Ospreys 28-21 Biarritz - HEC Pool Five

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Ospreys vs Biarritz at Liberty Stadium

Saturday 12th November 2011

Kick off at 15:40

LIVE on SkySports1 RED BUTTON at 15:30

Live commentary on BBC Sport online

Score updates on BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru

Highlights on S4C and Sky Sports Heineken Cup show



Dan Biggar Ospreys kicked all eight of his attempts at goal to help Ospreys to a scrappy opening Heineken Cup win over Biarritz at the Liberty Stadium.

Former England wing Iain Balshaw scored two tries for Biarritz and was denied a hat-trick by a marginal knock-on call.

But his opposite number Tommy Bowe's second-half touchdown - and 23 points from Biggar - ensured a winning start.

Biggar's accuracy ensured Ospreys extending their unbeaten European home record to 17 games.

The fly-half's seven penalties and a conversion finished just three points short of equalliing Gavin Henson's Ospreys Heineken Cup record of 26, set against Harlequins seven seasons ago.

At times the Welsh region made hard work of it, struggling for fluency in their attacking game, but with Biarritz regularly conceding penalties Biggar was in no mood to let them off the hook.

He kept the scoreboard ticking over and allowed the Ospreys an early opportunity to take charge of their group, with a trip to face Italians Treviso next weekend.

Biarritz arrived in Wales needing to put dismal domestic form behind them that had seen go bottom of the Top 14 French championship without their World Cup players.

And the visitors showed they meant business from the start, dominating early possession and territory as centre Damien Traille dropped a fifth-minute goal.

But crucially that came either side of centre Marcelo Bosch and fly-half Julien Peyrelongue missing penalties.

It took the Ospreys almost 15 minutes to establish any sort of threatening position, but a long-range Biggar penalty hauled them level by the end of an error-strewn opening quarter.

A second Biggar penalty edged the Ospreys 6-3 ahead at half-time, but it was a dire opening period.

Biggar completed his penalty hat-trick just two minutes into the second half and when Biarritz infringed again shortly afterwards, he found his range from a testing angle 40 metres out.

Bosch and Biggar exchanged a series of penalties as English referee Andrew Small readily punished both sides' technical deficiencies.

But with Ospreys leading 18-9 Traille produced the first moment of real quality in the match with a fine miss-pass that gave Balshaw room to slide in at the left corner, although Bosch missed the tricky afters.

That was the cue, though, for a concerted Ospreys response and when Bosch failed to deal with a steepling kick just outside his 22, Ospreys scrum-half Kahn Fotuali'i reacted quickest and sent Bowe across.

Biggar inevitably converted and added another penalty to make it 28-14 and the result seemingly safe with 13 minutes remaining.

Yet the Welsh were quickly brought back down to earth when centre Andrew Bishop's pass was intercepted by Biarritz scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili, who shipped the ball on for the pacy Balshaw to score from 50 metres.

Bosch's conversion ensured a nervous finale for the Ospreys, who should have been home and hosed, and they survived a disalllowed Balshaw try with just seven minutes left.

Biarritz did do at least have the consolation of leaving Swansea with a losing bonus, which could prove crucial in the final Pool Five reckoning.

TEAM DETAILS
Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Tommy Bowe, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Shane Williams; Dan Biggar, Kahn Fotuali'i; Duncan Jones, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Ian Evans, George Stowers, Justin Tipuric, Jonathan Thomas.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard for Bennett (47), Ryan Bevington for D Jones (57), Aaron Jarvis for Adam Jones (63), Ryan Jones for Evans (61), Joe Bearman for Tipuric (40), Rhys Webb, Matthew Morgan, Sonny Parker.

Biarritz: Dane Haylett-Petty; Taku Ngwenya, Marcelo Bosch, Damien Traille, Iain Balshaw; Julien Peyrelongue, Dimitri Yachvili; Fabien Barcella, Benoit August, Sylvain Marconnet, Jérôme Thion, Erik Lund, Benoit Guyot, Imanol Harinordoquy (capt), Raphael Lakafia.

