan, Rhys Webb; Duncan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Aaron Jarvis, Ian Gough, James King, Tom Smith (capt), Chauncey O'Toole, Joe Bearman.

Replacements: Mefin Davies, Cai Griffiths, Joe Rees, James Goode, George Stowers, Tom Isaacs, Sonny Parker, Hanno Dirksen.

Good Work Ospreys

O's back in their own 22 now. Connacht could get a LBP at least.

Ospreys are definitely starting to look the stronger team now...

Maes - they're doing well considering they're missing so many quality players and the weather's so bad. They need to hang in there though. There's still 15 minutes to go and Connacht will want a home win.

nice kick BD

Duncan Jones is doing very well on the loosehead.

Cari your boy Tommy has been rather quiet tonight...?

Connacht Bring on Owen "The Green Hornet" Grace on... Looks more of an Osprey than a man of Connacht...!

oh shame about that Stowers knock on. I thought the O's were going for a third try there.

Ha the Connacht fella in the eye mask looks like an O's supporter with it on.

maestegmafia wrote:Cari your boy Tommy has been rather quiet tonight...?

he's not getting enough ball!

I also blame the fact he's just got over a dead leg

Awfull mistake by Barry Davies, really given Connacht their head here

Lucky Ospreys, Connacht not releasing

Connacht attacking for the LBP try. 8 minutes to go, the O's need to keep up with the defence...which they do. Penalty to the O's just when connacht are within metres.

Tommy off for Dirksen

Bowe is off

Webb cant use the wind on the far side oft the pitch with his kicks... Seems to not learn from his mistakes

Awh Tommy looks happy anyway, so at least it's not an injury sub.

Hold them off O's!! Four minutes to go...don't give them a LBP!

Good run by Dirksen, but he can't finish like Tommy

Awful decision making between Morgan and Dirksen there. Should have been a try.

Peers on for Gough now. It's like musical chairs...

Three minutes to go...hold on Ospreys...

Dirksen should have returned the pass.

Yep. Dirksen just doesn't have the Bowe magic...Tommy would've been away with that pass. I'll put it down to lack of experience...

Any idea who MOTM will be? I haven't got any preferences...

Duncan a deserved man of the match.. well done

Murphy has been great for Connacht at scrum half

FT - Connacht 6 : 17 Ospreys

MOTM - Duncan Jones

Good win for the O's away in Galway.

Great win

FT 6 - 17 after 82 minutes.

Well done Ospreys a badly needed win in difficult conditions.

Well played Connacht, a very good team, hard t beat, skillful with ball in hand and never give up...



RaboDirect Pro12 table

Saturday, 26 November 2011 15:57 UK


1 Ospreys 30
2 Leinster 30
3 Glasgow 26
4 Cardiff Blues 25
5 Munster 23
6 Scarlets 21


Close at the top

Well done Ospreys a good win in difficult conditions.

Good interview with Gwynfi boy Duncan Jones... Nice work for a Cape product...

Yes good win in difficult conditions. Once again our defense was amazing, especially with 14 men on the field. But our attack looked mostly static or listless. No real direction. The two occasions we injected any real pace into the attack, we scored. Ok, hands up who's identified the learning point here????

Rhys Webb put in some awful kicks from the back of rucks and line outs, not using the wind at all well.

yes thought generally he played well, but was the wrong weather for box kicks!!!

"I think the beeb have confused Duncan and Adam Jones.

The Ospreys Website wrote:

Meanwhile, Adam Jones has returned to the Ospreys for treatment after being released from the Wales squad on Monday due to his ongoing calf issue."

Maestegmafia -- AJ is back with the O's, so not sure what you mean ...

The OP copy and paste from the BBC Website said that Duncs was injured and returning to the Ospreys. When they meant Adam

What is OP? Your quote says AJ ... You've completely lost me

I deleted the original OP, it is not important now.

OP = Original Post.

I'm happy with that win and the fact the O's denied them the LBP. I think the scores would've been higher from both sides had it not been for the poor weather, but that might've favoured both sides really considering the O's gave away so many penalties and yet Connacht didn't score any tries.

I agree about the lack of game plan though. I don't suppose any plan would work in such conditions, but then surely players should prepare for that? I wanted them all to run with the ball more instead of trying to kick for territory, because that tactic just wasn't working in the windy weather. Ah well, O's are still a pip behind Leinster in the table, so hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here....

18 players missing from call ups and injuries and we still beat them away.
Say what you want but that is class!

Alyn - ...and in a howling gale!

AlynDavies wrote:18 players missing from call ups and injuries and we still beat them away.
Say what you want but that is class!

Duncan Jones man of the match too... Much deserved, destroyed his opposition