Leinster edge out Ospreys to maintain unbeaten run

Ospreys flanker Harri Deaves was named player of the match

United Rugby Championship

Ospreys (7) 19

Tries: Deaves, Lewis, Jones Cons: Williams, Walsh

Leinster (15) 22

Tries: McGrath, Tector, Slimani Cons: Fawley, Byrne Pen: Frawley

Leinster edged a spirited Ospreys side to remain unbeaten in this season's United Rugby Championship.

Visiting skipper Luke McGrath opened the scoring before Harri Deaves and Charlie Tector exchanged tries just before the break.

Ethan Lewis got Ospreys back to within a score before Rabah Slimani crossed for Leinster.

A late Cameron Jones effort set up a grandstand finish and while Ospreys could not complete the comeback, they did bag a deserved losing bonus-point.

It was a first Ospreys defeat under head coach Mark Jones since he took over in December.

Ospreys had made two starting changes from their last outing, including Sam Parry who was released from Wales' Six Nations squad, but the hooker was a late withdrawal through illness.

The visitors, meanwhile, had to make nine changes having supplied 18 players to Ireland's Six Nations squad who visit Cardiff next weekend.

Leinster threatened the Ospreys try line in their first attack of the game, but Morgan Morris came up with a crucial turnover under the posts.

The visitors were not to be denied on 13 minutes when some slick passing saw the ball shipped out to Jimmy O'Brien on the wing, who then fed inside for Max Deegan who put Walsh in on the support line.

Ciaran Frawley missed the conversion, but redeemed himself with what would prove a crucial penalty a few minutes later.

The game then ventured into a scrum fest, with moments of quality few and far between, while Ospreys were forced to change scrum-half with Kieran Hardy coming on for a drowsy looking Reuben Morgan-Williams.

Both sides, and the 3,500 Swansea crowd, were in desperate need of a spark on a cold February night and the game came roaring back to life five minutes before the break.

Justin Tipuric took clean lineout ball and Leinster could do little to stop the Ospreys pack driving Deaves over the line.

Leinster responded almost immediately, with Tector crashing through the defence after some patient build-up play from the forwards.

Crawley's conversion put an end to a frantic finish as Leinster headed down the tunnel with two score lead.

Ospreys were forced into another half-back reshuffle after the break with Owen Williams failing a head injury assessment.

They also lost Jack Walsh and Keelan Giles, but they were passed fit to return.

The disruption did not deter from Ospreys' confidence and when kickable points were on offer they rightly backed their driving lineout with Lewis crossing for a try.

Leinster then began to assert some dominance, but the bitter cold meant even they were victim to some handling errors.

They eventually crossed for their third try with World Cup winning Springbok RG Synman showing his class by drawing in two defenders before offloading for Slimani to score.

But a dogged Ospreys continued to put Leinster under pressure from the lineout.

Some explosive forward carrying got them to within inches of the line and it was the young prop Jones who took his opportunity with a pick and go.

Ospreys pushed for a winner with just three points separating the sides, but a missed touch finder meant Leinster saw out the game to make it 11 wins from 11.

They are top of the URC table, while Ospreys are ninth.

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said: "When you play a top of the table team, you just want to be within a chance of winning. Obviously a three point game and a couple of minutes to go, you always think you can, unfortunately on this occasion we couldn't.

"It was really down to our accuracy in the first half, that's why we were left with a 15-7 margin at half-time, it was just a little bit too much to climb at the end.

"But as always the effort was never in question."

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: "When you're 8-0 in front you probably had some opportunities to push on from that stage and we don't and Ospreys come back into the game.

"I think everyone was probably just thinking it's going to click into gear and it doesn't quite.

"Ospreys were unbelievably dogged throughout, right to the very end, so we were pretty fortunate that they didn't find touch otherwise it would have been a nervy last few minutes."

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Daniel Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Owen Williams, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Garyn Phillips, Ethan Lewis, Tom Botha, James Ratti, James Fender, Harri Deaves, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris.

Replacements: Will Austin, Cam Jones, Ben Warren, Will Spencer, Morgan Morse, Kieran Hardy, Tom Florence, Iestyn Hopkins

Leinster: Jamie Osborne; Tommy O'Brien, Hugh Cooney, Charlie Tector, Jimmy O'Brien; Ciarán Frawley, Luke McGrath (capt); Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangany, Brian Deeny, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, James Culhane.

Replacements: John McKee, Paddy McCarthy, Rory McGuire, RG Snyman, Alex Soroka, Fintan Gunne, Ross Byrne, Andrew Osborne.

Referee: Filipo Russo (FIR)

Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse & Adam Jones (WRU)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)