Replacements: Arnaud Heguy for August (53), Yvan Watremez for Barcella (75), Francisco Gomez Kodela for Marconnet (62), Pelu Taele for E Lund (73), Florian Faure, Romain Terrain, Benoît Baby for Peyrelongue (50), Ilikena Bolakoro.

Referee: Andrew Small (England)

Yachvilli having a bit of a mare today. He must be off sorts.

Good attacking position for the O's but they have to make do with the penalty.

15 - 6.

Baby coming on.

Cari wrote:

Baby coming on.

I know players are getting capped younger, but really?

ARGH!!! The person streaming my game switched to the other match so I've missed some.

15 - 9 now.

Harinordoquy warned again. Surely a yellow would suffice now?

18 - 9

Awful by the Ospreys, that should have been a walk in for Shane - poor by Bishop.

Biggar has a penalty chance though, this should put them out of reach.

Biarritz on the attack. Great tackle by Beerman though...but Balshaw's in with the try. A bit controversial as Tommy got his hand on the ball before Balshaw got it, but there we are.

18 - 14 conversion missed.

Ryan Jones on for Evans.

TOMMY SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Games not over yet, Ospreys can't afford to lose and really don't want Biarritz to get a LBP in this tough group.

Brilliant by Bowe!

You'll be happy Cari.

Tommy looks hurt

25 - 14. Converted.

Ah no he's OK.

Wales - yeah, it'll gee up the lads and the crowd too. Gwaaaan O's!!!

Adam Jones off, he managed to jog off so cant be too badly injured. Still, i'm slightly concerned he was rushed back in for this game as he wasn't supposed to be fit.

That'll explain his poor performance. Hope he's OK.

The Ospreys are up for this now, they're putting on the pressue.

Despite doing nothing to justify his selection, Fotuali'i has had a good game (still not happy that he was prefered over Rhys Webb though, since Fotuali'i is NWQ and was abysmal last week)

Perhaps Webb should move to the Scarlets...

Awh...my boy nearly scored again, but a Biarritz was offside apparently. He does like to score

Penalty for Ospreys anyway.

28 - 14.

Biggar has been having a good game. Perhaps (like the wingers yesterday) looking at a Wales place about to be vacated...

wales606 wrote:

Perhaps Webb should move to the Scarlets...

Swap for Knoyle would be great.

Oh dear! Bishop's having a bit of a mare.

Easy intercept, could give Biarritz a LBP which would not be good.

argh nooo! Bum pass from Bishop and Balshaw runs in a second try. Too easy for Biarritz.

28 - 21

Turkster wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Perhaps Webb should move to the Scarlets...

Swap for Knoyle would be great.

Yep, Webb is too good to be 2nd choice. At the moment, Tavis isnt.

Fotuali'i attempts a DG but it's not coming.

Worrying for the Ospreys. Biarritz are only 7 down now.

A draw would ruin their HC chances.

Some great tackles by Bevington, but Biarritz go for the corner with a penalty kick.

Bishop has really cost the Ospreys, mucked up a certain try earlier and he threw that awful intercept. Wouldn't be surprised if Parker returns next week.

Thank fook for that! Balshaw almost got a hat trick, but the referee says it was knocked on. I think it came off AWJ's hand.

OOOOHHHH!!!

VERY LUCKY FOR THE OSPREYS.

Ref calls a knock on just before the try by Balshaw.

On the replay, did the ball came off AWJ?

Argh! This is frustrating. Five minutes to go and Biarritz get a scrum on the five metre line after an O's knock on.

Scrum to Biarittz inside the O's 22.

This is poor by the Ospreys.

Phew that was close...the Ospreys get it away to safety.

The Ospreys should really press for 3pts now.

Biggar gets MOTM. Well deserved despite whatever you think of him, he's been the better player today.

Ospreys win 28 - 21. FT.

Very poor first half. No one woke up until the second half.

Great! 4 out of 4 for the Welsh regions in Europe, let's hope that's not the only time that'll happen.

