Ospreys head coach Sean Holley praised his side's courage and determination in sealing the Magners League title on Saturday.
Coach Holley praises side's courage and determination in taking Magners crown
Ospreys head coach Sean Holley praised his side's courage and determination in sealing the Magners League title on Saturday with a 17-12 grand final victory against Leinster at the RDS.
The Welsh region became the first club to win the Celtic league three times and also ended their opponents' 20-month unbeaten home record.
Following on from the Cardiff Blues' Amlin Challenge Cup triumph last weekend, Ospreys' triumph also gave Welsh rugby further momentum heading into the national side's summer tour.
"As somebody who has been to every single Ospreys game, it's pretty much up there I can tell you - it's a special night," Holley said.
"I wouldn't say it was our best performance, but certainly one of our most courageous and determined."
The victory was built on the foundation of a strong first half as Ospreys took the game to Leinster and grabbed converted tries through Tommy Bowe and man-of-the-match Lee Byrne.
"We went out to try and win it, we went out to score tries and we did that. There aren't too many teams who can come here and score tries against Leinster," Holley said.
"To score two in the first half, it just gave us a little bit more belief that we could try and push on and win it.
"We tried to lose it in the second half, by giving away some penalties, but our defensive effort in the end was outstanding."
Strategy
Holley was surprised by the ease with which his side opened up Leinster's much-vaunted defence open early on, especially given the tough battles between the teams recently.
Playing at the same venue last month, Leinster outscored Ospreys by two tries to one for a 20-16 win and the Irish province had also won the sides' last six encounters.
"We had a game-plan and a strategy, which sometimes comes off and sometimes it doesn't. We just felt that we could get through on a short pass in the midfield, which was the result of our first try," Holley added.
"It was a great finish by Lee (Byrne) for our second try. Down the short side, which was something we had spotted.
"Leinster are pretty outstanding in defence, and it's the end of a long, hard season. I'm not that surprised (we cut through them), because we have some great talent.
"When they get the bit between the teeth, and things do come off then we can score tries. It hasn't quite happened in every game this season.
"I'm sure you are aware we have bombed chances, but we took the two most important ones tonight."
After Ospreys had stolen a march, fly-half Dan Biggar kicked them further ahead with a penalty in the second half.
And although Jonathan Sexton's haul of four penalties set up a nail-biting finish, the visitors hung on with their try-line rarely troubled.
With handling errors, poor decision making and an overall lack of energy blighting Leinster's play, coach Michael Cheika admitted that the better team had won.
"Ospreys deserved the win but we're disappointed with ourselves. We didn't play well, we tried to fight our way back into the game, but we made too many mistakes," he said.
"We probably just weren't accurate in the defensive section or where we needed to be in the team."
Moving on
The match was Chieka's last in charge of Leinster before a move to Stade Francais and it was also the last appearance of veteran lock Malcolm O'Kelly.
In all, 10 members of the Leinster playing and coaching staff are moving on this summer.
Cheika, who was hoping to sign off with a third trophy in as many seasons, was left to lament a lacklustre first half showing.
"I think we had opportunities to come even closer, but you have to take everything at that point, and take every opportunity that you get," he said.
"Unfortunately, we still made a couple of small errors. We showed plenty of guts and plenty of fight, but to win finals you have to be at the top of your game.
"Ospreys took the chances that presented themselves to them, and we didn't and that becomes the difference.
"It's happened to us before - but we have done it and the other team hasn't - and we have come out better. That's rugby."
Leinster's chances of hitting back in the second half were also hampered by injuries picked up by flanker Kevin McLaughlin and his replacement Stephen Keogh.
McLaughlin sustained a suspected cruciate knee ligament injury during the latter stages of the first half, and is now a doubt for Ireland's summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.
