Ospreys vs Treviso

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OSPREYS (16) 38
Tries: Walker, Dirksen 2, Beck Cons: Biggar 3 Pens: Biggar 4

TREVISO (3) 17
Tries: Vosovai, McLean Cons: Burton 2 Pens: Burton


The Ospreys began their Heineken Cup Pool 2 campaign with a gritty bonus-point win over Treviso in Swansea.
After two tries from Hanno Dirksen and a memorable solo score by Eli Walker, centre Ashley Beck went over with the final move.

Walker's opening try was the highlight of an uncompromising encounter in which Dan Biggar kicked 18 points. Manoa Vosavai and Luke McLean crossed for Treviso, Kris Burton adding seven points with the boot. Having lost 12-6 to the Italians amid poor conditions in their opening Pro12 encounter in August, the Welsh side went into the encounter all too aware of Treviso's threat. But the hosts' steady opening was rewarded by the three Biggar penalties that gave them an early cushion.
Biggar's fly-half opponent Kris Burton had kicked all the points in their first encounter of the season. And when he opened his side's account in Swansea, Burton reminded the Ospreys of the damage he and his team were capable of.
But soon afterwards, the Ospreys took a decisive step towards victory.

Ospreys flanker Ryan Jones had said ahead of the match that expectations were "sky high". Wing Walker was freed on the left and had a lot to do from 30 metres out - but he did it in style. The 20-year-old side-stepped and powered his way past four defenders, displaying poise and pace on the way, and Biggar converted.

Treviso did not disappoint in their appetite for hard graft up front. And when Wales prop Adam Jones became embroiled in a bout of fisticuffs with Treviso skipper Antonio Pavanello the double sin-binning disrupted the game's flow. Visiting number eight Manoa Vosawai went the same way for some illegal breakdown work in the 33rd minute. That left the hosts with a dilemma over whether to kick for goal or go for the try. They opted for the latter and after being repulsed, the Ospreys ended the half 16-3 ahead. But the Ospreys were not to be denied at the next opportunity, this time right wing Hanno Dirksen making the most of his chance, Biggar converting from the touchline.

However, Treviso ensured that was not the opening of the floodgates. They fought back with a try by Vosawai after the Fijian's powerful charges helped set up the field position for him to strike. Burton converted and when Justin Tipuric was penalised for crossing in front of Richard Fussell, even worse was to follow for the hosts.

Treviso spurned the chance to kick for goal and launched an attack that ended with McLean cruising through the home defence and Burton's conversion left them 23-17 down. Biggar kicked a fourth penalty to halt Treviso's momentum and the initiative returned fully to the hosts when the pressure they applied in ended with flanker Simone Favaro's sin-binning in the 69th minute.

With their resources depleted there was only so much Treviso's resolute defence could achieve. And after they were stretched left and right, scrum-half Kahn Fotuali'I's cross kick found Dirksen unmarked for an unopposed stroll to the line.

The Ospreys also had to work hard for their final score, Beck finally earning their midfield's reward for persevering against a gutsy defensive line to break free.
Biggar added the final points.


Ospreys:
Richard Fussell; Hanno Dirksen, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Kahn Fotuali'i; Ryan Bevington, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Ian Evans, Ryan Jones, Justin Tipuric, Jonathan Thomas.

Replacements: Rhys Webb for Fotuali'i (74), Duncan Jones for Bevington (64), Aaron Jarvis for Adam Jones (57), George Stowers for Alun Wyn Jones (76).

Not Used: Dwyer, Lewis, Morgan, Isaacs.

Sin-bin: Adam Jones (25)


Treviso:
Luke McLean; Ludovico Nitoglia, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi, Tommaso Iannone; Kristopher Burton, Tobias Botes; Alberto De Marchi, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Jacobus Roux, Antonio Pavanello (capt), Valerio Bernabò, Simone Favaro, Alessandro Zanni, Manoa Vosawai.

Replacements: Fabio Semenzato for Nitoglia (21), Andrea Pratichetti for Sgarbi (74), Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet for De Marchi (46), Enrico Ceccato for Ghiraldini (46), Pedro Di Santo for Roux (35), Giovanni Maistri for Bernabo (74), Francesco Minto for Derbyshire (40), Robert Barbieri for Vosawai (74).

Sin-bin: Pavanello 25, Vosawai 33, Favaro 69

Att: 8,746

Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)

Burton boots out on the full third time

Good scrum, penalty to ospreys

34 - 17 after 63 minutes.

Cari wrote:34 - 17 after 63 minutes.

