Ospreys soar into quarters

Ospreys beat Leicester 17-12 to clinch a Heineken Cup quarter-final berth, in the process eliminating the two-time European champions.

Defeat means that the Tigers finish third in Pool Three and do not even have the consolation of a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

The Welsh side just about deserved to edge a predictably tense and close encounter, although they were holding on desperately in the closing stages.

And they may yet be in trouble with the ERC after a mix-up over substitutions led to them having 16 men on the field for over a minute in the second half.

The Tigers will rue three late chances to grab the try that would have seen them progress, but they also paid dearly for their weakness at the scrum.

Referee Alan Lewis penalised the Leicester front row on four occasions as the hosts established dominance at the set piece.

Perfect

Leicester started fast and led through a Toby Flood penalty after six minutes, but Dan Biggar replied two minutes later with a drop-goal from under the posts.

Flood and Biggar then exchanged penalties before a fine long-range drop-goal from Jeremy Staunton edged the visitors ahead once more.

Ospreys then built up a good spell of pressure and were rewarded by Biggar's second penalty.

Neither defensive line looked likely to be breached and it took a moment of inspiration from James Hook to create the game's only try.

Leicester once again had plenty of defenders in their right corner but Hook threaded through a perfect grubber kick for Tommy Bowe to finish well by the corner flag.

The conversion was missed, but Flood wasted the chance to claw back three points as the half expired, after a fracas between Ricky Januarie and Lote Tuqiri.

Ospreys started the second half strongly but Biggar missed a simple penalty chance and an attempted drop-goal, before Flood cut the deficit to two points on 50 minutes.

Advantage

But moments later Leicester were caught offside and Biggar stretched the lead again.

The final 25 minutes largely belonged to Leicester as they struggled in vain to find a way to the try-line.

Dan Hipkiss had a chance to set Tuqiri free down the left touchline but hurled his pass into touch behind the Australian winger.

And Leicester should have scored with just a minute to go. They had a clear numerical advantage as the ball emerged from a ruck two yards from the posts, but Ben Youngs delayed his pass too long and when it finally came out the ball was too low for Aaron Mauger, who knocked on. One more scrum penalty against Leicester later and the game was over.

The Ospreys have now won 13 consecutive home games in Europe - the last winners in Swansea were Leicester in 2005 - but as a group runner-up they will have to win away from home if they are to become the first Welsh side to lift the Heineken Cup.