The Ospreys Premiership Select XV travelled to BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park for a warm up fixture against the Cardiff Blues on Wednesday night in preparation for their British and Irish Cup campaign.
- Tries from Scott Otten, Luke Price and Ifan Phillips are not enough to secure an Ospreys win in this B&I Cup warm-up
- Ospreys Premiership Select kick-off their B&I campaign at the Gnoll against London Irish on Saturday 15th October
- They also face Connacht Eagles at Aberavon in December and Cornish Pirates in January at Maesteg
Ospreys were first to kick off and as fierce as Welsh derbies can be this one was clear from the off as, with just one minute on the clock, the ref was forced to blow up after the ball burst! New ball in play and an impressive scrum by both sides went in the hosts favour, a good kick up field landing in Ospreys hands.
Good defence work from Cardiff built up the Ospreys phases before losing it forward. Cardiff looked to attack before a forward pass awarded a scrum to the Ospreys. Pressure from the Ospreys PS gave the visitors a kick to touch in the hosts 22.
They continued to push back the Cardiff select and Scott Otten was first over the whitewash for the Ospreys Premiership Select’s first try! A missed conversion left the score at 0-5 after five minutes.
Despite some solid defence work by the Ospreys, they were penalised for not rolling away allowing Cardiff to gain possession, pushing the Ospreys back into their 22.
With the penalty count stacking up against the Ospreys, Cardiff took advantage with a pass across field to Owen Lane scoring for the home side. Fly-half Jarrod Evans added the extras with 13 minutes played.
Cardiff were next to press and they thought they has scored their second try of the night, only for the referee called it back for a forward pass.
The second try did come after Ospreys PS were penalised in the Blues half for not rolling away allowinhg the hosts to clear into the Ospreys 22.
Winning their own lineout, the Ospreys tried to clear the kick. The wind had other ideas, giving it next to no ground. Cardiff took advantage and Rhun Williams sailed over the line for the hosts second of the evening, Jarrod Evans kicking the conversion making it 14-5 with just over half an hour played.
The visitors didn't take long to answer back, a quick break from Brendon Leonard who managed to find Tom Flaherty on his outside wing. Unfortunately, so did the Blues defence, but a penalty awarded to the Ospreys followed by a quick tap and go saw Luke Price burst over the line. The outside half then converted his own try, leaving the score 14-13 at half time.
Half time: Cardiff Blues Select XV 14 - 12 Ospreys Premiership Select XV
Cardiff Blues wasted no time in extending their lead, with Seb Davies scoring under the posts, and Jarrod Evans conversion sailing through the posts.
The next half hour was a battle for possession with neither side able to trouble the scorers before, with prop Corrie Tarrant in the sinbin for the hosts, a a driving line-out from the Ospreys sent replacement hooker Ifan Phillips over for the try. A missed conversion left the Ospreys PS four points short at the final whistle.
Full Time Cardiff Premiership Select 21 – 17 Ospreys Premiership Select
The Ospreys Premiership Select XV will kick-off their British & Irish Cup campaign against London Irish at the Gnoll, Neath, on Saturday 15th October (2.30pm), with home games against Connacht Eagles, in December, and Cornish Pirates the following month, being played at Aberavon and Maesteg respectively.
Tickets for the competition opener against London Irish go on sale on Saturday via Neath RFC only, from the club house. Tickets are £10 with U16s free. Please note that British & Irish Cup fixtures aren’t covered by an Ospreys season membership.