United Rugby Championship: Zebre 24-28 Ospreys - visitors fight back for win

Ospreys fought back for a bonus-point win at Zebre in the United Rugby Championship.

The visitors' blistering start brought tries for Harri Deaves and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler.

But Zebre took the lead at the break through Kobus van Wyk and Taina Fox-Matamua's double, before Luca Andreani got their bonus-point try.

Morgan Morris ricocheted over before Reuben Morgan-Williams sealed the hard-fought win.

Prop Nicky Smith led much-changed Ospreys having been overlooked by Wales for the 2023 Six Nations and amid reports he may leave Welsh rugby at the end of the season.

A glut of Wales call-ups prompted many changes for the visitors following their European Champions Cup win at Leicester.

Centre Tommaso Boni returned to lead the hosts, who are still searching for the first league win after 13 defeats.

Ospreys rose a place to 12th in the table, level on points with Welsh rivals Cardiff.

The visitors put their attacking stamp on the encounter from the off, producing a superb sweeping move from a line-out that ended with open-side Deaves crossing at the corner.

Soon after, the approach again paid dividends for centre Thomas-Wheeler to go clear.

Fly-half Jack Walsh converted both scores.

Zebre hit back with a slick score of their own - fly-half Tiff Eden's long pass setting Van Wyk free - and scored a second as number eight Fox-Matamua powered through Ospreys' defence.

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Eden converted to make it a two-point deficit and Fox-Matamua put his side into the lead from lock Leonard Krumov's offload.

Fly-half Eden again added the extras to give Zebre a 19-14 lead at the break, after which flanker Andreani drove over for the bonus point.

Ospreys number eight Morris found his way to the line as he rewarded the visitors' fourth-quarter pressure, a try which replacement 10 Myler converted.

The fly-half added another conversion after Morris found Morgan-Williams with the scoring pass as Ospreys seized the lead.

Zebre launched a desperate bid to snatch it at the death, but Ospreys held out.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said:

"In many ways that win was just as important as those against Leicester and Montpellier when you look at the long-term culture of the club.

"Zebre had a buoyant crowd and got themselves back in it to certainly make things tough for us.

"That makes the manner of this victory more impressive. For this young group to find a win from a place of adversity keeps the momentum of our season going and will serve them well for the long run."

Zebre Parma: Lorenzo Pani; Kobus van Wyk, Franco Smith Jr, Tommaso Boni (capt), Jacopo Trulla; Tiff Eden, Chris Cook; Paolo Buonfiglio, Giampietro Ribaldi, Ion Neculai, Leonard Krumov, Josh Furno, Luca Andreani, Matt Kvesic, Taina Fox-Matamua.

Replacements: Jacques du Toit, Alessio Sanavia, Riccardo Genovese, Jan Uys, Giovanni Licata, Ratko Jelic, Damiano Mazza, Geronimo Prisciantelli.

Ospreys: Max Nagy; Luke Morgan, Michael Collins, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Keelan Giles; Jack Walsh, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Nicky Smith (capt), Elvis Taione, Tom Botha, Bradley Davies, Huw Sutton, Jack Regan, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris.

Replacements: Tom Cowan-Dickie, Garyn Phillips, Rhys Henry, James Fender, Tristan Davies, Matthew Aubrey, Stephen Myler, Iestyn Hopkins.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Clara Munarini & Riccardo Angelucci (Italy)

TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)