Pro12: Ospreys 44-10 Edinburgh

  • Published
Richard Hibbard takes on Edinburgh captain Roddy Grant

Richard Hibbard and Eli Walker each scored twice as Ospreys hammered Edinburgh in a bonus-point Pro12 win.

After Canadian wing Jeff Hassler's opener, rising star Walker also stood out along with Lions Hibbard and line-out dominator Ian Evans.

Wing Tim Visser scored Edinburgh's try, but replacement Matthew Morgan's 80-metre run-in was the solo highlight.

However, Ospreys' Lions flanker Justin Tipuric was sin-binned for a second-half tip-tackle.

Having entered the fray as a 37th-minute replacement for knee-injury victim Tom Smith, open-side Tipuric became embroiled in one of the game's controversies.

He was yellow carded on the advice of television match official Paul Adams 10 minutes into the second period after an incident that sparked a confrontation among the forwards.

But even without the Wales flanker, the Ospreys were able to conjure tries by Hibbard and Walker.

Summer signing Hassler began the rout, powering over after Evans began to establish his set-piece presence for Dan Biggar to convert.

Image caption,

Eli Walker goes over for the Ospreys

Biggar added two penalties before full-back Richard Fussell sent Wales' uncapped 2013 Six Nations squad member Walker away.

Harry Leonard had given the visitors their only first-half points shortly before Walker's touchdown.

The opening period ended on a low after Smith was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected dislocated knee, having also been struck by Edinburgh hooker Aleki Lutui's swinging arm as he was brought down.

Lutui's indiscretion did not come to the attention of the match officials, but television replays were clear cut.

However, the hooker's actions did not appear to contribute to the lower-limb injury Smith suffered.

Soon after the break Hibbard profited from Evans' close-range line-out take and return pass to the hooker, who powered over on the blind-side.

Edinburgh had brief hope as Visser made the most of loose Ospreys defence and Leonard converted.

But after that the Ospreys again took control.

Evans again won the line-out and this time another of the Ospreys' five British and Irish Lions forwards, tight-head prop Adam Jones, played a part before Italian scrum-half Tito Tibaldi gave Hibbard the scoring pass.

After Ashley Beck's long pass, Fussell's kick ahead was perfectly placed for Walker to outpace the cover and gather to score.

Three minutes from the end diminutive Ospreys fly-half replacement Morgan sidestepped through the Edinburgh defence deep in his own 22 before racing clear to score at the left-hand corner.

Morgan then converted from the touchline.

TEAMS

Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Jeff Hassler, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Tito Tebaldi; Duncan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Ian Evans, Tom Smith, Morgan Allen, Sam Lewis.

Replacements: Aisea Natoga for Walker (59), Matthew Morgan for Biggar (65), Scott Baldwin for Hibbard (57), Bevington for Duncan Jones (57), Joe Rees for Adam Jones (65), Tylor Ardron for Evans (65). Not used: Grabham.

Edinburgh: Greig Tonks; Nikki Walker, Dougie Fife, Nick De Luca, Tim Visser; Harry Leonard, Sean Kennedy; Alasdair Dickinson, Aleki Lutui, Geoff Cross, Grant Gilchrist, Izak van der Westhuizen, Dimitri Basilaia, David Denton, Roddy Grant (capt).

Replacements: Jack Cuthbert for T Visser (57), Atkins for Kennedy (72), Blaauw for Dickinson (51), Nel for Cross (47), Watson for Grant (59). Not Used: Hilterbrand, Hidalgo-Clyne, M Tait.

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)

Assistant referees: Gwyn Morris, Chris Williams (both WRU)

Citing commissioner: John Charles (WRU)

TMO: Paul Adams (WRU)