Munster turn on power to add to misery for Ospreys

The Ospreys’ horror start to the season continued as they were battered into submission by a physically superior Munster side in Swansea.

Allen Clarke’s side have only won once this season and with champions Saracens and Racing 92 also in their Pool 4 it is hard to see anything other than a whitewash for the Welsh region.

“The game changer was that try from the kick-off,” said Munster head coach Johann van Graan. “The Ospreys said they were going to fight for this one. That last try could be vital. It doesn’t matter when you score as long as you get four.”

The Ospreys were full of energy but for all their endeavour failed to find an answer to Munster’s unrelenting physicality in the first half. Munster, 13-6 up at the break, carried on from where they left off in the early stages of the second half with the Ospreys forwards unable to match their ball carriers.

The visiting forwards went through the phases before the ball was spun wide for Keith Earls to sneak in at the corner. Earls’s try was referred to the television match official due to Hanno Dirksen’s brave tackle but the replays proved the wing’s foot had not been in touch. Ospreys hooker Scott Otten cheaply surrendered possession from the restart. The ball fell to Jeremy Loughman who put Andrew Conway into the clear with the Ireland international running in from 55 metres out.

Tyler Bleyendaal was successful with the conversion and Munster went in search of a try bonus point. But to their immense credit the Ospreys refused to throw in the towel. Bradley Davies grabbed a late consolation try when he took a quickly tapped penalty. James Hook converted but Munster finished by laying siege to the Ospreys’ line and James Cronin grabbed the bonus in the last play of the game.

“For us the scoreline probably did us a disservice in terms of the effort,” said Clarke, the Ospreys head coach.