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The Ospreys will put their 17-match unbeaten home run in the Heineken Cup on the line when they host the English champions
The Ospreys will put their 17-match unbeaten home run in the Heineken Cup on the line when they host the English champions, Saracens, at the Liberty Stadium on Friday night.
The Welsh region will be looking to avenge their 31-26 defeat to Saracens at Wembley last weekend when the two sides clash in Swansea in the return game of their double header.
The Ospreys know the visit of the side from the English capital is a ‘must-win’ game if they have genuine ambitions to reach the knockout stages of European rugby’s premier competition.
Saracens top the Pool but only four points separate all four teams after three games in the tightest fought group in this season’s tournament. The Premiership outfit know a victory in Wales will be a major boost of their quarter-finals hopes.
The English side, who are in their fifth season in the Heineken Cup, has lost their last four Heineken Cup games on the road and will be no illusions of the task facing them in the Principality.
Saracens ended the Ospreys' six year unbeaten record in the Heineken Cup to seize the initiative in Pool 5 with victory at the Liberty Stadium. - 16/12/2011 22:48
Saracens ended the Ospreys’ six year unbeaten record in the Heineken Cup to seize the initiative in Pool 5 with victory at the Liberty Stadium.
Ernst Joubert’s opportunist first-half try and 11 points from the boot of Owen Farrell proved enough to claim victory for the English Champions.
Farrell and Dan Biggar traded early penalties in a tight opening before Ospreys fly-half Biggar saw his clearance kick charged down by Charlie Hodgson, setting up Joubert for the game’s opening try.
Farrell had no problems with the conversion and he then kicked a further penalty for Saracens before the break.
Ashley Beck twice went close as Ospreys rallied early in the second half before former Wales lock Ian Gough touched down for his first European try,
Biggar converted to narrow the lead the three points with 15 minutes remaining but Heineken Cup winner Peter Stringer used all his experience from countless campaigns with Munster to help Saracens close out the game, and with it a crucial win.
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