Sharks’ bite is too much for disappointing Ospreys
THE Ospreys saw their unbeaten record in the United Rugby Championship snatched away as they failed to cope with the Sharks at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Visiting fly-half Boeta Chamberlain banged over a hat-trick of dropgoals and centre Jeremy Ward and winger Marnus Potgieter both crossed.
A Gareth Thomas try late on proved no more than a consolation.
It was a hugely-disappointing result for Toby Booth’s team, who had gone into the match on the back of two straight wins.
They had played convincingly in both those previous games, too, but against the Sharks they made multiple handling errors, struggled for territory and were not tight enough in defence.
Jac Morgan achieved a couple of turnovers and both he and Alun Wyn Jones tackled their hearts out, but there wasn’t too much more for home supporters to get excited about.
Their backs lacked fluency and the Sharks preyed on errors.
It was 6-6 at half-time with the Ospreys struggling for territory and the Sharks edging possession.
Certainly, the Welsh team didn’t look like a side who had won their first two United Rugby Championship games.
They had taken a 6-0 lead through two Gareth Anscombe penalties, with the fly-half taking his run of successful kicks up to 13 with the second of those shots.
But, generally, the team lacked fluency.
They had a lineout turned over and their passing wasn’t crisp.
When they did secure a good attacking position, Ruan Pienaar intercepted Rhys Webb’s pass five metres out, looked up and started running.
Alarm bells started to ring for the Welsh side, only for Anscombe to reel in the 37-year-old Sharks scrumhalf.
The visitors began to crank up their forward effort and with fly-half Chamberlain controlling matters, the Ospreys began to find the going tough.
It needed an excellent tackle from Owen Watkin to foil a dangerous Sharks move.
But with Chamberlain popping over two drop-goals, the second from close on 40 metres, the visitors turned around level-pegging.
It was little more than they deserved.
Sharks went in front for the first time early in the second half.
It was a quality try out of sync with much of the game.
Chamberlain put a deft kick through, Hyron Andrews took play on and popped the ball up for centre Ward to score.
The second try came from wing Potgieter, who profited from fast passing and loose defence.
Chamberlain then completed his hat-trick of drop goals.
Thomas drove over for a late try for the Ospreys.
But it was too little too late and Pienaar topped off the scoring with his second penalty.