Carty injury is latest blow to Connacht as Ospreys go top
OSPREYS jumped ahead of Munster and Leinster to go top of the Pro12 after a bonus point win over depleted Connacht – who lost Jack Carty to a serious looking knee injury.
Connacht went into the game with a long injury list but the loss of out-half Carty is a serious blow ahead of the last two rounds of the Champions Cup. Pat Lam’s side ended the game with scrumhalf Caolin Blade in the No 10 role and they currently have no fit players in the position.
Tries from man of the match Dan Baker, Olly Cracknell and Nicky Smith, with Ashley Beck sealing the bonus point score in the final minute, handed Ospreys a 29-7 win. Defending champions Connacht’s points came from a try from flanker Sean O’Brien, converted by John Cooney.
Scrum-half Cooney was one of three Connacht changes, returning from injury to boost the back line, O’Brien coming in at blindside flanker and Naulia Dawai earning his first start.
Connacht started brightly enough but were undone by two fine tries in the space of three minutes. The first was started with a pinpoint flat pass from Sam Davies which put Cracknell through a hole and after going through the phases Baker crashed over for Davies to convert.
Ospreys’ great brand of rugby continued as a break down the right ended with Davies putting Cracknell over by the posts. Davies converted to make it 14-0 after 14 minutes.
Connacht were not helped by losing Jack Heenan as well as Carty in the first half and were fortunate not to concede more before the break.
Five minutes into the second half Ospreys extended their lead through a Davies penalty, before prop Nicky Smith squeezed over for the third try which Davies converted.
After Davies went to the bin on 69 minutes for a high tackle and the visitors showed character to hit back as O’Brien went over for a try down the right, however Beck had the final word.