23-17 u mean?

I can't believe they'd go for goal. Why not scrum?

Beautiful kick by Biggar

26-17 64 mins

Red_Dragon_Spirit wrote:

Cari wrote:34 - 17 after 63 minutes.

23-17 u mean?

ok 26 - 17!!!!

Red_Dragon_Spirit wrote:

Cari wrote:34 - 17 after 63 minutes.

23-17 u mean?

Ulster v Castres.

Morgannwg wrote:

Red_Dragon_Spirit wrote:

Cari wrote:34 - 17 after 63 minutes.

23-17 u mean?

Ulster v Castres.

aaaahhhh sowwy.. just logged in and seen o's thread!!!

Well played tips

Won a penalty in some messy rucking

Sorry RDS didn't mean to confuse you.

Treviso constantly giving away penalties at rucks, and scrums

Ospreys kick for the corner

Great pressure by os

Cari wrote:Sorry RDS didn't mean to confuse you.

No worries, I've already achieved that by myself!

Biggar is playing very well, kicking well and attacking the line.

Another YC for Treviso.

Fav aero in the bin, third card for treviso

Os go for scrum, five yards out.

all the O's dominance and 3 yellows for Treviso should have equaled a simple TBP...

Re-scrum

These scrums are annoying.

A load of pressure khan kicks out wide Dirksen strolls over

Third try.


Need another

8 mns left

Try Dirksen

31 - 17

3rd try.. still enough time for a bp.. dirksen getting a bit arrogant?

Hanno Dirkson, is that a sign of confidence, arrogance or niaivity??

He takes a high ball under no pressure, jogs over the line with a swagger and plops the ball to the ground like he's in wonderland, IMO if that was 1/2p or North they wouldve gone in as close to under the posts as humanly possible. Biggar missed the resulting kick!!

Now I know it means little right now but if the O's don't qualify on points difference come the end of the group stage...

Dirksen is a cocky little buggger sometimes. Needs to be reeled in a bit...not sure who'll do that though.

34 - 17 still at Belfast. Ulster still trying to get the elusive BP try.

31-17

MOM will be a tough call. Loads of good performances

Hibbard gets it

C'mon ospreys

Thought AWJ deserved MOTM, or maybe Ryan Jones for just always being the best player on the pitch.

Cari wrote:Dirksen is a cocky little buggger sometimes. Needs to be reeled in a bit...not sure who'll do that though.

34 - 17 still at Belfast. Ulster still trying to get the elusive BP try.

Biggar could help him out

I'd like to know how many rucks Biggar hit tonight, I would bet it's some sort of record for a 10.

Treviso scrum is in pieces. Should have gone for a scrum 10m out rather than a lineout 5m out.

Ulster have blown another chance at the BP try. it's still 34 - 17, Marshall MOTM.

Beck gets it


Yes, great result

Bonus point. Lovely try

thebluesmancometh wrote:I'd like to know how many rucks Biggar hit tonight, I would bet it's some sort of record for a 10.

He is playing very well, I hope he can learn to do similar for Wales.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Hanno Dirkson, is that a sign of confidence, arrogance or niaivity??

Now I know it means little right now but if the O's don't qualify on points difference come the end of the group stage...

we all know what points make!!!!


BP is there .. well done beck

Beck finishes it with a bit of class.

Vital BP won in this game, especially with Toulouse and Leicester to come.

Good result for O's.. fecks me gurubru predictions though!

Well done ospreys but they really should not have let treviso into the game. Fair play treviso are a gritty side especially around the early third quarter.

Good win at home to start our HEC

Great try pienaar for ulsters bonus point...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP! Good night for me.

Very glad to hear that both the Ospreys and Ulster (now my 2nd favourite time for the rugby they are playing) got their desired results. If ospreys want to top this group then that is exactly what they needed. Treviso could cause Tigers, possibly Toulouse at home SOME problems now that the O's have set the pace. Missed the final try though, was playing some drinking games.

Ospreys 40-17 Benetton Treviso: Ospreys off to Heineken Cup flyer

Ospreys opened their Heineken Cup campaign with a bonus-point win over Treviso at the Liberty Stadium but only after snuffing out a spirited second-half comeback by the Italians.

The Welsh region were indebted to a tries from Eli Walker, Hanno Dirksen (2) and Ashley Beck, while 18 points came from the boot of outside-half Dan Biggar.

Treviso scored two tries through Manoa Vosawai and Luke McLean, while Kris Burton supplied seven points with the boot.

