Matt Sherratt feels indiscipline led Cardiff to defeat against Ospreys

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt feels the side's indiscipline costed them the United Rugby Championship game against Ospreys on the New Year's day.

Cardiff dominated the opening half with tries from Owen Lane and Mason Grady along with two penalties and a conversion from Tinus de Beer that saw them take a 18-5 lead heading into the break.

Nevertheless, Ospreys bounced back in the second half with Keelan Giles completing his second try along with Morgan Morse touching down before the end of the third quarter. They were also aided by a penalty try in the 49th minute that saw Cardiff's James Botham sin-binned and eventually with the momentum on their side Ospreys recorded a thrilling win.

“It's an easy one, there's an 8-2 penalty count against us. If you're on the wrong side of the penalty count in those conditions and you give Osprey's field position, you're going to go at some stage. It's as simple as that," said Sherratt to the club's official website.

“At half time the message was pretty much trying to do the same again but we gave away some silly penalties like diving on a ball from offside, changing lanes on a kick receipt and against Ospreys team, you give them field position at some stage, same with any team, you're going to get punished.

“We talked before the game. In these conditions, on a field like that, it was going to be about three things, territory, effort, and discipline and our effort was there for 80 minutes."

Cardiff are positioned 11th in the United Rugby Championship table with three wins from nine matches.