Ospreys defeat Connacht in 12-try URC thriller

United Rugby Championship: Ospreys v Connacht

Ospreys (31) 43

Tries: Giles 2, Hardy, Kasende 2, Walsh Cons: Edwards 5 Pens: Edwards

Connacht (14) 40

Tries: Bolton, Hurley-Langton 2, Heffernan, O'Conor, J Murphy Cons: Ioane 2, Hanrahan 3

Ospreys boosted their hopes of a United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off place with a remarkable victory against Connacht.

In a 12-try thriller in Swansea with both sides scoring six tries each, Ospreys led 38-14 and 43-28 before a stunning Connacht comeback brought the Irish province to the brink of victory.

But Mark Jones' injury-hit side survived a frantic finale to celebrate the stunning win.

Ospreys wings Keelan Giles and Daniel Kasende scored two tries each with scrum-half Kieran Hardy and Jack Walsh, who also had four assists, also crossing as Dan Edwards kicked 13 points.

Connacht flanker Shamus Hurley-Langton scored twice with further scores from wing Shayne Bolton, hooker Dave Heffernan, full-back Piers O'Conor and flanker Josh Murphy.

It was an epic encounter that deserved to be played in front of more than the crowd of 3,416 that were present at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Ospreys started the game in 13th place but lifted themselves to seventh with maximum points, with the top eight sides qualifying for the play-offs at the end of the season.

Connacht finished the game with two losing bonus to lie in 12th with five rounds of league matches remaining.

Ospreys enjoy first-half dominance

Ospreys were missing captain Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Gareth Thomas following the Six Nations but fly-half Dan Edwards and hooker Sam Parry, who skippered the side, started.

British and Irish Lions lock dam Beard completed his recovery from a knee injury suffered in Wales' autumn series defeat by Australia last November.

Connacht were missing Ireland trio Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham but recalled forwards Denis Buckley, captain Joe Joyce and Josh Murphy.

The visitors made a storming start with centre Cathal Forde breaking through and providing the try-scoring pass to Bolton who finished expertly.

Edwards responded with a penalty before Connacht attacked again with flanker Hurley-Langton scoring after fine attacking work from fly-half Josh Ioane.

Ospreys retaliated with two clever flick passes from Kasende and Walsh allowing Giles to score.

An injury to wing Finn Treacy forced a Connacht reshuffle with Ioane switching to full-back, Piers O'Conor moving to wing and replacement JJ Hanrahan slotting in at fly-half.

This helped change the course of the match as Ospreys scored three tries in four minutes.

The hosts took advantage of the reshuffle with a well-worked try for Giles' second score straight from a dominant scrum.

Walsh again gave the try-scoring pass and he was the architect of the third try when his searing counter-attacking break and well-timed pass released Wales scrum-half Hardy.

After a Morgan Morse turnover, Walsh's fourth assist followed with his clever kick allowing Kasende to cross the bonus-point try just before half-time.

Connacht battle back but hosts hold on

After proving the creator in the first half, Walsh gained his reward when he cantered over early in the second half.

With a 24-point advantage Ospreys relaxed and Connacht responded with two quick tries with hooker Heffernan driven over and O'Conor crossing in the corner after a well-worked move.

Connacht were threatening, but a timely interception and 80-minute run from South African wing Kasende for his second try changed the complexion again.

Connacht refused to give up and flanker Murphy crossed for Connacht's fifth try as home replacement flanker Tristan Davies was forced off with hooker George McGuigan coming on out of position for his debut.

With outstanding replacement scrum-half Matthew Devine pulling the strings, Connacht responded with a runaway sixth try and a second for Hurley-Langton to reduce the deficit to three points.

Ospreys were forced into a further reshuffle with replacement scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams injured.

Iestyn Hopkins slotted in at full-back with Walsh moving up to fly-half and Edwards temporarily asked to fill in at scrum-half for the final 10 minutes.

Lock James Fender became another Ospreys casualty which meant replacement centre Phil Cokanasiga had to come into the back row with scrum-half Hardy returning to the field.

In an astonishing finale, Connacht had a penalty close to the touchline to tie the game.

They went for the win, but were denied by heroic Ospreys defence that withstood a four-minute attacking onslaught.

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Daniel Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Garyn Phillips, Sam Parry (capt), Tom Botha, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Morgan Morse, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris.

Replacements: George McGuigan, Steffan Thomas, Ben Warren, James Fender, Tristan Davies, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Phil Cokanasiga, Iestyn Hopkins.

Connacht: Piers O'Conor; Finn Treacy, Hugh Gavin, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton; Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier, Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce (capt), Josh Murphy, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle.

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Temi Lasisi, Sam Illo, Oisín Dowling, David O'Connor, Matthew Devine, JJ Hanrahan, Sean Jansen.

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)

Assistant referees: Adam Jones (WRU), Ellis Poulden (WRU)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)