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Josh Thomas the match-winner as Ospreys fightback stuns Leinster

By PA
(Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Josh Thomas’ late charge-down try guided Ospreys to a sensational 24-19 comeback win over Guinness PRO14 giants Leinster at the RDS.

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With replacement Andrew Smith sin-binned, Leinster lost their grip on a 19-3 lead as Ospreys ruthlessly reeled off converted scores from Olly Cracknell (68 minutes), Owen Watkin (71) and Thomas (75).

It was a season-defining result for Toby Booth’s men as it guarantees them a third-placed finish in Conference A and Heineken Champions Cup rugby for next season.

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Stephen Ferris | All Access

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Stephen Ferris | All Access

The defeat will certainly sharpen Leinster minds ahead of next week’s PRO14 final against Munster. Tries from Harry Byrne and Jamie Osborne, on his second start, had them 12-3 ahead at half-time.

Fly-half Byrne bagged a brace but it went downhill for the defending champions during the final quarter. Thomas blocked a Byrne kick to score, adding his third conversion to seal Ospreys’ first victory in Dublin since their 2012 final triumph.

Frustrated by a trio of recent defeats, Ospreys went very close to an early try but Reuben Morgan-Williams was instead whistled for a knock-on.

Once Leinster exerted pressure in the right areas, the visitors struggled and lost prop Ma’afu Fia to the bin in the 19th minute.

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A neat move off a scrum, combined with centre Osborne’s dummy run, played in Byrne for his 21st-minute converted try.

Luke Price responded with a penalty, only for Will Griffiths to fumble Byrne’s skyscraper restart. Osborne pounced on the loose ball and dived over for five more points in the right corner.

Price hit the post with a subsequent penalty and Ospreys failed to profit from two late penetrating runs by Morgan Morris, the Guinness player of the match.

Just three minutes into the second half, Byrne crossed from a Rowan Osborne pass after tighthead Michael Bent had taken advantage of a defensive gap.

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Ciaran Frawley converted for 19-3 and Leinster were looking comfortable. That was until their scrum began to concede penalties and Ospreys’ bench made a big impact.

Smith caught Dewi Cross with a high tackle in the 67th minute and the Ospreys pack piled through for Cracknell to dive in beside the posts.

Twenty-year-old replacement Thomas coolly converted and also added the extras to Watkin’s rumble for the line, following a furious chase and steal by flanker Morris.

Victorious in Ireland on only two previous occasions since 2016, Ospreys snatched the result when Thomas followed through on his block, getting the better of Max O’Reilly.

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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