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Ospreys 24 - 23 Harlequins
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Match Details
Half-Time: 14 - 3
Att: 8,057
Referee:
Venue: Liberty Stadium
Date: Sun 5th Oct 2008
Quick Stats
Tries: 4
Conversion: 3
Penalties: 7
Drop Goals: 0
2 0
Previous Meeting
Ospreys24 - 23Quins
Quins8 - 19Ospreys
Quins19 - 46Ospreys
Ospreys24 - 7Quins
Ospreys sneak victory over Quins
The Ospreys escaped a shock defeat in their first defence of the EDF Energy Cup tile with a one-point win over Harlequins
Ospreys 24-23 Harlequins

The Ospreys escaped a shock defeat in their first defence of the EDF Energy Cup tile with a one-point win over Harlequins.

James Hook showed ice showed an ice-cool temperament to convert Tommy Bowe’s injury-time try and spare the Welsh region’s blushes at the Liberty Stadium.

The Ospreys produced a below-par performance but got out of jail thanks to Wales fly-half Hook’s 14 points.
Shane Williams’ first-half strike had handed the Ospreys a commanding 14-3 interval lead but Quins fought back through tries by De Wet Barry and Tani Fuga before Bowe’s late score allowed Hook to clinch the victory.

Gavin Henson completed the full 80 minutes in his first start for six months with one moment of importance in either half. The British Lion assisted Williams’ try in an energetic first-half display before produced a try-saving tackle after the interval on Barry.

Henson was one of 13 internationals in a strong Ospreys line-up and the glamour boy of Welsh rugby was in the thick of the action immediately by making a surging run from the kick-off.

The hosts were on the front foot but Hook fired the Ospreys into a six-point lead following two sweetly-struck penalties by Hook in the opening 25 minutes.

Waisea Luveniyali and Hook exchanged penalties before the holders showed their true class when Alun Wyn Jones stormed through the Quins defence from Hook’s pass and the giant lock found Henson who made the try-scoring pass to Williams.

Quins were down to 14 men after wing Epi Taione was yellow carded but they were back in the match on 43 minutes when South African centre Barry found a gaping hole and beat the last-ditch tackle of Byrne to touch down.

Luveniyali converted and then the visitors took a shock 17-14 lead when television Match official Tony Rowlands awarded Tani Fuga’s scrambled effort on 55 minutes.

Luveniyali and Hook swapped further penalties before the home side lost Ryan Jones to the sin-bin which resulted in Luveniyali re-establishing Quins’ six-point lead.

But the Ospreys were given a lifeline when Bowe capitalised on Seb Stegmann’s fumble to crash over before Hook’s conversion sealed the triumph.
LINEUPS SCORING SUMMARY TIMELINE
OspreysHarlequins
SubsScoringNameNo.NameScoringSubs


Lee Byrne 15 Tom Williams
Replacement off


Jonny Vaughton 14 Epi Taione Yellow card

Replacement off

Sonny Parker 13 de Wet Barry 1T



Gavin Henson 12 Tosh Masson


1T
Shane Williams 11 Charlie Amesbury


1C 4P
James Hook 10 Waisea Luveniyali 2C 3P

Replacement off

Rhys Webb 9 Andy Gomarsall



Duncan Jones 1 Aston Croall

Replacement off

Huw Bennett 2 Tani Fuga 1T



Adam Jones 3 Mark Lambert

Replacement off

Ian Gough 4 James Percival



Alun-Wyn Jones 5 George Robson

Replacement off

Filo Tiatia 6 Chris Robshaw
Replacement off


Marty Holah 7 Neil McMillan
Replacement off
Yellow card

Ryan Jones 8 Phil Davies

Replacements
Replacements
Replacement on

Richard Hibbard 16 Dan Frazier



Andrew Millward 17 Ignacio Elosu

Replacement on

Lyndon Bateman 18 Ollie Kohn

Replacement on

Tom Smith 19 Tom Guest
Replacement on


Steve Tandy 20 Gareth M. Williams

Replacement on

Dan Biggar 21 Seb Jewell

Replacement on
1T
Tommy Bowe 22 Seb Stegmann
Replacement on
Penalty Tries
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