Ospreys got their GUINNESS PRO12 season off to a smooth start, as half-backs Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar guided them to a confident 44-13 victory over Benetton Treviso. Nicky Smith and Webb each dotted down before the break, supplemented by Biggar’s flawless boot, while Jeff Hassler – the Welsh club’s top try scorer last season – added a second-half score. Scott Baldwin earned Ospreys a bonus point before Marco Fuser hit back for the visitors, but Hanno Dirksen’s late try put the icing on the cake. ?Webb – one of Treviso’s chief tormentors when they were beaten 75-7 by Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium back in February – was first to find a gap in the visitors’ defence. The scrum-half broke free to set up an Ospreys attack but the opportunity fizzled out when Josh Matavesi accidentally sent the ball into touch. But a long-range Biggar penalty opened the scoring on six minutes, after Michele Campagnaro was pinged for not letting go of the ball. Biggar soon sent another penalty between the posts – this time closer to the target but a tighter angle – to double the lead before Joe Carlisle reduced the deficit with three points of his own. Some sustained pressure forced Treviso into conceding a string of penalties in the scrum and prop Rupert Harden was handed an official warning. And that pressure soon paid off, the forwards powering over from close range and allowing Smith to score only his second senior try, with Biggar converting. Carlise made it two from two after Joe Bearman was penalised for not releasing but Biggar’s reliable boot soon made it 16-6. And the Ospreys finished the half on a high, as Webb sold a dummy and ghosted through the last line of defence to score before Biggar added the extras. Harden did see yellow shortly after the break and Hassler quickly capitalised on the numerical advantage, powering over before Biggar once again found the target. The bonus-point try came through Baldwin, who was on hand to collapse over the line after Dan Baker peeled off a powerful lineout drive and fed his teammate – Biggar again on song. Treviso grabbed a try of their own, Matthew Luamanu kicking through for Fuser to take a small chunk out of the deficit and Carlisle converting. But Dirksen completed the scoring for the home side, collecting Matavesi’s pass and rounding off proceedings in the corner. Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to ourYouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletterfor regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12
