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The Ospreys boast a perfect European Rugby Challenge Cup record and now sit top of the Guinness Pro12 with Steve Tandy's men unbeaten in their last eight games. - 13/01/2017 09:47
The Ospreys boast a perfect European Rugby Challenge Cup record and now sit top of the Guinness Pro12 with Steve Tandy’s men unbeaten in their last eight games.
But despite that impressive run of form, full-back Dan Evans is refusing to get too carried away as talk of a potential double at the end of the season mounts.
Next up for Tandy’s men – who have won all four of their Pool 2 games to date with a bonus point – is a home meeting with French side Lyon at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.
There remains a possibility the Ospreys could set a European record by achieving six bonus-point successes, not that Evans is focusing too much on statistics.
“We are not really thinking of that – if we score four tries, it’s a bonus,” he said. “At the moment we just want to keep picking up the victories, build our confidence and momentum, and keep going.
“We are putting ourselves in a good place in the league and in Europe and we are just hoping we can continue over the next couple of months.
“Later on down the line, hopefully we’ll be competing for everything we are in.”
The Ospreys have scored a remarkable 206 points in Europe this season and have conceded just 23. Win their game with Lyon this weekend and they’ll be through to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
Tandy is expected to name a strong side to achieve that aim, with a home draw in the last eight the target.
Evans added: “We’re in a good position in all the competitions we are in. But it’s not about taking our foot off the pedal. It’s heading towards the business end of the year and we really have to drive through.
“If we get to the quarter-finals we’ll back ourselves in it and along with the Pro12 we have a good chance of going quite far.
“Lyon are a big, physical team who gave us a tough game out there so we’re expecting more of the same this weekend.
“We have to show our confidence of the last couple of months. Hopefully, we are allowed to do that and we’ll pick up the victory.”
The Ospreys maintained their perfect European Rugby Challenge Cup record and sealed a home quarter-final with a comfortable 47-7 victory over Lyon. - 15/01/2017 16:57
The Ospreys maintained their perfect European Rugby Challenge Cup record and sealed a home quarter-final with a comfortable 47-7 victory over Lyon.
Steve Tandy’s men went behind early on but didn’t let that worry them as they roared back to cross for seven tries and seal another bonus-point success.
Dan Baker, Kieron Fonotia, Hanno Dirksen, James King, Dan Evans, Justin Tipuric and Adam Beard were the scorers, with Dan Biggar booting 12 points from the tee.
Going into the game on an eight-match unbeaten run, the Ospreys were firm favourites for the Liberty Stadium clash. But despite fielding a full-strength side, things didn’t go to plan for the home side early on.
Lyon are struggling at the wrong end of the Top14 and had left out a number of their star men for the trip to Swansea. That failed to stop them though as their physical defence kept the home side at bay and allowed them to move into a shock lead.
A try under the posts from No 8 Curtis Browning, converted by fly-half Mike Harris, gave them a 7-0 advantage and with tighthead Ma’afu Fia forced off injured, the Ospreys weren’t having things their own way.
Rhodri Jones was Fia’s replacement and his arrival coincided with the Welsh region getting back into things. With their forward pack now matching the Lyon eight, the Ospreys suddenly had a platform and after visiting hooker Ti’l Paulo was yellow carded, they struck.
Baker forced his way over the line from close range, Biggar converting to level the scores.
Baker’s effort gave the Ospreys some momentum and although wing starlet Keelan Giles handed Wales a Six Nations injury scare by hobbling off, Fonatia’s try put them into a 12-7 half-time lead.
Biggar had missed the conversion while Australian Harris had also put a penalty wide, but the second period saw the Ospreys stamp their mark on the game.
Hanno Dirksen and James King crossed for quick-fire scores to seal the bonus point.
That was the queue for Tandy to replace the likes of Alun Wyn Jones and Scott Baldwin but with the game now won, the Ospreys didn’t let up. A yellow card for Jerome Porical didn’t help Lyon and a man light, they soon conceded further tries.
Evans and Tipuric made it five and then six scores for the day, with Biggar once again adding both sets of extras. It took the Ospreys to the 40-point mark and although King saw yellow, there was still time for one more try.
Replacement lock Beard was the man to go over for his try for the region and Biggar’s conversion sealed the rout to leave the Ospreys looking ahead to the last eight.
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