Rugby

Connacht trounced by Ospreys as Jack Carty limps off

Dan Baker, Olly Cracknell, Nicky Smith and Ashley Beck all went over for the Welsh side

Ospreys’ Dan Baker celebrates scoring his side’s first try in their Guinness Pro12 clash with Connacht. Photo: Simon King/Inpho

Sat Jan 7 2017 - 15:59

Ospreys 29 Connacht 7

Star fly-half Jack Carty suffered a worrying knee injury as Connacht were on the wrong end of a 29-7 defeat by the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium.

The Welsh region were deserved winners in Swansea and Carty’s woe completed a day to forget for last season’s Pro12 champions.

Carty, so vital to his team’s chances of success, was forced off in the first half with his team 14-0 down and they never threatened to get back into it without the No 10 to guide their ship.

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Connacht’s defence of their league crown has been underwhelming to say the least and things went against Pat Lam’s side in Swansea almost straight from the kick-off.

It took just 11 minutes for the Ospreys to open the scoring, Dan Baker crashing over with the Connacht defence all at sea after a midfield break from Olly Cracknell.

The impressive flanker then turned from creator to scorer, dancing through again to dot down with the men in green failing to lay a hand on him.

Sam Davies converted both of those scores and with Connacht having lost both flanker Jake Heenan and Carty to injury, they had it all to do at 14-0 down as the second period began.

It soon got worse as Davies added a penalty and converted Nicky Smith’s try to make it 24-0 at the hour mark.

The game was now over as a contest but Connacht refused to hide and after Davies was yellow carded for a high tackle, Sean O’Brien sprinted in to score in the corner. John Cooney converted but it was fitting that given their superiority, the Ospreys scored last as Ashley Beck sealed their bonus point late on.

Scorers – Ospreys: Tries: Baker, Cracknell, Smith, Beck Cons: Davies 3 Pens: Davies. Connacht: Tries: O'Brien Cons: Cooney.

OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Dafydd Howells, Ashley Beck, Josh Matavesi, Hanno Dirksen; Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield; Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Ma'afu Fia, Lloyd Ashley, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Olly Cracknell, Justin Tipuric, Dan Baker.

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Rhodri Jones, Adam Beard, Sam Underhill, Brendon Leonard, Dan Biggar, Kieron Fonotia.

CONNACHT: Tiernan O'Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Rory Parata, Peter Robb, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, John Cooney; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, James Cannon, Sean O'Brien, Jake Heenan, Naulia Dawai

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, John Andress, Lewis Stevenson, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Danie Poolman, Ciaran Gaffney

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland).

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