Hardy double inspires Ospreys to beat Cardiff

Rugby World Cup

Ospreys (12) 33

Giles, Hardy 2, Parry, Hopkins, and Edwards.

Cardiff (7) 22

Two tries from Wales scrumhalf Kieran Hardy helped the Ospreys win the New Year’s Eve derby bonus point at Cardiff in Bridgend.

Hardy’s brace was supplemented by tries from wing Keelan Giles, Iestyn Hopkins and hooker Sam Parry to lift Ospreys to eighth in the Rugby World Cup (URC) table.

In the final eight minutes, Cardiff made a late comeback by scoring three tries to earn a losing bonus point and place second in the division behind the Stormers.

Josh Adams, a winger for Wales, and Taulupe Faletau and Javan Sebastian as substitutes, both added goals in the opening period.

The visitors will be disappointed if they receive a festive derby victory after one win in three games because of the Ospreys forwards’ dominance of Cardiff.

Ospreys were rock bottom in the league at the beginning of the holiday season, but they have since won eight derbys.

Five Cardiff changes were made in the team that defeated the Dragons on Boxing Day, including Wales prop Keiron Assiratti, who suffered a calf injury.

Danny Southworth, a fellow prop, lock George Nott, a passer Alun Lawrence, and scrumhalf Johan Mulder also got on the ground.

Dewi Lake, the stand-in for the Ospreys, was replaced by Parry and Jack Walsh as co-captains.

With Reuben Morgan-Williams and Luke Davies to blame, Hardy, who was only the specialist number nine in the Ospreys squad, went close to scoring, but the ball went over the line before flanker Harri Deaves, who was also injured.

Giles’ fine individual try, which came about after a deft pass from Hardy, eventually broke the deadlock.

Cardiff’s first offensive of note saw the completion of centre Ben Thomas, who glided through the Ospreys defense twice and gave Adams the try-scoring pass in the process.

Hardy benefited from Ospreys’ return to the power game by diving over the ruck to score.

In a move that visiting flanker Dan Thomas was also involved in, Cardiff captain Liam Belcher was shown a yellow card for an illegal clearout on Rhys Davies, but he did not suffer a sin-binned.

Ospreys couldn’t use the extra man, leading 12-7 at halftime.

After Hopkins’ and Smith’s excellent work, which gave Cardiff a 15-man starting lineup, allowed Parry to score early in the second half.

Gareth Thomas, the team’s Wales prop, is out until the end of January with a calf injury, but Garyn Phillips showed his worth with a crucial defensive turnover.

Before Hopkins finished the Ospreys scoring, Hardy crossed for the bonus-point lead as he left Mason Grady behind in Cardiff.

Before Faletau charged over, with their supporters wondering where this attacking intent had been for the first 70 minutes, Cardiff responded with a strong second score for Adams.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) was planning to cut a men’s professional side at the time the two teams were playing.

Y11 Sports and Media, the owners of Ospreys, are rumored to be interested in buying Cardiff, which briefly went into administration before being absorbed by Welsh rugby’s governing body.

In addition to the three teams that will be permitted in Cardiff, the west and the east, the WRU announced in October that it wants to reduce the number to three.

Negotiations have continued, but the WRU has stated that the team’s elimination will no longer occur until the end of the year.

Before this other proposal, which would allow Welsh rugby bosses to obtain their desired number of three, appeared to be a straight shootout between Scarlets and Ospreys for the west licence.

Both the WRU and Y11 have declined to comment on this possibility, putting Ospreys supporters at risk for their futures.

Lake, S. Thomas, Henry, Fender, Morse, G. Evans, P. Cokanasiga, and Nagy are the replacements.

Sin-bin: Morse 79

Cardiff: Winnett, Adams, Millard, Millard, Grady, Sheedy, Mulder, Southworth, Belcher (capt), Assiratti, McNally, Nott, Mann, D Thomas, Lawrence, and Millard.

E Lloyd, Barratt, Sebastian, Thornton, Botham, Faletau, A Davies, Beetham, and Reverse.

Belcher 31 Sin-bin

Referee: WRU’s Adam Jones.

Referees’ assistants: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU), and Ben Breakspear (WRU).