Pro14 Rainbow Cup: Ospreys 36-14 Cardiff Blues
- Published
Pro14 Rainbow Cup highlights: Ospreys 36-14 Cardiff Blues
Rainbow Cup: Ospreys v Cardiff Blues |
|---|
Ospreys (19) 36 |
Tries: Phillips 2, K Williams, Aubrey, Cross, Parry; Cons: J Thomas (3) |
Cardiff Blues (0) 14 |
Tries: Llewellyn, Bevan Cons: B Thomas 2 |
A worrying injury to Wales back George North overshadowed Ospreys' opening Pro14 Rainbow Cup win over Cardiff Blues.
North suffered the injury in the second half of the first Welsh derby of the new tournament.
Two tries from hooker Ifan Phillips and further scores from Keiran Williams, Matthew Aubrey, Sam Cross and Sam Parry sealed the victory.
Centre Max Llewellyn and Ellis Bevan responded with Cardiff Blues tries.
It seems a strange time to launch a new competition in the final week of April, though the idea was to introduce the four South Africa former Super Rugby franchises into the Rainbow Cup.
The tournament had been devalued after it was announced it would be split into separate competitions in the northern and southern hemispheres, with the South African sides not facing European teams because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The Swansea sunshine made this contest feel like a pre-season August friendly at times, especially as neither of these teams had played for almost a month.
With the first round of the tournament meaning yet more Welsh derbies, there were mix-and-match selections with Ospreys picking a stronger side than their opponents.
New Zealand flanker Ethan Roots made his Ospreys debut, while Wales quartet Justin Tipuric, North, Adam Beard and Owen Watkin started.
Cardiff Blues director of rugby Dai Young had made 14 changes from the team that lost to London Irish in the European Challenge Cup with hooker Kirby Myhill leading the side.
Ospreys' scrum dominance was one of the features of the first half while hooker Phillips crossed for an early try from a driving lineout.
Wales wing Owen Lane, playing in the centre for Cardiff Blues, made a searing break before the promising move broke down.
The hosts' second try came after a charged-down kick from Ospreys scrum-half Matthew Aubrey was not dealt with by Cardiff Blues wing Jason Harries, who failed to gather a bouncing ball.
Ospreys hooker Ifan Phillips scores the opening try
Wing Mat Protheroe capitalised before feeding centre Keiran Williams with Josh Thomas converting.
Good fortune favoured Ospreys again when Thomas' kick was charged down only to be gathered by number eight Morgan Morris, with Aubrey sprinting over as the hosts claimed a 19-0 interval lead.
North was helped off the field after the restart before Cardiff Blues prop Keiron Assiratti was yellow-carded for persistent scrummaging offences.
Phillips crossed for his second try as Ospreys secured the fourth bonus point try before introducing Wales second-row Bradley Davies for a first game in five months following a shoulder injury.
Cardiff Blues centre Llewellyn produced a fine individual score with a 30-metre effort before Ospreys replacement Cross secured a fifth try after clever work from Aubrey.
Llewellyn turned provider with an incisive break before releasing replacement scrum-half Bevan to score on his Cardiff Blues debut.
Visiting wing Jason Harries was yellow-carded for a professional foul before Cardiff Blues unsuccessfully used the captain's challenge, one of the three trial laws used for the Rainbow Cup.
Stand-in skipper Lane, buoyed on by Olly Robinson, tried to claim Parry's try was a result of lineout obstruction, but the protest was dismissed.
Ospreys: Dan Evans; George North, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Mat Protheroe; Josh Thomas, Matthew Aubrey; Nicky Smith, Ifan Phillips, Tom Botha, Adam Beard, Rhys Davies, Ethan Roots, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Jordan Lay, Rhys Henry, Bradley Davies, Sam Cross, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Joe Hawkins, Cai Evans.
Cardiff Blues: Ben Thomas; Jason Harries, Owen Lane, Max Llewellyn, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Lewis Jones; Rhys Gill, Kirby Myhill (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Murphy, Rory Thornton, Alun Lawrence, Gwilym Bradley, James Ratti.
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Carre, Will Davies-King, Teddy Williams, Olly Robinson, Ellis Bevan, Dan Fish, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
Assistant referees: Adam Jones, Mike English (both WRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)