Ospreys take try bonus point from 41–24 Sharks defeat

Ospreys salvaged a try bonus point from a 41–24 defeat by Sharks in Durban as Iestyn Hopkins supplied the fourth score late in the United Rugby Championship opener. An early 21–0 deficit left the visitors chasing the game, but tries from Luke Morgan, Sam Parry and debutant Liam Wright kept the bonus point within reach.

Three early tries put Sharks in control

Nick Hatton, Manu Tshituka and Luan Giliomee crossed as Sharks established a three-try lead. Morgan answered after Ospreys recovered a high ball in the home 22, with Lawson Creighton finding the wing with a long pass. Litelihle Bester restored the home advantage before Parry finished a sustained attack from a driving maul. Creighton converted both Ospreys first-half tries, leaving Sharks 28–14 ahead at the interval.

Wright scores on debut

Wright took a short pass from Parry and ran through for Ospreys’ third try early in the second half. That reduced the deficit to nine points, but Sharks added two penalties before Giliomee scored again. The hosts had another possible try disallowed following a television review. Ospreys still needed one more score for a bonus point as the match entered its closing stages.

Hopkins secures something from the trip

Kieran Hardy’s break took Ospreys close before the replacement scrum-half supplied the pass for Hopkins to finish. The visitors then resisted a final Sharks attack. The official Ospreys report records five home tries against four for the visitors, with Sharks leading 28–14 at half-time and winning the second half 13–10, calculated from the reported scores. Ospreys leave with a try bonus point before travelling to Johannesburg to face Lions next week.