The Ospreys overcame the concession of an early penalty try as Dan Biggar’s 14-point kicking haul and a second half try from Tommy Bowe helped them get the better of Munster at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.
Munster hit the front thanks to a 13th minute try but the Magners League suffered from a poor place-kicking performance from out-half Ronan O’Gara, who missed four penalty efforts, and second half sin-binnings for forwards Denis Fogarty and James Coughlan.
Ospreys number 10 Dan Biggar won his personal duel with O’Gara, firing over three penalties and a drop goal and he also converted Tommy Bowe’s 43rd-minute try, while his half-back partner Liam Davies put in a determined display as man-of-the-match.
Biggar’s impressive kicking out of hand was key as the Ospreys got their tactics right in difficult conditions against a side that did the double on them last season.
The comeback win represents the Ospreys’ first success in five matches against Munster and a winning start to an important month for the injury-hit Welsh region.
The reigning Magners League champions’ pre-match preparations were disrupted when captain Paul O’Connell cried off with a calf strain and Donnacha Ryan took his place in the second row.
Munster forced the issue in the early exchanges but O’Gara, standing in as skipper, missed two shots at the posts – the first went wide to the right from a central position and the second, from inside his own half, fell short of the uprights.
However, he was on target with his third attempt – the conversion of a penalty try awarded after the home scrum had come under significant pressure as the Munster pack shunted it backwards.
Referee Neil Paterson had already penalised the Welshmen for collapsing several scrums in the opening quarter hour.
Munster, who were territorially dominant, used their set piece to launch another promising attack, just minutes later.
Number 8 Coughlan was held up over the Ospreys line after picking up from the base of a scrum. The hosts kept him out and a second Coughlan-led attack was whistled up for crossing.
Having steadied the ship defensively, the Ospreys, with their first concerted attack, got on the scoreboard with a Biggar penalty from in front of the posts.
However, they lost Alun Wyn Jones to the sin-bin for coming in at the side of a ruck, albeit with O’Gara kicking wide from the resulting penalty.
The 14-man Ospreys rose to the occasion and had the better of play coming up to half-time. After a high tackle from Niall Ronan, Biggar saw a long range penalty effort rebound off the crossbar before he kicked a late three points to make it a single-point game at half-time – 7-6.
The Ospreys blasted out of the blocks in the second half when Bowe sped in at the right corner for a converted try after good approach work from Gareth Owen, Biggar and Davies, putting the Welsh side in front for the first time.
Centre Andrew Bishop also deserves credit for setting up the attack with a terrific catch in Munster territory. Adding further momentum to the Ospreys’ charge, Biggar added a superb conversion from a wide angle.
The hosts’ second attack of the half saw them have a chance to go further ahead after Munster hooker Fogarty saw yellow for going offside at a ruck, but Biggar was wide with his penalty shot.
The Ospreys thought they had scored a second try but television match official Tony Rowlands ruled that Paul James lost the ball over the line. But they made do with a Biggar drop goal as they extended their lead to 16-7.
O’Gara’s fourth penalty miss, on the hour, did little for Munster’s hopes of getting back in touch as the rain continued to pelt down from the night sky.
But while O’Gara was having an off day, Biggar planted his third penalty from the halfway line as the home side’s advantage went to 12 points and that was followed by Munster number 8 Coughlan going to the sin-bin for kicking the ball away.
Enjoying the better of play in the closing stages and piling forward with growing intent, Munster kept scrapping and a converted try from replacement Nick Williams, after a long period of pressure, gave Tony McGahan’s men a losing bonus point for the trip back across the Irish Sea.
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