3 Welsh regions beat 3 French teams in the HC this weekend - thats one way to get revenge...

wales606 wrote:3 Welsh regions beat 3 French teams in the HC this weekend - thats one way to get revenge...

YESSSS!!!

Great game, very exciting, we should have denied them a bonus point, played some soft, naive rugby at times.

I dont think Biggar deserved man of the match. I thought he was poor and actually held us back.

maestegmafia wrote:

I dont think Biggar deserved man of the match. I thought he was poor and actually held us back.

Really?! I though Biggar was clearly MOTM, organised things very well and his place kicking was superb.

Maes - I thought Biggar played really well in what wasn't a very good game until the second half. He made one bum kick in the first half when he didn't gain much territory (looked like his foot slipped), but otherwise he was spot on.

Maybe I am being harsh, his goal kicking was exemplary. But he makes all the wrong decisions when he gets the ball.

Ill watch the highlights when i get home. Maybe Ill change my mind...

Just got back from the game. It was quite exciting, though Bishop was bloody awful, Fussell wasn't as poor as he normally is, but he is simply ignoring over laps and chances and hoofing the ball up field. I'm also very worried why Kahn Fotuali'i is being picked ahead of Webb, who has been our best player so far this season. We have a young Welsh kid that could well be up for Wales honors in the 6 Nations based on form, and he's been dropped for a Samoan who was poor last week and average this week.

Other than that I'm pretty happy to of won this game but that interception try could well prove very costly in the long run. Biarritz had given the game up, when their player got up off the floor after being told off by the ref, and had a bit of a sulk, then kicked the ball away their entire teams heads seemed to drop, and everyone thought we'd won and could go on to score more points, then bishop has a rush of blood and lets them straight back into it.

Alyn......took the words out of my mouth mate. Just got back myself and thought we looking to put the game away till the inteception. Whats happened to dirksen? He could partner Beck, who gets better every game btw, in the centre quite easily....

Breadvan wrote:Alyn......took the words out of my mouth mate. Just got back myself and thought we looking to put the game away till the inteception. Whats happened to dirksen? He could partner Beck, who gets better every game btw, in the centre quite easily....

I really am baffled with our selection at the moment, Fussell is playing far too poorly at the moment to warrant being in the team,it's sad that the coaches aren't willing to give Prydie or Dirksen a chance there.

I'm not sure dropping Bishop is fair though, he is pretty solid and normally plays very well, but he made poor choices tonight and cost us, I wouldn't drop him after one bad game, but if he plays reckless rugby and makes poor choices next week then maybe a spell on the bench might be in order.
The big problem we have is if we drop Bishop who plays instead? Owen is a long term injury and Sonny Parker is not really up to this standard on a week to week basis anymore, he is a bit worn out now.

Beck and Bowe in the centers, Walker and Shane on the wings, Dirksen at full back, and Biggar and Webb at half back maybe?

Congrats to the O's on getting through a game without receiving a yellow too. I only just noticed that watching the highlights.

AlynDavies wrote:

Breadvan wrote:Alyn......took the words out of my mouth mate. Just got back myself and thought we looking to put the game away till the inteception. Whats happened to dirksen? He could partner Beck, who gets better every game btw, in the centre quite easily....

I really am baffled with our selection at the moment, Fussell is playing far too poorly at the moment to warrant being in the team,it's sad that the coaches aren't willing to give Prydie or Dirksen a chance there.

I'm not sure dropping Bishop is fair though, he is pretty solid and normally plays very well, but he made poor choices tonight and cost us, I wouldn't drop him after one bad game, but if he plays reckless rugby and makes poor choices next week then maybe a spell on the bench might be in order.
The big problem we have is if we drop Bishop who plays instead? Owen is a long term injury and Sonny Parker is not really up to this standard on a week to week basis anymore, he is a bit worn out now.

Beck and Bowe in the centers, Walker and Shane on the wings, Dirksen at full back, and Biggar and Webb at half back maybe?

Not a bad call on the back line.

I think Tommy should move in from the wing. He is lacking pace these days