Ospreys (6) 19
Tries: Bowe Con: Biggar Pens: Biggar Drop-goal: Biggar

Munster (7) 14
Tries: Penalty try, Williams Cons: O'Gara 2

Ospreys half-backs Dan Biggar and Liam Davies starred against Munster

The Ospreys were too strong for Magners League champions Munster at rain-soaked Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

Munster usually thrive in such grim conditions, but the Ospreys bettered the Irish province despite conceding an early penalty try at a scrum.

Dan Biggar hit two penalties for the hosts to be 7-6 at the break.

A Tommy Bowe try and eight more points from Biggar sealed victory despite replacement Nick Williams' late try and Ronan O'Gara's conversion.

The Ospreys' display included a man-of-the-match show from scrum-half Liam Davies, the former Scarlets and Brive player who has not made his latest team's Heineken Cup squad.

Instead, amid a scrum-half injury crisis, the Ospreys have signed South Africa's Ricky Januarie, who hopes to regain form in the three months he will be in Wales after being omitted from their autumn tour to Europe.

Davies was outstanding behind the Ospreys' pack, keeping the Munster back-row occupied with his telling contribution and overshadowing Ireland star Tomas O'Leary.

Outside him fly-half Dan Biggar also had a fine game, out-playing an off-form Ronan O'Gara and expertly directing the hosts' tactical approach.

606: DEBATE Roberts will never perform on the World stage to the level that Peel and Mike Phillips have. Liam Davies put in a performance tonight that Martin Roberts will never match teifiboy

Biggar's kicking out of hand kept the pressure on Munster for much of the game, but the visitors also launched a typically determined late fight-back after they fell 19-7 behind.

However, with O'Gara off form in front of the posts - he missed four penalty kicks - Munster were also denied rewards for some of their hard work.

O'Gara, standing in as skipper for the injured Paul O'Connell, could only watch as 20-year-old Wales cap Biggar scored 14 Ospreys points.

The Ospreys conceded more than 100 points to Munster in three defeats last season, two of them in the league and the win was only their second in seven outings.

Munster were forced into a late and significant change to their line-up when O'Connell pulled out with a calf strain.

The Ospreys were also without their skipper Ryan Jones (back), who had not recovered from the back injury which ruled him out of Wales' defeat to Australia the previous weekend.

That left Jerry to lead a side including seven players who were on autumn duty with Wales, Ireland or Scotland.

Irish wing Tommy Bowe was among them and he played a significant part in Munster's downfall.

Ospreys captain Jerry Collins gets the ball away under pressure from Munster

The Ospreys were penalised four times in the first 11 minutes but Munster failed to take advantage with O'Gara missing two shots at goal

But the visitors were awarded a penalty try from a scrum after 13 minutes and O'Gara converted, but Biggar struck back with two penalties.

The Ospreys then survived without conceding any more points while Alun-Wyn Jones was in the sin-bin between the 26th and 36th minutes after committing a third technical offence of the game.

Bowe finished off powerfully after Biggar, Gareth Owen and scrum-half Davies paved the way for his try at the corner, converted superbly by the fly-half.

More Ospreys pressure told as Munster hooker Denis Fogarty was sin-binned for going offside at a ruck and prop Paul James was denied a home try after losing possession in the act of scoring.

Biggar dropped a goal in the 54th minute and added a penalty when Alan Quinlan transgressed at a ruck.

Number eight James Coughlan followed lock Jones and hooker Fogarty to the sin-bin in the 61st minute.

Both sides displayed their gutsy qualities in the dying stages.

The visitors ensured a tense finish when back-row replacement Williams went over for a try O'Gara converted from the touchline.

But the Ospreys proved up to the challenge as they held out to claim victory.

Ospreys: Owen; Bowe, Parker, Bishop, Walker; Biggar, L Davies; D Jones, Hibbard, Mitchell, A Jones, J Thomas, Collins, Holah, Tiatia.Replacements: James for D Jones (41), Bennett for Hibbard (72), Griffiths for Mitchell (75), Lloyd for A-W Jones (80), Lewis for Tiatia (80).
Not Used: Webb, Hook.

Munster: Warwick; Howlett, de Villiers, Mafi, Earls; O'Gara, O'Leary; du Preez, Fogarty, Hayes, O'Callaghan, D Ryan, Quinlan, Ronan, Coughlan.
Replacements: Dowling for Howlett (67), D. Hurley for de Villiers (80), Stringer for O'Leary (74), Varley for Fogarty (72), Buckley for Hayes (64), O'Driscoll for D. Ryan (58), N Williams for Coughlan (70).

Att: 8,077

Ref: Neil Paterson (SRU).

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