Ospreys’ Pool Two victory was some revenge for their 12-6 defeat at the hands of the Italian side in the opening game of the RaboDirect PRO12.

Treviso suffered a setback when Alessandro Zanni, their 66-cap Italy openside, pulled out just before kick-off with a back injury.

There had earlier been better news for Ospreys with Justin Tipuric reporting fit despite suffering a hip injury.

Ospreys made a positive start with Biggar kicking three penalties in the opening 15 minutes. He put over his first attempt in the fourth minute after the home side had attacked from the opening two line-outs.

The lead was extended to 6-0 four minutes later when Biggar was successful with a long-range effort after Treviso had transgressed at a scrum as their front eight struggled.

Treviso did get a foothold in the Ospreys 22 but it was immediately snuffed out by some aggressive counter-rucking by the Welsh region, and at the other end the Italians’ indiscipline accounted for another penalty which Biggar kicked to extend the lead to 9-0.

Treviso got on the scoreboard with a penalty for Burton on 18 minutes but almost immediately Walker sent the home fans wild with a fine try after weaving his past four would-be tacklers. Biggar converted to give the Ospreys a 16-3 lead.

After a dust-up between the packs referee Neil Paterson sent Wales prop Adam Jones and Treviso captain Antonio Pavenello to the sin-bin.

And Treviso found themselves down to 13 men for two minutes when Vosawai also got yellow-carded after a line-out infringement.

But Ospreys coach Steve Tandy will not have been happy with his side’s lapses of concentration at the end of the half which forced them to defend for their lives to preserve their 13-point interval lead.

After regrouping at half-time the Ospreys hit Treviso with a second try four minutes after the break with Dirksen going over in the right corner taking a pass out of the back door from Richard Fussell. Biggar converted as the Ospreys lead was extended to 20.

But Ospreys were then left stunned by two Treviso tries in the space of as many minutes. First Vosawai was on the end of a drive from a line-out before McLean sprinted in unopposed. Burton converted both to cut the home lead to six points.

Biggar stopped the rot on 64 minutes when he put the Ospreys back two scores ahead with his fourth penalty goal.

After hammering at the door for 10 minutes Ospreys scored a third try when Dirksen went over for his second after collecting a chip from scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i.

And four seconds from the end of time Beck went over for the all-important bonus-point try to end a tricky match on a high note for the region.

After watching that game last night, it is clear that the Ospreys have one of the best packs in Europe, they just need their young backs to learn a little bit more nouse and they will be a force to be reckoned with, you cannot lose the quality of Tommy Bowe and Shane Williams from you back line and not struggle, but when players like Beck, Dirksen, Eli Walker and Rhys Webb come of age they will have a very impressive first fifteen, the Treviso forwards are no mugs and the were shunted all around the park last night, and the Ospreys forwards have been doing this to a lot of teams lately.

I Agree LD.

There was a point in the third quarter where Khan lost the plot and started making really stupid options as well as this Adam Jones was lacking match fitness and unusually for him, he was getting riled and getting in trouble. You could include Ian Evans to the mix too. He was offside, annoying the opposition rather than concentrating on the game.

It was a really bad fifteen minutes and we wont be able to get away with that.

I thought the youngsters did very well, Webb should have come on earlier, he added a lot of zip and dynamism, Aaron Jarvis and Bevington are very very good these days as a back up front row. We need to take advantage of that to stay on top of the opposition.

Treviso are a niggly gritty team and they know how they can do well, they showed us that again last night and fully deserved their 17 points. They will cause other teams problems, as soon as their opposition start to show a weakness, or a lapse of concentration, Treviso get back into the game very very quickly.


Good start for the lads. Good performances all over the team for the majority of the match.

Pretty good performance I thought, 10mins after the half (leading to Dirkson's 1st) was the best I've seen the O's play since last year. If we can keep up that level of intensity and accuracy then we can have a real crack this year..

In contrast to that the 10mins after where Treviso got their 2 tries is what we can not afford, that loss of concentration (esp for McCleans try, cmon...) needs to be addressed sharpish!

Hibbard would be the best hooker in Wales if he could sort his throwing and discipline, cracking first half...

Let's hope the 2 Rabo teams in the group can cause upset in Europe.
Toulouse in Treviso next week presumably? Be nice to see them up against it.

It would and they definitely have the ability to give anyone a bloody nose.

Treviso are a hell of a tough team if they can get underneath their opposition and disrupt their style.

I do like how Dirksen was trying to show boat before Jonathan Thomas told him to put the ball down