Hopkins seals Ospreys comeback against Connacht

European Challenge Cup

Ospreys (5) 24

Tries: Deaves, Cokanasiga, R Smith, Hopkins Cons: Edwards 2

Connacht (21) 21

Wing Iestyn Hopkins scored a 75th-minute winner as Ospreys completed a remarkable comeback to beat Connacht 24-21 in the European Challenge Cup.

The Welsh side look dead and buried when trailing 21-0 in the first half in Bridgend but fought back for a stunning bonus-point triumph in horrendous conditions.

Connacht raced into a 21-0 lead thanks to powerful finishes by tight-head props Finlay Bealham and Jack Aungier, either side of a similar effort by number eight Sean Jansen.

They ultimately paid the price for botched chances as Ospreys flanker Harri Deaves crossed with the final play of the first half to make it 21-5.

Home centre Phil Cokanasiga and lock Ryan Smith went over as Connacht, having emptied their bench, were reduced to 13 men because of an injury and a yellow card for Denis Buckley that led to uncontested scrums.

Connacht set the tone with a dominant first quarter in which they won collisions and had the better of the set-piece exchanges.

Bealham crashed over from close range in the 11th minute and then, after Ospreys blind-side James Ratti was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, number eight Jansen also scored for the visitors.

A 50:22 by fly-half Jack Carty got the Irish province on the front foot again for their third try with just 22 minutes gone.

Replacement prop Aungier, who came on when Bealham was forced off immediately after his opener, powered through a tackle with Sean Naughton striking his third conversion for a 21-0 lead.

It got worse for Ospreys in the 28th minute when loose-head Garyn Phillips was shown yellow for persistent offending at the scrum.

Connacht wasted three opportunities in the 22 that would have secured the four-try bonus and the hosts had the final say of the half when, after a driving line-out went close, Wales flanker Deaves got over.

Ospreys made a bright start to the second half with wing Hopkins having a line break denied by a forward pass and then being dragged down just short after number eight Ross Moriarty’s inside ball.

The home side did get themselves back in it with 56 minutes gone when centre Phil Cokanasiga crashed over after a quick tap, fly-half Dan Edwards converting to cut Connacht’s lead to 21-12.

With conditions worsening and Ospreys’ scrum transformed by the arrival of Wales loose-head Gareth Thomas, it was game on when loose-head Buckley was sin-binned for repeated infringements in the 67th minute.

That led to uncontested scrums and Connacht losing wing Finn Treacy, with Ospreys immediately punishing the 13 men through lock Smith crossing for a try that Edwards converted despite a slip.

Ospreys go on their travels to France to face Top 14 strugglers Montauban, who started with a 41-17 loss at Zebre, on Saturday, 13 December (15:15 GMT).

Ospreys: Walsh; Kasende, Boshoff, Cokanasiga, Hopkins; Edwards, Morgan-Williams; G Phillips, Parry (capt), Botha, R Davies, R Smith, Ratti, Deaves, Moriarty

Replacements: L Lloyd, G Thomas, Henry, Sutton, G Evans, L Davies, Nagy, Giles

Yellow cards: Ratti, G Phillips.

Connacht: Naughton; Jennings, Gilbert, Aki (capt), Treacy; Carty, Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, Joyce, D O’Connor, J Murphy, S O’Brien, Jansen

Replacements: de Buitlear, Duggan, Aungier, D Murray, Boyle, Reilly, S Walsh, West

Yellow card: Buckley

Referee: Evan Urruzmendi (France)

Assistant referees: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy & Cyrille Boulay (France)