The Ospreys maintained their perfect European Rugby Challenge Cup record and sealed a home quarter-final – possibly against the Cardiff Blues – 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.
