Guinness PRO12: Ospreys crush Edinburgh 62-13 to claim top spot
Last Updated: 22/09/14 7:55am
The Ospreys are top of the Guinness PRO12 table following an emphatic 62-13 mauling of Edinburgh at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.
The Welsh province ran home nine tries to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season and condemn Edinburgh to one of their heaviest defeats in the competition.
Scrum-half Rhys Webb started the procession with two first half tries before Dan Baker put the hosts 24-10 up at the break after Edinburgh had hit back through Hamish Watson.
But it was one-way traffic after the interval, Dan Biggar, who ended with 16 points to his name, and Jeffrey Hassler trading tries before Jonathan Spratt got in on the act during a spell of champagne rugby from Steve Tandy's men.
Hanno Dirkson and replacements Tom Grabham and Tyler Ardron put the gloss on a rampant display from Ospreys, who will meet Munster next weekend looking to make it four wins from four.
Ospreys, who started the day fifth in the table after wins against Treviso and the Dragons, cruised into a 14-3 lead in the 14th minute with Webb scoring two very different tries.
Humiliation
The first one arrived after only 70 seconds, the result of a dash from a ruck on halfway. The lively Webb evaded three tackles before going in under the posts for Biggar to convert.
After Edinburgh kicker Tom Heathcote reduced the lead with a penalty Webb was over again this time from only a yard.
And only seven minutes before the break Baker was on the end of a 15-metre drive from a line-out to claim the Ospreys' third try. Biggar added the extras.
But Edinburgh responded four minutes later with a try from openside flanker Watson, converted by Heathcote. Biggar, however, had the last say with a penalty on the stroke of half-time as the home side led 24-10 at the break.
Apart from a second Heathcote penalty it was one-way traffic after the break as the Ospreys ran in six tries - three in the space of seven minutes at the end.
Biggar confirmed the bonus point on 46 minutes before Hassler ran in an 80-metre effort. Spratt and Dirksen crossed on 62 and 70 minutes respectively.
And it became a rout when Grabham intercepted to go under the posts to take the Ospreys score beyond 50.
Three minutes before the end Aldron also went in under the posts to complete Edinburgh's humiliation.