Planet Rugby

Ospreys

Ospreys

Ospreys claim Pro12 crown

27th May 2012 18:01

ospreys

Ospreys: Pro12 champions

Ospreys pipped Leinster at the death to claim a dramatic 31-30 win in Sunday's RaboDirect PRO12 final at the RDS.

In his last game for Ospreys, former Wales wing Shane Williams scored the match-winning try in the 78th minute - duly converted by Dan Biggar - to help claim the spoils for the Welsh region in Dublin.

Both sides scored three tries, but the home side paid the price for a missed early penalty by Jonathan Sexton - a weak kick which proved the difference as Biggar's sole miss was a conversion, meaning he kicked 16 points to the Leinster fly-half's 15.

Leinster mostly paid the price for indiscipline though - Heinke van der Merwe and Nathan White both spending time in the bin - conceding two of three tries at points when they were a man short.

Ospreys have now won the 'Celtic' League twice in three seasons, having also beaten Leinster in the 2010 final.

The Welsh region went into the game on a six match winning streak, but they found themselves 17-9 down at half-time with Sean Cronin and Isa Nacewa going over for the hosts. Sexton also added a penalty while Biggar responded with three of his own for the visitors.

Despite two more three-pointers from Sexton in the second period, touchdowns from Ashley Beck and Williams saw the gap reduced to two points before Nacewa's second score seemingly sealed the victory.

But, after Biggar had kicked a fourth penalty, Williams went over for a converted try to deny Leinster a European and league double.

It was the Swansea-based outfit who opened the scoring thanks to a three-pointer from their fly-half. However, Sexton converted a penalty opportunity to level matters.

Biggar kicked a second from the tee, but it was the Irish province that looked the most threatening with ball in hand.

Having failed to secure the double last season, losing to arch-rivals Munster in the play-off final, Leinster seemed determined not to replicate that lacklustre performance. And Cronin went over for the first try of the match after a superb off-load from Brian O'Driscoll, Sexton converting, to forge them into the lead.

The visiting fly-half reduced the arrears with another successful penalty before Nacewa pounced on some slack Ospreys' defence to touch down straight from the restart.

Van der Merwe, in for the injured Cian Healy, was then sin-binned after repeated infringements in the scrum, but the home side held on until the break.

The Ospreys took advantage of the extra man two minutes into the second half when Beck crossed the whitewash.

However, their good work was undone when ill-discipline allowed Sexton to kick successive penalties and extend Leinster's advantage to 23-16.

Once again, the visitors hit back through a Williams try in his final game for the region, but Nacewa touched down to relieve the pressure.

Nathan White became the second player to be yellow carded for the Irish province and Biggar kicked the resultant penalty before Williams provided the perfect send-off.

The scorers:

For Leinster:
Tries: Cronin, Nacewa 2
Cons: Sexton 3
Pen: Sexton 3

For Ospreys:
Tries: Beck, Williams 2
Cons: Biggar
Pens: Biggar 4

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Isa Nacewa, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Cian Healy/Jack McGrath, 18 Nathan White, 19 Brad Thorn, 20 Dominic Ryan, 21 John Cooney, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 David Kearney.

Ospreys: 15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Joe Bearman, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Ryan Jones, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Alun Wyn Jones (capt), 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 James King, 20 Tom Smith, 21 Kahn Fotuali'i, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Tom Isaacs.

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Comments

DaveJ says...

makemehappy - what tip tackle? I hope you aren't referring to Isa's low tackle attempt where there attacker literally rolled over him and got back up.

Posted 22:07 27th May 2012

DaveJ says...

pierredelot1 - Ireland are touring new zealand you mongo.

Posted 22:03 27th May 2012

papachinzo says...

@pierredelot1 The scrum kept dropping because Adam Jones kept binding on the arm, and got away with it every time.

@makemehappy blood sub ? There was no blood substitution in the game...

Cronin came back on for Strauss because of injury. Cheating

You need to read the rule book again mate, your consistently wrong on this.

Posted 21:45 27th May 2012

crunchfit says...

Fair play Ospreys. Better team on the day. Leinster not up to scratch unfortunately. I thought they really wanted it but many players' performances didn't show that.

Posted 21:44 27th May 2012

olearyc5 says...

@makemehappy

what are you on about bloodgate2, there was no blood mentioned at all in the game? Also, show me the tip tackle?

As for the penalty try, the scrum needed to have forward momentum for a penalty try and the scrums were collapsing before anyone went forward.

Fecking Welsh annoy me more than anyone.

Posted 21:36 27th May 2012

makemehappy says...

How could I forget (must have been all the booing) - this game shouldn't be remembered for the lack of sportsmanship, or the awful ref - well done Shane! Enjoy your Bermuda Classic games!!

Posted 21:08 27th May 2012

rugbybutten says...

