Champions Cup: Ospreys stun Montpellier to end Champions Cup losing run

Planet Rugby
Ospreys ended a 13-game winless run in the Champions Cup in stunning fashion defeating Top 14 champions Montpellier 21-10 on Saturday.

Ospreys ended a 12-game winless run in the Champions Cup in stunning fashion as they beat Top 14 champions Montpellier 21-10 on Saturday.

The Welsh side defeated the French team in their own backyard thanks to first-half tries from Sam Parry and Kieran Williams, both converted by Owen Williams. Morgan Morris’ second-half score sealed the result for the visitors.

Wallabies’ hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa scored the hosts’ only try of the match, with Louis Carbonel adding a conversion and a penalty.

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After a draw and 11 straight defeats, the Welsh side finally ended their losing run with a performance full of commitment and character to notch a colossal victory on the road – their first in France since they beat Bourgoin in 2008.

Reacting to their home defeat by Leicester a week earlier, Ospreys dominated long periods of the game and would have taken a try bonus point as well had the TMO not found an angle after minutes of deliberation that showed Alex Cuthbert had put a toe on the line as he stretched full length to score what would have been a sensational effort in the 69th minute.

There was an explosive start to the game, with the visitors going through a number of phases from the kick-off and then home scrum-half Cobus Reinach breaking out of his 22 and putting in a great kick and chase to pen the Welsh region back into their 22.

After that frantic start, Carbonel kicked the first points of the game in the fifth minute, but it was the Ospreys who dominated the scoring for the rest of the first half.

Their superb defensive action further frustrated the home side, and they led 14-3 at the break.

Hooker Parry twice charged for the line midway through the first half and, on the first occasion, was just held up.

Ospreys had a penalty, and from the next line-out, five metres out, Parry made no mistake with the drive.

Owen Williams added the extras, and the Ospreys were in control, even more so when they conjured up a second try. That came moments after Montpellier lock Florian Verhaeghe picked up a yellow card on a totting-up basis.

That gave the visitors the chance to attack from another five-metre line-out, and after Parry had charged up to the line, Rhys Webb fed his centre Keiran Williams to step his way over from a few metres out. Once again, Owen Williams landed the conversion.

Ospreys lost Luke Morgan to a yellow card for a clumsy aerial challenge on Zach Mercer just before the break, but by the time he returned, no damage had been done.

In fact, it was not until the 56th minute that the top team in France were able to notch their only try of the game.

It came from a driving line and ended with Australian hooker Paenga-Amosa crashing over for a score that Carbonel converted superbly off the touchline.

Ospreys hit back with a third try seven minutes later when man of the match Morris stretched to score in the left corner.

Owen Williams hit the target again, and they almost scored again to make it five points, but the TMO’s eagle eye denied them.

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