The Ospreys pulled out all the stops in Montpellier and were able to come away with a massive Heineken Champions Cup win against the French Champions.
It was Montpellier Herault who were first to strike in this one, taking an early lead inside the first 5 minutes through a Carbonel penalty, 3-0 Montpellier.
The first ten minutes of the game were a close contest, with both sides sharing the battle for territory. Montpellier Herault did have an almost moment on nine minutes though, a quickly taken tap and go from the scrum-half Reinach seem to catch the boys off-guard as he broke down the right, but his chip over the top was recovered well by Owen Williams.
Montpellier went close again on fifteen minutes, a tap and go penalty inside the Ospreys’ 5 metre line saw them come just short but some quality counter rucking from the pack won the boys a turnover. Adam Beard’s clinical work at the break down was making a real impact in this one.
Ospreys managed to weather the Montpellier storm and do some damage of their own. A few Montpellier penalties following successive Ospreys lineouts resulted in Verhaeghe being sent to the bin.
TRY OSPREYS! With the lineout going well so far, Ospreys went to it again and a powerful driving maul powered over the line, with Sam Parry scoring the try. Owen Williams converts, 7-3 to the Ospreys!
TRY OSPREYS! No that’s not a typo. Ospreys go over again but this time it’s Keiran Williams who gets amongst the scorers. Another quality lineout is turned into a solid maul and Keiran boulders his way over superbly in the next phase. Owen Williams converts, 14-3 Ospreys.
Unfortunately, it was Ospreys turn to go down to 14 men not long after the try. A high ball chased by Luke Morgan was claimed by Zach Mercer, but Morgan was judged to have taken out Mercer in the air.
Montpellier began to apply the pressure going into halftime but the Ospreys defense once again stood strong.
HALFTIME: OSPREYS 14, MONTPELLIER HERAULT 3.
Montpellier almost came out with a bang in the second half but a try-saving tackle from Adam Beard forced Zach Mercer into touch.
Rhys Webb had been making an absolute nuisance of himself in the early stages of the second half, a sharp tackle around the ball stopped Montpellier getting the ball out wide and a couple minutes a quick thinking kick-out with his foot broke up Montpellier play. Tapping into the Webby box of tricks.
Montpellier continued to apply the pressure and were eventually rewarded. A lineout inside the Ospreys 5 metre was caught and turned into a rolling maul. Ospreys were able to stop the maul but the carry in the following play was taken over for the try. Montpellier convert, 14-10.
TRY OSPREYS! Montpellier seemed to have awoken the sleeping Osprey by scoring. Some hard line breaking runs, led by Keiran Williams, and quick ball from the breakdown marched the Ospreys down the field. The quick ball opened it up on the left and Adam Beard was able to whip a pass out wide for Morgan Morris to finish with aplomb. O.Williams converts from tight to the touchline, 21-10 Ospreys.
Owen Williams has had a monster of a first start here, this time forcing Zach Mercer into the knocking the ball on. No mean feat.
TRY OSPR…DISALLOWED. Cuthbert looked to have finished a well-worked Ospreys move in the corner but after an extensive TMO Review it was disallowed.
THE FULLTIME WHISTLE GOES, OSPREYS COME OUT VICTORIOUS IN MONTPELLIER.
FULLTIME: OSPREYS 21, MONTPELLIER HERAULT 10.