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The Ospreys might have secured their place in the Challenge Cup knockout stages but they were left to lick their wounds in Italy as their perfect run in Europe was brought to an end with a disappointing 23-19 defeat away to Zebre.
Second-half tries from Morgan Morse, Keiran Williams and Dan Edwards dragged them back into the game from a 13-0 half-time deficit, but a try from Zebre’s Samuele Locatelli ultimately condemned them to defeat.
Mark Jones’ side headed to Italy on the back of a strong festive period, while they were one of three teams in the Challenge Cup to hold a perfect record after the first two matches.
With qualification to the knockout stages already close to wrapped up before kick-off – needing just one point – their focus would have been on aiming for a high seeding to ensure home advantage after the pool stage with another victory.
However, that didn’t materialise in a frustrating first-half – with the Ospreys frequently on the wrong side of referee Griffin Colby as they struggled to string too many convincing moments together.
Two penalties from fly-half Giacomo da Re either side of a scrappy try by scrum-half Alessandro Fusco allowed the home side to build a 13-0 lead.
The Ospreys offered some rare moments of consistent attack late in the first-half, but No. 8 Morse’s try was chalked off for obstruction in the build-up.
Having gone into the break pointless, the Ospreys thankfully wouldn’t have to wait long to trouble the scorers in the second-half.
From an attacking lineout, Morse managed to force his way over four minutes after the restart – with the officials finding nothing wrong with this score.
Zebre continued to apply some pressure in the Ospreys’ red-zone, with only a superb breakdown intervention by Ryan Smith denying them.
However, the Ospreys continued to grow into the game – taking the lead on 56 minutes.
After James Ratti’s burst down the left flank, centre Keiran Williams sliced through the Zebre defence to cross for the go-ahead try.
That lead was short-lived, with a da Re penalty moments later moving Zebre in front once more.
The Ospreys would move ahead once again heading into the final 10 minutes.
From a goal-line dropout, big carries from Morse and Harri Deaves got the visitors to within inches of the line.
With the forwards seemingly set to get the job done, replacement Reuben Morgan-Williams floated a pass wider for fly-half Edwards to cross untouched.
Once again though, they wouldn’t hold onto the lead for more than a few minutes.
From a driving lineout, Zebre retook the lead seven minutes from time – with Samuele Locatelli the try-scorer.
The defeat now leaves them four points behind group leaders Montpellier – with the two sides facing each other next weekend.
Zebre: Giovani Montemauri; Mirko Belloni, Giulio Bertaccini, Damiano Mazza, Simone Gesi; Giacomo da Re, Alessandro Fusco; Paolo Buonfiglio, Tommasso di Bartolomeo, Muhamed Hasa, Matteo Canali, Leonard Krumov (c), Iacopo Bianchi, Samuele Locatelli, Giacomo Ferrari.
Replacements: Giovanni Quattrini, Luca Franceshetto, Enrique Pieretto, Alessandro Ortombina, Davide Odiase, Thomas Dominguez, Marco Zanon, Bautista Stavile.
Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Iestyn Hopkins, Evardi Boshoff, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Garyn Phillips, Dewi Lake (c), Tom Botha, Ryan Smith, James Fender, James Ratti, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morse.
Replacements: Lewis Lloyd, Steffan Thomas, Kian Hire, Efan Daniel, Gwilym Evans, Reuben Morgan Williams, Owen Watkin, Daniel Kasende.
Referee: Griffin Colby (SA)
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