Ospreys brush aside Perpignan to advance into the last 16 of the Challenge Cup

The Ospreys comfortably beat Perpignan 25-3 to secure their place in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.

But it wasn't all smiles in Swansea as Wales star Dewi Lake, filling in at openside flanker, got forced off the field after a mere five minutes with a leg injury a matter of weeks out from the Six Nations.

The Ospreys were also forced into a late reshuffle when Wales star George North pulled up in the warm-up, and was replaced by Keiran Williams. Toby Booth's side started strongly by applying pressure to the Perpignan line early doors with three five-metre driving lineouts but the French club's defence remained intact.

Perpignan came close to claiming the game's first score when they forced their way over the line but the try was disallowed due to the television match official not finding conclusive evidence of a grounding.

The Top 14 strugglers looked extremely dangerous in broken play, and came mightily close to a tremendous individual try. Left-wing Lucas Dubois brushed aside a weak Ospreys tackle before exploding down the touchline.

Dubois opted to chip over the top but spilt the ball forward with the try line at his mercy. It took 35 minutes for the first points to be recorded through outside-half Dan Evans' boot after Perpignan infringed at the breakdown.

As the half drew to a close the French side looked extremely dangerous, and were building pressure in the home side's half before a loose pass was scooped up by Iestyn Hopkins who ran in unopposed from 60 metres out to give the Ospreys an 8-0 lead at the interval.

Perpignan self-destruced after the break with prop Nemo Roelofse sent to the sin bin for intentionally slapping the ball forward, and he was soon joined by Sadek Deghmache. The Ospreys grabbed this game