Ospreys suffer second URC defeat in South Africa

Stormers number eight Evan Roos has played for the Springboks

United Rugby Championship

Stormers (8) 26

Tries: Roos, Simelane, de Villiers Con: Matthee Pens: Matthee 3

Ospreys (10) 10

Tries: Hardy 2

Ospreys suffered a second successive United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat in South Africa with a 26-10 loss to Stormers in Cape Town.

Two tries from Wales scrum-half Kieran Hardy had given Mark Jones' side a 10-8 half-time lead and raised hopes of a third successive win against this particular South African opposition.

Stormers battled back with tries from number eight Evan Ross, full-back Wandisile Simelane and replacement Paul de Villiers, while fly-half Jurie Matthee kicked 11 points.

It sealed a home win as Stormers followed up their 35-0 victory against defending champions Leinster on the opening weekend.

John Dobson's side will be content with two wins as they start the season without the South African internationals who are involved in the Rugby Championship.

The likes of Hardy, Dewi Lake, Harri Deaves, Ross Moriarty and Daniel Kasende produced impressive individual Ospreys performances but, for a second successive week, the Welsh side were dominated at the scrum as they conceded six set-piece penalties.

Ospreys will return to Wales to play their first home match of the season against Zebre in Bridgend next Saturday.

Ospreys undone by scrum issues

Ospreys were defeated 53-40 by Bulls in Pretoria in the opening round with Wales trio Hardy, Gareth Thomas and James Ratti among four starting changes in Cape Town, while Stormers scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage led the side out on his 100th appearance.

Ospreys started strongly after South African wing Kasende took the kick-off with the early pressure yielding a trademark Hardy try.

After being denied, Roos pounced moments later on a Matthee cross kick to level the scores.

Ospreys captain Lake was influential in the early exchanges but the visitors' scrum was under pressure from the outset.

Despite this, number eight Moriarty started the set-piece move that led to a second Hardy try with the impressive Kasende providing the incisive run and scoring pass.

Matthee missed a penalty after another Ospreys scrum infringement before slotting another one over as the visitors led by two points at half-time, thanks mainly to a defensive effort and breakdown superiority.

While Ospreys had turned down kicks at goal in the first half, two Matthee penalties early in the second half gave Stormers the lead for the first time as their scrum dominance again proved crucial.

The hosts cut loose with Simelane starting and finishing a flowing move down the right hand side before de Villiers was driven over from a lineout to complete the scoring.

Ospreys captain Dewi Lake: "It is a massive positive for us starting quickly again as we did last week.

"It is probably that 10 to 15 minute period after half-time where we are kind of letting the game slip at the moment.

"We had a couple of opportunities we did not execute and we were then starved of possession and territory. It's tough then to get back into the game against a quality outfit."

Line-ups and officials

Stormers: Simelane; Senatla, Nel (capt), Du Plessis, Zas; Matthee, Duvenage; Matongo, Venter, Fouche, Smith, Schickerling, Theunissen, Evans, Roos.

Replacements: Kotze, Vermaak, Sandi, Van Heerden, Dixon, De Villiers, Ungerer, Swart.

Ospreys: Walsh; Kasende, P Cokanasiga, K Williams, Giles; Edwards, Hardy; G Thomas, Lake (capt), R Henry, R Davies, Sutton, Ratti, Deaves, Moriarty.

Replacements: L Lloyd, C Jones, T Botha, Fender, Morse, Morgan-Williams, Florence, Hopkins.

Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)

Assistants: Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa), JD Jadezweni (South Africa)

TMO: Federico Vedovelli (Italy).