Sounds like a broken record…..Ospreys 13-16 Saracens
This time? by PNH
By The Bard
December 18 2011
‘Do you realise that we haven’t lost a home Heineken Cup tie in 5 years?’ The Ospreys fan opposite me on the train enquired. ‘Well, we have ended long unbeaten runs at Leicester, Northampton and Gloucester in the last couple years’ I replied more in hope than expectation. In a further rare show of optimism on the SportGuru prediction league I’d predicted Sarries by 3.
We were somewhat surprised to see the Sarries team on the same train, and if the forecast 90 minute delay due to a ‘jumper’ had materialised they would have been cutting it fine for the match. Jeremy Clarkson apparently was unavailable for comment. As it was the team emerged into the bitterly cold afternoon looking rather like Captain Scott’s men at the South Pole.
Our walk down to the ground showed that the seeds for Wild Friday were being sown, one classy local lass was making her targets for the night known to one and all. The Liberty Stadium is a nice venue, but just like home from home as there was only 7000 there. The few Sarries fans were gathered in the upper East stand, and I have to say sang their hearts out all night and to out-sing the Welsh in Wales is some achievement.
Like Northampton, the Ospreys were out on the pitch smashing into tackle bags up to near kick-off time, but this time a pre-match minutes silence probably dampened their fire. We were wondering whether there would be a response to the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ stunt, possibly a flock of sheep being let loose but nothing materialised.
Sarries kicked off and kept Ospreys pinned back, winning an early penalty from what looked like a kickable position. To my surprise at least Charlie kicked towards the corner without gaining much ground (his kicking from hand was not good all night, and one wonders how he kept the job). Nevertheless, another penalty was won and Owen knocked it over and we had got the ideal start.
I should have pointed out earlier this is only what I think I remembered, and not necessarily a true record of fact so apologies for any errors! Anyway, the first scrum of the match soon occurred and as in just about every game this season we were penalised with a free kick. At the next scrum the ref instantly awarded a penalty on the engage, and Dan Biggar slotted it comfortably. Undeterred, we struck back with a penalty of our own but this was also quickly cancelled out. By this stage every scrum decision had gone to the home team, and one wondered whether Carlos would be entering the fray early. But from the kick-off we put Biggar under pressure; Charlie managing to charge the kick down and Ernst simply had to flop on the ball to score an easy try which Owen converted.
Then came one of the turning points of the game; thanks to one of the worst rules in sport Ospreys had a 5 metre scrum after a very poor kick-through clipped a Sarries player on its way behind the dead ball line. We feared the worst, penalty try and sin-bin wouldn’t have been a surprise. But after the awarding another penalty to the Ospreys after the first collapse, Monsieur Garces gave the next verdict to Sarries. Charlie disappointingly missed the kick to touch, but the siege was at least lifted. Thereafter every scrum decision seemed to go our way, to the point that Paul James was sin-binned just before half time. In the meantime another Farrell penalty had put some daylight between the teams, and 16-6 at half-time was well beyond our expectations.
A good, solid start to the second half was all that was required… We very casually got Matt Stevens isolated carrying the ball forward from the kick-off after we’d passed the opportunity of an easy box-kick. Thankfully Biggar missed the straightforward kick. You could sense we had decided to run the clock down at every opportunity, which tempting as it is does stop you focussing on doing the positive things that have given the lead in the first place. The siege never seemed to get lifted, and it appeared the Ospreys had got a try back only for it to be ruled out for a double movement.
Things then got even harder, as Brits got sin-binned for a very early engage which started the umpteenth handbag swinging episode. Much more Wild Friday than Wild West it has to be said. And then of course we get lineout 5 metres out, and no chance to get John Smit on. Yet again the redoubtable Kelly Brown steps up to the oche and finds his man with no fuss, and the danger clears.
At last we manage to get the experience of John Smit and Peter Stringer on to settle things down. Sadly that’s not how it worked out. Stringer’s first kick lands 3 rows back into the crowd, and Smit’s first two lineouts are lost. And then when we get another scrum, our pack are literally bulldozed off the field (despite the added bulk of Dave Strettle) and the penalty conceded.
Brits and Ernst come back on, but before long we lose another ‘hooker’ to the bin when Kelly is sin-binned for an apparent trip, much to his and Steve Borthwick’s displeasure. Finally the dam burst; the defence is finally stretched too far and Ian Gough squeezed in the corner, and this time Biggar made no mistake and it looked like being a long last ten minutes.
To our relief Sarries finally started seeing some ball, and with 5 to go we were awarded what seemed to be a straight-forward kick, but here is where we shot ourselves in the foot with time-wasting. Owen asks for another ball, and waits as long as possible before kicking and guess what, missed. Thankfully our magnificent defence kept the Ospreys at arms length and the scenes of jubilation in the stands on the pitch made the long journey worthwhile.
Jacques deservedly got MOM, although Rhys Gill and Ben Spencer can’t have been too far behind. For the Ospreys the threat of Shane Williams again never materialised, whereas Tommy Bowe looked a class act who would be a great addition if we really want a big name winger.
Bizarrely the ball only came out of a scrum once all night, and given the number of missed wonky lineouts, knock-ons and forward passes one could only conclude the ref just didn’t like scrums.
After a pint in the local we decided a stroll back to our seafront hotel would be a good idea, but by the time we got there it felt like we’d walked further than the Proclaimers.
And so nearly ends 2011, surely the best in Sarries history. Premiership Champions, two wins at Welford Road, one at Franklins Gardens, Adams Park, Kingsholm and now the first notable win in Wales since King Edward The First was a lad. We must be dreading the year striking 12.
Happy Christmas,
A great performance to remember anything! I s'pose, if the beer was sh|t, then memory might have been easier, unless there was a hipflask involved
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:12:29:12:36:55 by Fozz1e.
And a Happy Christmas to you too!!
Nous sommes l'armée noir et rouge !
2. Agree that, if we really do want a winger who is going to be away a lot (I fear that Stretts might not be released by England as frequently as he was by Johnson/Smith), then Tommy Bowe would be a far better choice than Splashdown.
BTW, the Mail-on-Sunday(*) reports that Saints had a 'Secret Santa' and Ashton received a fez!
(*) I didn't buy it - it's the pub paper in my local.
It's a long time since Sports network paid anything!