The Ospreys’ European campaign is over after a 49-10 defeat to Sale on Sunday afternoon.
Toby Booth’s men finish their campaign rooted to the bottom of Pool A, meaning they will not be playing knockout rugby later this season.
The opening exchanges were cagey and involved plenty of kicking as both sides wrestled for field position but the hosts soon took the ascendency.
Nine minutes in, winger Arron Reed scythed through the defensive line of a mix-and-match Ospreys side and looked to have opened the scoring. But it was ruled out for a dangerous clearout by skipper Jono Ross in the build-up.
But they kept the pressure on and got their rewards after 15 minutes, when a pinpoint cross-kick from AJ MacGinty found winger Tom Roebuck in acres of space. He finished with ease and MacGinty converted.
Sale remained camped in the Ospreys half and dropped the ball over the line twice as they probed without finishing off their chances.
But they went over for their second just before the half hour mark. Ospreys were hammering away at the Sale defensive line but losing ground with every collision before Ben Curry turned the ball over and Bevan Rodd set off from inside his own half.
He found Reed with a lovely looping pass and the winger ran in the try.
The Ospreys – who suffered a plethora of early injuries – livened up briefly after that and got a Joe Hawkins slotted a penalty to get their score ticking over.
But they lost flanker Sam Cross just before the break with what appeared to be a serious leg injury and they trailed 14-3.
The hosts found their clinical edge in the second half and began to really pull away as they took chances that they were missing in the first 40.
By this point, they were well in control of the match and drove it home in the 46th minute when Ospreys’ indiscipline gave Sale easy access to the 22.
Hooker Ewan Ashman burrowed his way over the line from close range and it became a question of how many Alex Sanderson’s side were going to win by as MacGinty banged over another conversion.
Six minutes later it was all coming a little too easy for the hosts. Replacement Tom Curry grubbered in behind and regathered the ball in the Ospreys’ 22 after the bounce evaded Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler. Curry was tackled but it was put through the hands comfortably and No.8 Dan du Preez had acres of space to canter over for the bonus point score.
The Welsh side did hit back just before the hour mark though. They kicked a penalty into the corner and set up a driving maul before Harri Deaves, making his professional debut, peeled away, shrugged off a tackler and dived over. Hawkins converted but that was it.
Sale had yet another try disallowed just moments later when Roebuck’s chip over the top bounced on the touchline before he regathered and crossed for what would have been his second try.
The next score, though, came 10 minutes later and this time it was all about the forwards. More Ospreys indiscipline gave Sale easy access and the driving maul did the damage as replacement hooker Curtis Langdon was carried over and Rob du Preez took over the kicking duties to slot the conversion.
And they weren’t done yet. The hosts added late scores through winger Roebuck and replacement Jack Metcalf with du Preez adding the extras.
Sale
Tries: Tom Roebuck (13, 73), Arron Reed (28), Ewan Ashman (44), Dan du Preez (50), Curtis Langdon (68), Jack Metcalf (79)
Cons: AJ MacGinty (14, 29, 45, 51), Rob du Preez (69, 74, 80)
Ospreys
Tries: Harri Deaves (57)
Cons: Joe Hawkins (58)
Pens: Joe Hawkins (38)
