Simpsons-inspired prank fools 4 Ospreys into sending rude birthday video messages

Back row Sam Cross has owned up to being the person responsible for tricking four fellow Ospreys players into sending birthday video messages to rudely named people who didn’t exist. 

2019 Wales World Cup internationals Owen Watkin and Nicky Smith, along with fellow Ospreys colleagues Scott Otten and Tom Botha, were caught out and filmed themselves in messages for non-existent people - Amanda Hugankiss, Isaac Hunt, Tess Tekells and Lee Keybutt. 

Taking to Twitter to explain what had happened, an apologetic Cross said: “A prank I did that was only meant to entertain the team WhatsApp group and pick the boys up with a laugh in lockdown.

“Sorry for any offence caused. Hope people see the funny side of it. The boys genuinely had no idea they were being stitched up. Can’t take life too serious," he said during a week when a 75.1 per cent stake in the Ospreys was sold to an Asian sports marketing company.

“As you can imagine I have been super-bored during lockdown with no pranks and banter so I was watching the Simpsons where Bart pranks Moe’s and it gave me a thought to try and get some of our lads and see who would fall for it.

“I know video messages are doing the rounds at the moment so I tried to get a few lads - some successfully, some unsuccessfully.” 

After realising he had been successfully pranked, Otten said on Twitter: “Someone tell Tess Tekells to have a great birthday, that I’m sorry and I’m going into hiding... thanks.”