A performance of power and pace saw the Bulls earn an attacking bonus point before the break, running in nine in total as the Ospreys were well beaten on a tough afternoon in South Africa.
No team has scored more points than the Bulls in the first twenty minutes of play in the URC this season and Jake White’s side would come out of the traps flying with early scores for hooker Johan Grobbelaar and full back David Kriel.
The Ospreys rallied with scum-half Luke Davies reducing the arrears, but that would be short-lived as wing Kurt-Lee Arendse added the hosts third shortly after.
Fellow speedster Canan Moodie effectively ended the contest as a match as half-time approached, earning the bonus point and quickly added his second of the game soon after the break.
Scrum-half Embrose Papier then went clear before Arendse got his second. Kieran Williams’ try gave the Ospreys something to cheer about midway through the second period and Keelan Giles’ spectacular finish gave faint hope of an unlikely bonus point.
A penalty try for Max Nagy’s deliberate knock-on close to the line compounded the visitors’ problems and whilst pushing for a score veteran back Willie le Roux would intercept Williams’ loose pass to add another for the home side.
It would be tough to take for Booth, but the Ospreys number one could not fault the effort of his side but admitted if they want to compete with the best, his team needs to be more accurate in their play.
“To play against the top teams you need to be on it,” said Booth.
“I thought we were intense last week and the same this week – the difference between the two was the accuracy.
“If you are inaccurate against a team that has got good athletes, that can be punished quickly on the turnover. If you create turnover for them, then you pay a big price and that’s it.
“It’s not a train smash where we are going to pull ourselves to pieces over it over the hot coals.
“Our challenge if we want to move into that play-off arena and beyond is to be a really tough team.
“We know what we are from an effort point of view in how we chased for that fourth try today. You saw it last week and the performances across the season.
“When it comes down to the nitty gritty of the moments you have to be accurate.
“We created a lot of pressure on Stormers last week and we capitalised on their inaccuracy. The Bulls created a lot of pressure today and they capitalised off ours, that’s the story.
“If you are inaccurate and spend long periods under pressure and duress, the energy comes down very quickly.
“The power game was definitely evident from the Bulls. We are always going to be tough and brave and had to work hard for the moments we created.
“We got intercepted twice when we thought perhaps, we can get something out of this, and the score goes up.
“But I said it’s not about the score, we are chasing four tries here whatever happens. That is what we do here at the Ospreys.
“The game had gone but as you could see, we gave it a great go but with inaccuracy we don’t give ourselves a final shot.
“It’s not going to get any easier with Leinster away and two Welsh derbies which are very emotive.
“But we have an idea in mind if you look historically at the table of what we need to be in the top-eight. That would be progress and then we’ll see where that takes us.”
[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]
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