Powerful Benetton too good for ill-disciplined Ospreys

United Rugby Championship

Benetton (14) 31

Tries: Maile, Mendy, Ratave (2), Umaga Cons: Umaga (3)

Ospreys (5) 19

Tries: K Williams (2), L Davies Cons: Walsh (2)

Mark Jones’ side lost at Stadio Monigo and now have little margin for error if they are to sneak into the top eight.

An inspired performance from winger Onisi Ratave proved to be the catalyst for the comfortable victory for the Italians over the Welsh region, who would finish with 14-men after a costly red card to Ross Moriarty in the 64th minute after earlier being sin-binned.

The Fijian scored two of five tries for hosts Benetton, who also benefitted from a try and three conversions from Jacob Umaga, with Siua Maile, Ignacio Mendy also going over in the bonus point victory.

Centre Keiran Williams scored tries in both halves for Ospreys, who also saw replacement scrum-half Luke Davies add a consolation third in the 80th minute, but would crucially be unable to come up with another for a pair of bonus points.

Ospreys are now six points back on the South African province Vodacom Bulls in eighth and realistically must now win against Connacht in Galway next weekend if they are to prolong their league campaign.

The Ospreys had been able to welcome back their Welsh Six Nations contingent for the match, with head coach Mark Jones opting to select those sparingly used in the campaign.

There would be starts for centre Owen Watkin, scrum-half Ruben Morgan-Williams, and flanker Harri Deaves, whilst captain Jac Morgan appeared off the bench in the second half to play his first minutes for the region since a shoulder injury in November.

It would be the hosts who would get off to the perfect start with hooker Maile opening the scoring for Benetton off the back of a powerful rolling maul just four minutes in the contest.

Deaves’ clever pass fed Williams five yards out for Ospreys to respond minutes later, but it would be short-lived with Argentinian international Mendy finishing a flowing backs move to add a second for the Italians to regain the lead into the break after a period of dominance.

The Ospreys came out of the blocks fighting in the second period and would be rewarded minutes after the restart. Williams finishing his second of the afternoon after neat work from midfield partner Watkin.

But straight from the kick-off a lapse in concentration allowed Ratave to gather and sprint through to swing the match back in favour of the Italians.

It proved to be a decisive period, and after Ospreys thought they had scored up the other end with Jack Walsh, Moriarty would be dismissed in the aftermath for a dangerous clear-out in the build-up to the try.

With the extra man, Ratave once again broke free to put the game to bed. Umaga then converted his own try to make it 31-12.

It was the visitors who briefly held the man advantage after Scott Scrafton and Malakai Fekitoa were sent to the sin bin in the final 10 minutes. Seeing an opportunity of clawing a bonus point, Luke Davies narrowed the deficit with a last-gasp try, converted again by Walsh, but it was too late to stage a comeback.

Ospreys starting XV: 

15. Iestyn Hopkins, 14. Dan Kasande, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Kieran Williams, 11. Ryan Conbeer, 10. Jack Walsh (co-captain), 9. Ruben Morgan-Williams, 1. Steff Thomas, 2. Sam Parry (co-captain), 3. Tom Botha, 4. James Fender, 5. Ryan Smith, 6. James Ratti, 7. Harri Deaves, 8. Ross Moriarty.

Replacements: 

16. Lewis Lloyd, 17. Garwyn Phillips, 18. Rhys Henry, 19. Huw Sutton, 20. Jac Morgan, 21. Luke Davies, 22. Harri Houston, 23. Evardi Boshoff.

[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]