I didn't see the game; had to go and watch the Olympic Torch pass through. Great for SwanseaNeath Ospreys, sounded like a "bridge too far" for Leinster. The showing in the Heineken Cup from the celts has proved that this is a good tough league. ....Olympics?? well as we all know USA are the long standing champions ..Brazil 4 years...bring on the 7s

Posted 20:57 27th May 2012

leinster_goy says...

1. Leinster: 81 points + 3-time heineken cup winners

2. ospreys: 71 points + 0 heineken cups

Posted 20:51 27th May 2012

jontheref says...

Lots of emotions evident.

O's deserved it.

leinster immense all season, this might have been a game to far.

very thoughtful and magnanimous of Alun Wyn, when the poisioned dwarf Dot, said, "How does it feel to have beaten the European Champions, " instead of milking it , he said " no, we won the Rabo, the European cup was their european journey"

What a class act.

Comments about Poite, the good bad and ugly tomorrow, after the trolls have finished play.

Comment about "don't you feel sorry for Leo cullen?"

No, he is a cheat, and should have been yellow carded on 20 minutes.

He gets away with a lot, and OK that is something he does as captain.

But is he really captain invisible?

More beers!

Hic!

Posted 20:50 27th May 2012

any1buttheABs says...

Never supported a taffie side in my life, but boy am i glad they shut up the arrogant Leinster lot.

Posted 20:48 27th May 2012

munster30 says...

@make me happy

jesus, will you lighten up. I've never heard so much moaning, complaining and whinging from a team that has just won? You talk about Leinster fans?? You mean a capacity RDS, full to the brim with Leinster fans, bar 500 Welsh, wasn't an unbiased crowd!!! Why we must alert the church elders!!!! The british tabloids are gonna have a field day over this??!!!!! I can see the headlines now "home crowd doesnt support away team". I suspect Leinster will be heavily fined for this awful carry on by their fans!!!

Grwo up you clown. Take your win and enjoy it. And before you come back at me with some blue tinted glasses comment, take a look at my name.

Posted 20:46 27th May 2012

NHsaints says...

Only Shane Williams...only he could score in the last minute of his last international, the last minute of his last home game for ospreys and the 78th minute of his very last game in professional rugby to sneak the win...Only the little Welsh Wizard...

Posted 20:15 27th May 2012

ollieosprey says...

What a way for Shane to sign of! absolutely brilliant! great advert for the Pro12

Posted 20:06 27th May 2012

makemehappy says...

Well you can't argue with an Ospreys win. How Leinster didn't have 4 people in the bin and a penalty try against them in the first half is impossible to comprehend. No-one will ever know how Leinster were allowed a blood bin with no blood visible - bloodgate2 (cheating in other words). What was the ref doing at the end allowing another play - unbelievable. What a lovely sporting crowd Leinster have - or should I say biased? Interesting tip tackle in the game (very unfortunate, but the rules say its red I believe - sorry - that only happens with an Irish ref against Welsh players - my mistake).

Posted 19:54 27th May 2012

Lucasrg says...

What a game!!! the Celtic league final was the best final I've seen this year.

Both teams really gave everything...much better then yesterday's english premiership final.

Congratulations Ospreys.

I think Poite did well altough he was under heavy pressure.

Shane Williams = Legend

Posted 19:48 27th May 2012

lewispanteg says...

Great win for Ospreys - a tired Leinster's spoiling tactics at scrum, ruck and maul were overcome for once despite a very helpful referee. Despite yellow carding 2 Leinster players he could have sent 4 off and completely bottled out from giving Ospreys a penalty try on half time. Decisions like that cause flareups. Pure home townism. His refusal to give Ospreys a timecheck at the end when they wanted to kick the ball out in overtime almost cost them the match too. Good match terrible ref.

Posted 19:44 27th May 2012

jtimkins says...

Delighted!

Posted 19:41 27th May 2012

papachinzo says...

What I've learned from watching this match: Binding on the arm will get the other prop sent off, twice!

Well done to Ospreys, it seems the Rugby Gods sleep on Sundays.

Posted 19:28 27th May 2012

pembs says...

Should have been far more comfortable for the ospreys had the shocking French ref got the scrum decision correct at the end of the 1st half

Posted 18:53 27th May 2012

ThinkingGame says...

Overconfident Irish 0-7 Unfancied Welsh

A great year. What say we draw a line under it and let a more respectful green contingent have another shot in 5 months?

Posted 18:52 27th May 2012

Page 4 of 5

Character Count : 0/1900

  • Ospreys Fixtures
  • Ospreys Results
Recent Results
FixtureDetails
All times are local
RaboDirect PRO12
Friday , May 3
Leinster 37 - 19 OspreysLeinster vs Ospreys Report
Friday , April 19
Glasgow 35 - 17 Ospreys
Saturday , April 13
Ospreys 28 - 3 Benetton Treviso
More RaboDirect PRO12 results
  • Table
Pool 2
Heineken Cup Table
PosTeamPPts
1Leicester Tigers620
2Toulouse619
3Ospreys612
4Treviso65