Ospreys suffer another defeat after falling short at Zebre
Ospreys slipped to their fifth defeat in seven United Rugby Championship matches after a late attempt at a comeback fell short against Zebre in Parma.
The Italian hosts were 12-10 up at half-time and added a converted try and a penalty to stretch their advantage to 12 points with seven minutes remaining.
Lewis Lloyd then dived over for a debut try and Owen Williams converted to reduce the gap to five, but the Welsh side could not find another score in the closing stages as the contest finished 22-17.
Ospreys had been behind since the sixth minute when Simone Gesi crossed but Dan Kasende levelled things up with his first Ospreys try when he took a catch out wide to touch down.
Gesi added his second try before Williams’ penalty kept them within two at the break.
Jacopa Trulla began the second half with a try for Zebre and when Giacomo Da Re kicked a 57th-minute penalty, it stretched their lead just far enough to ultimately be out of the visitors’ reach despite Lloyd’s late intervention.
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Is it no wonder Wales is faltering on the international stage when our regions are constantly failing.
Years ago Welsh rugby clubs were both celebrated & feared alike, not only for the calibre of player that took the field, but as a factory where Wales internationals were born.
Who can forget that iconic 1970s video showing a conveyor belt with it pumping out Welsh fly-halves. Not anymore. Sad really. Even that manufacturing base has gone South with other industries lost.