Despite playing most of the rugby, the Hollywoodbets Sharks lost 21-17 to the Ospreys in Bridgend in a scrappy match. The Ospreys overtook the Hollywoodbets Sharks, who dropped to eleventh. on the United Rugby Championship log.
The Ospreys absorbed a lot of pressure during the first ten minutes of the match, until they launched a fifteen-man attack down the touchline and Dan Edwards scored a relatively easy try. Edwards converted his try to extend the Ospreys lead to 07-00.
Seven minutes later, the Sharks scored off a driving maul from a lineout with Phepsi Buthelezi credited for the try. The Ospreys led 07-05 at that stage.
The Sharks preferred kicking for territory and attack, making several meters whenever they attacked; however, despite playing most of the rugby, the Sharks could not add points to the scoreboard as a reward for their efforts.
With twelfe minutes still to play in the first half, the Ospreys mauled off a lineout, and captain Jac Morgan scored their second try. Dan Edwards converted from the corner to extend the Ospreys’ lead to 14-05.
With time up on the clock, the Sharks attack off a mistake by the Ospreys at a ruck, and Ethan Hooker ran seventy meters to score the Sharks' second try, which was converted by Jean Smith to cut the Ospreys’ lead to 14-12.
The Sharks started like a house on fire in the second half, and only the desperate defence of the Ospreys kept their visitors from scoring on several occasions.
After thirteen minutes of play in the second half, Daniel Kasende intercepted and offloaded to Garyn Phillips, who bulldozed his way over to score the Ospreys' third try. Edwards converted the try, extending the Ospreys lead to 21-12.
The Sharks started to dominate up front, and following injuries to the Ospreys’ props, uncontested scrums were ordered with eighteen minutes still to play.
Following a scrappy period, Phepsi Buthelezi scored the Sharks' third try off a lineout-maul to cut the Ospreys lead to 21-17 and ten minutes to play in the second half.
Scorers:
Ospreys: Tries: Dan Edwards, Jac Morgan, Garyn Phillips. Conversion: Dan Edwards (3).
Hollywoodbets Sharks: Tries: Phepsi Buthelezi (2), Etan Hooker. Conversion: Jean Smith.
Teams
Ospreys: 15 Iestyn Hopkins, 14 Luke Morgan, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Dan Kasende, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Jac Morgan (c), 6 James Ratti, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Huw Sutton, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Gareth Thomas. Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Garyn Phillips, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Ross Moriarty, 20 Harri Deaves, 21 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22 Phil Cokanasiga, 23 Jack Walsh
Hollywoodbets Sharks: 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Le Roux Malan, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Jean Smith, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Manu Tshituka, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Phatu Ganyane. Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Nick Hatton, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Jurenzo Julius.