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Ospreys translate Champions Cup confidence to URC with late Parma fight back
By
PA
Ospreys staged a dramatic final-quarter recovery to beat Zebre Parma 28-24 at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
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Zebre led 24-14 after 63 minutes but quickfire tries from Morgan Morris and Reuben Morgan-Williams ended their hopes of a first United Rugby Championship win since last April.
Ospreys were buoyed by their excellent European form having reached the knockout stage of the Champions Cup for the first time since 2010.
It took just two minutes for those confidence levels to be manifested as Ospreys profited from clean line-out possession.
Wing Luke Morgan ran a superb line and flanker Harri Deaves kept his position out wide to cross on only his second URC start this season.
Jack Walsh added the conversion and Ospreys claimed a second try after six minutes.
This time the ball was swept to the left through several pairs of hands for centre Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler to stroll in unopposed.
Walsh’s kick took him past 50 URC points this term and Ospreys led 14-0.
It looked as if it was going to be a difficult afternoon for Zebre, but they reduced the deficit halfway through the first period when Kobus Van Wyk accepted Tiff Eden’s long pass to make the corner.
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Ten minutes later Zebre produced a wonderful try after wing Jacopo Trulla pounced on an Ospreys mistake.
Forwards Josh Furno and Luca Andreani kept the move going and number eight Taina Fox-Matamua cut back on a delightful angle, with Eden adding the extras.
It got even better for Zebre as Fox-Matamua took Leonard Krumov’s pass for his second try inside the space of five minutes. Eden’s successful kick gave the Italians a 19-14 interval lead.
Zebre claimed their fourth try – and a bonus point to boot – nine minutes into the second half.
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Forward pressure told as Chris Cook flicked a clever reverse pass to Andreani, whose strength took him over the line at the corner.
Zebre lost Fox-Matamua to injury and his departure was to prove crucial as Ospreys seized the initiative.
Morris ploughed over from close range and replacement Stephen Myler’s conversion cut the gap to three points.
Ospreys immediately hit the front following Keelan Giles’ superb footwork near the touchline.
The wing somehow found a yard to fire a return pass to Morris and scrum-half Morgan-Williams was on the number eight’s shoulder to register the decisive bonus-point try which Myler converted.
