Ospreys soar to 23 - 15 victory over the Sale Sharks in the EPCR Challenge Cup knockouts to line up a quarter final against Gloucester Rugby.
The Sale Sharks put the pressure on in the first couple minutes. A rolling maul that seemed bound for the Ospreys tryline was disrupted superbly by Adam Beard.
The away team did, however, manage to put the first points on the board through a penalty. Ospreys 0 - 3 Sale.
As we approached the 15-minute mark, the away team seemed to have numbers on the left, but an ankle tap by Owen Watkin eventually resulted in a turnover thanks to a huge Harri Deaves jackal.
Sale had the control of territory in the first 20 minutes but found themselves unable to break the Ospreys’ defensive wall.
After withstanding Sale pressure, the Ospreys answered back with a score of their own. Owen Williams booted over a kick from 45 metres out to level it, Ospreys 3-3 Sale.
The slippery conditions seemed to be having an effect on Sale and a few handling errors from the forwards saw them giving up easy possession.
WHAT A TRY!!!!!!! The Sale line flew up but some hot potato hands from the backs eventually saw Mr. Inevitable Morgan Morris receive an inch perfect pass from Ow Wills on the wing. Morgs put on the burners and dived over for the score. Conversion missed, Ospreys 8-3 Sale.
Sale tried to put the pressure on again, but a hit from Morgan was nicely followed by a textbook jackal from Lewis Lloyd. MASSIVE FROM THE YOUNGSTER!
The boys went close to scoring on the halftime buzzer, but persistent Sale defence on their own line meant the away team were able to close out the half.
A strong start by Sale Sharks but the Ospreys turned the tide to go into halftime in the lead.
HALFTIME: OSPREYS 8 - 3 SALE
The atmosphere was rocking at the Dunraven Brewery Field as Land of my Fathers rings out from the stands.
TRY FOR THE OSPREYS! The boys started the second half like they finished the first. They moved it out wide, Reubs popped the ball over a Sale defender, Keelan caught it, basketball passed it back infield and received the ball right back to finish. Beautiful! Conversion missed, Ospreys 13 - 3 Ospreys.
Before we could even take a breath: TRY FOR THE OSPREYS! Reubs intercepted from midfield and ran the length of the field to go under the posts. Ow Will converted, 20-3.
The away team's high risk defence managed to slow down the Ospreys attack after the two scores.
With 20 minutes to go, it looked like the Ospreys had every answer to the Sale attack. The boys in blue were pushing, but to no avail.
Sale were eventually able to break the line down as a loose pass threw off the Ospreys defence and the Sharks finished in the corner. Conversion missed, Ospreys 20 - 8 Sale.
After a back and fourth passage of play in the midfield Ospreys won a huge turnerover as Tips, Ratti and Morgan Morris combine to put pressure on Sale. It was a big shift by the pack all over the park.
Sale pin Ospreys back into the corner and eventually pushed over in the corner. Extras added. Ospreys 20 - 15 Sale.
There's plenty of loose hands in the Ospreys half and a succession of penalties as we put pressure on Sale. The away team continued to come at the Ospreys line in the final five, but the boys stood strong.
The final points of the game came for the Ospreys as Owen Williams knocked over the kick to see the game finish Ospreys 23 - 15 Sale.
What a performance from this Ospreys team! Thanks to all the fans who came out and helped cheer the boys over the line.
A quarter-final against Gloucester Rugby awaits.