Ospreys suffer second URC defeat in South Africa

Rugby World Cup

Stormers (8) 26

Roos, Simelane, de Villiers Con: Matthee Pens: Matthee 3

Ospreys (10) 10

Ospreys suffered a second successive Rugby World Cup (URC) defeat in South Africa with a 26-10 loss to Stormers in Cape Town.

Mark Jones’ side took a 10-8 half-time lead thanks to two tries from Wales scrum-half Kieran Hardy, who also raised hopes for a third win in a row against this particular South African opposition.

Evan Ross, the Stormers’ eighteenth tries, Wandisile Simelane, Paul de Villiers, and substitute Paul de Villiers led the charge, while fly-half Jurie Matthee added 11 points.

The Stormers won with a 35-0 victory over defending champions Leinster on the opening weekend, giving them a home win.

The Welsh side was dominated at the scrum with six set-piece penalties, but Hardy, Dewi Lake, Harri Deaves, Ross Moriarty, and Daniel Kasende were among the notable individual performers.

In the opening round, the Ospreys lost to the Bulls in Pretoria, where they were joined by Wales trio Hardy, Gareth Thomas, and James Ratti, while Stormers scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage made his 100th appearance.

Ospreys made a strong start following South African wing Kasende’s kickoff, which produced a signature Hardy try.

Moments later, Roos seized on a Matthee cross kick to level the scores after being denied.

Ospreys captain Lake had a significant impact in the opening exchanges, but the visitors’ scrum was immediately under siege.

No. 8 Moriarty, who had the impressive Kasende serving as the impressive run and scoring pass, set up the set-piece play that resulted in a second Hardy try.

As the visitors drew level with two points at half-time thanks primarily to a defensive effort and breakdown superiority, Matthee missed a penalty after another Ospreys scrum infringement before slotting a second one over.

The Stormers opened the scoring for the first time in the second half thanks to their once again outstanding scrum dominance.

Before de Villiers was sailed over from a lineout, Simelane started and completed a flowing move down the right.

Dewi Lake, the captain of the Ospreys, said, “It is a huge positive for us to start quickly again as we did last week.

“We are kind of letting the game slip at this point, probably for 10 to 15 minutes after half-time.”

Kotze, Vermaak, Sandi, Van Heerden, Dixon, De Villiers, Ungerer, and Swart are the replacements.

Walsh, Kasende, P. Cokanasiga, P. Cokanasiga, K. Williams, Giles, Hardy, G. Thomas, Lake (capt), R. Davies, Sutton, Ratti, Deaves, Moriarty, and R. Cokanasiga.

L. Lloyd, C. Jones, T. Botha, T. Botha, Fender, Morse, Morgan-Williams, Florence, and Hopkins are the replacements.

Referee: Ireland’s Peter Martin

Assistants: JD Jadezweni (South Africa), Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa), and JD Jadezweni (South Africa).