The Exiles, who had prior to this match failed to win any of their past ten matches in all competitions, threw the ball around and made opportunities for themselves scoring two tries to nil through wingers Topsy Ojo and Sailosi Tagicakibau. They were not without simple mistakes, but the Ospreys failed to capitalise and looked downhearted throughout, as another year passes without the stars of Swansea collecting Europe’s highest prize.
The battle-lines may have been drawn on a football pitch in middle England, but for this afternoon it was overrun by Celtic rivalry – and it was the Welsh who almost got off to a dream start. London Irish failed to gather the kick off, a problem they had throughout the match, allowing the Ospreys to swarm in predatory fashion towards the Irish line.
Hooker Richard Hibbard made a strong break only to be brought down five meters short, before Chris Hala’ufia’s huge defensive hit drove Mike Philips back over the try line he had just crossed without managing to ground the ball.
But despite the initial pressure, Irish looked the brighter in the opening 15-minutes. Captain for the day, Seilala Mapusua, cut a good line to break the Ospreys 22 only to be stripped by Dan Bigger and a sleeping Welsh defence almost saw Irish sneak a touchdown from an initially unconvincing Darren Allinson box-kick.
Dan Bowden slotted a penalty to give Irish the lead, but from the resulting restart, Irish failed to organise themselves and allowed the Ospreys to regain the ball and attack with vigour - Biggar instantly levelling the scores with a penalty of his own in the 18th minute.
Irish though didn’t respond like a side lacking confidence. A burst from Delon Armitage put the Exiles on the front foot before they found themselves with an overlap on the left wing. The ball was fed to Tagicakibau who finished from 20-meters as he has done with potency for so many years. Bowden who was moved to fly-half while Ryan Lamb still warmed the bench, missed the touchline conversion.
He did however knock over his next kick when his side were awarded a penalty from a scrum to put Irish ahead 11-3 after half an hour.
Referee’s George Clancy’s interpretation of the scrum deemed Irish were on top at the set play, which would have surely interested the likes of Martin Johnson as young Alex Corbisiero brilliantly combated the power and experience of British Lion, Adam Jones, and was lively in the loose.
A penalty a piece from the two fly-halves ended the first period 14-6 to Irish, who were good value for their lead, and continued it instantly in the second half. A break and clever offload from Bowden created the space for Ojo to run under the posts, leaving a simple conversion for the New Zealander who started it all.
Biggar missed two simple penalties, as the Welshmen looked all at sea with a light haze of rain drifting into the Madejski, and even the introduction of Lee Byrne for Barry Davies couldn’t get the Ospreys firing.
The Irish back-row of Samoan George Stowers, Tongan Chris Hala’ufia, and Englishman Steffon Armitage – who plays like a South Sea Islander – were superb throughout, not allowing Mike Philips to boss games as he likes nor make any of his trademark darting runs around the fringes of the breakdown.
Biggar did kick a penalty before being replaced and James Hook knocked over a further score to bring the Ospreys to within two scores with fifteen minutes remaining at 21-12.
And a terrible feeling of déjà-vu must have sunk into the pit of Toby Booth’s stomach as Bowden missed a long range penalty on 69, and then James Buckland was penalised with a yellow card for tackling the man without the ball – a booking due to a culmination of Irish infringements around their line, which meant they played the last nine minutes with just 14 men.
But the Irish defence and spirit was resolute, highlighted by a huge hit from captain Mapusua on Jerry Collins which led to a turnover and effectively ended any chance of an unlikely turnaround.
Ryan Lamb came on in the dying moments and slotted a neat penalty from the junction of the Ospreys’ 10 meter line and the left hand five meter line to give the Exiles a long awaited 24-12 victory.
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