Win against Montpellier ends Ospreys drought
Ospreys recorded their first win in Europe in two years as they battled to a 21-10 win against Masivesi Dakuwaqa’s Top 14 champions Montpellier in the Champions Cup on Saturday.
Ospreys, whose last win in Europe came in December 2020, went into the break 14-3 up after first-half tries from Sam Parry and Keiran Williams.
Montpellier responded in the second half with a try through their hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
But Morgan Morris hit back with a score in the corner to seal a famous win.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth had made nine changes to the team that lost to Leicester last time out, including a first start for Owen Williams and the notable absence of Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones.
The Welsh region appeared from the tunnel sporting their alternative multicoloured kit and Barbarianslike sock variety, with each player’s colours representing the clubs they played for.
But the early flashes came from the hosts, as Louis Carbonel kicked Montpellier ahead on four minutes after Ospreys were penalised for not rolling away at the ruck.
After calling the mark from a clearing kick, scrum-half Cobus Reinach took it quickly, sprinting down the right touchline past three Ospreys before kicking behind the defence but Max Nagy scrambled back to prevent the early try.
The Top 14 side were in the ascendency but it was the Welsh region who scored the game’s opening try.
After Zach Mercer was penalised for tackling Rhys Davies in the air, Florian Verhaeghe committed the same infringement at the next lineout and was sin-binned by referee Nika Amashukeli.
Ospreys took immediate advantage of the extra man, powering over with the driving maul and Parry dotting down. Owen Williams was on target with the conversion.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth told BBC Sport Wales: “I’m pleased for the boys and supporters because
there’s been a lot of toil of effort and to get the right side of the result and positivity around that, nothing reinforces that more than winning.
“There was an arm wrestle, it was very difficult but it was a team defence and an attitude of we’re not going to give you anything for free. People performed tonight.
“We worked very hard in the week, we’ll enjoy it for what it is but to get momentum and a performance back is important.”
Montpellier: Bouthier (capt); B Lam, Darmon, P Garbisi, Bridge; Carbonel, Reinach; Forletta, PaengaAmosa, H Thomas, Verhaeghe, Chalureau, Doumenc, Becognee, Mercer. Replacements: Langdon, Fichten, Tuinukuafe, Tauleigne, Coly, Tisseron, Dakuwaqa, Willemse.
Ospreys: Nagy; Cuthbert, Collins, K Williams, L Morgan; O Williams, R Webb; G Thomas, Parry, Botha, R Davies, Beard, Roots, Tipuric (capt), M Morris. Replacements: Baldwin, N Smith, Francis, Sutton, J Morgan, Morgan-Williams, Walsh, Hawkins.