Big tackle count sees Ospreys win wrestle
OSPREYS overcame a torrid first-half hour to achieve a notable victory over highflying Ulster in a Swansea arm-wrestle.
In that 30 minute period, Ulster, who last week beat Leinster for the first time since 2013, battered the opposition line but heroic defence and a lack of creativity saw Ospreys concede only a penalty try.
However, Ulster will still wonder how they finished up losing as they had over 60 per cent of possession and territory and forced Ospreys into making a remarkable 246 tackles.
Ospreys’ head coach, Toby Booth, said: “Defensively we were awesome and recent results show that we have beaten one of the best teams in the competition.
“Last week against Connacht we went two steps back but today we went forward by three.
“They threw everything at us but attitude is the key and predominantly it’s about how much you want to work without the ball.
“Back-rowers are probably the most influential players on the pitch so Morgan Morris and Jac Morgan caused a lot of important turning-points.”
Morgan and Morris were certainly at the heart of a Ospreys’ defensive effort yet with all their possession, Ulster’s backs should have rewarded their pack with points but apart from one dart from Mike Lowry they were pedestrian.
Ospreys weren’t much better, being content to bring in Alex Cuthbert on the crash-ball to get them over the gain-line so it was a largely unedifying spectacle.
Ulster made an explosive start to pin their opponents in their own half as Ospreys conceded six penalties in the opening 13 minutes.
However a stubborn home defence held firm and it took a penalty try award for Ulster to open their account with Luke Morgan being judged to have deliberately knockedon to prevent a try.
Morgan was yellowcarded before Stephen Myler and John Cooney exchanged penalties before Morgan could return from the sin-bin.
Ospreys suffered an injury blow when Max Nagy, who was a late inclusion for hip injury victim Dan Evans, left the field with an elbow injury to be replaced by Gareth Anscombe.
The second quarter was vastly different to the first with Ospreys benefitting from a number of penalties in their favour to have an equal share of the game and they drew level when Morris stormed over.
Myler converted and kicked a penalty before Ulster lost their Welsh international hooker Bradley Roberts to a leg injury with the Irishmen left to ponder how they were behind 13-10 at the interval.
Five minutes after the restart, Ulster brought on Jack McGrath for his first appearance in over a year following hip surgery in April.
Cooney and Myler exchanged penalties as the second half mirrored the first.
Ospreys grew in influence as the half progressed with their scrum becoming dominant to win a crucial penalty which Myler kicked to seal an unlikely victory.
Ulster’s head coach, Dan McFarland said: “They were really aggressive in defence and we couldn’t get quick ball or momentum.
“We couldn’t get the ball over the line and when you are away from home you have to take those opportunities.”