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**dudeabides** · 01-01-2010, 03:00 PM

Cardiff was no match today against the Ospreys and they're atop the Magners table, with Glasgow meeting Edinburgh tomorrow at Murrayfield.

Quote:

The Ospreys claimed top spot in the Magners League with a comprehensive 26-0 victory over Welsh rivals Cardiff Blues in a one-sided clash at the Liberty Stadium.

Winger Nikki Walker touched down twice for the hosts in the first half and captain Ryan Jones added a third after the break to carry the Ospreys to their sixth win of the campaign that lifts them above Glasgow and Leinster - with their title rivals still to play this weekend. Man of the match Dan Biggar weighed in with 11 points with the boot as part of another assured display at fly-half that will surely have caught the eye of Wales coach Warren Gatland. The Blues failed to score for the first time this season but only had themselves to blame with an error-ridden performance in wintry conditions in Swansea.

British & Irish Lions Adam Jones and Lee Byrne made their first starts of the season for the Ospreys but the home side were without lock Alun Wyn Jones and fullback James Hook, who are both nursing shoulder injuries, while winger Shane Williams failed to shake off a hamstring strain. The Blues were also be without some big name Lions with flanker Martyn Williams and centre Jamie Roberts ruled out of the showdown after picking up shoulder and head knocks respectively in the win against the Dragons last weekend.

A bumper crowd of just under 15,000 braved the cold and snow in the hope of witnessing a festive cracker but were instead treated to an error-strewn opening as both sides came to terms with the condition.

The Blues made a lively start with scrum-half Richie Rees instrumental but crucially they failed to gain any reward for their endeavours and failed to muster a similar effort for the remainder of the game.

After weathering the early storm the Osprey exerted some pressure of their own and when they found their path to the line blocked some determined Blues defence, Biggar opted for a drop goal and his effort sailed between the posts to give his side the lead. The scrum was a particular point of pain for the neutral spectator and one of many infringements offered the Blues the chance to get back on level terms but despite a good contact, Ben Blair saw his effort drift away from the posts.

Biggar pushed a long range effort past the posts soon after but he responded by orchestrating the Ospreys opening try. The 20-year-old chipped through where Blair initially claimed the ball only to lose the ball under pressure. Ospreys scrum-half Ricky Januarie recycled the ball and fed Jonathan Thomas who in turn found the on-rushing Walker who raced in to score in the corner.

The Blues' hopes were dealt a further blow with Tom Shanklin limping off soon after and they were soon under even more pressure. Biggar ghosted through a gap in the Blues' defence before finding centre Andrew Bishop with a superb pass out of the back of his hand. The ball was then worked through the hands by Sonny Parker and Lee Byrne before Walker popped up to claim his second try.

The visitors rallied before the break but some solid defence from the Ospreys kept them at bay with a thumping tackle from Byrne on Blues centre Richard Mustoe bringing a promising move to an end.

An excellent restart from Biggar opened the second half and turned the screw on the Blues. Skipper Jones claimed possession and took the attack to the Blues and his strong run was rewarded with a penalty that his fly-half duly slotted. Blair had the chance to cancel that score out moments later but he could only hit the post with his penalty attempt.

The task facing the Blues was made even harder when the latest scrum penalty saw tight-head Gary Powell sin-binned and Biggar heaped woe on the visitors by slotting the penalty. The Ospreys stretched their lead just short of the hour mark with a strong run from Bishop taking his side close to the posts before the ball was worked wide before Mustoe was caught offside. The hosts opted for the scrum and after the Blues felt the wrath of the referee's whistle again, Ryan Jones forced his way over in the corner. After a brief delay for the television match official to confirm the score, Biggar nailed an excellent conversion from the touchline.

The Blues attempted to conjure an unlikely turnaround but the urgency of the Ospreys' defence was more than a match for their best efforts. And when the Ospreys were not there to deny them, the Blues committed costly errors with a misguided kick to the corner that sailed into touch in goal summing up the Blues' woes. There was no respite for Cardiff and the Ospreys finally put them out of their misery with a crunching tackle on Blues fly-half Sam Norton-Knight signalling the end of the game.

Ospreys outclass Blues to claim top spot | Rugby Union | Celtic League | Rugby Match Pack | Scrum.com

**Leinster777** · 01-01-2010, 05:17 PM

The top of the Mangers league is looking very tight at the moment...

**dudeabides** · 01-01-2010, 05:43 PM

I'd have to say that too, 3 teams at the top but some others are very close:

1. Ospreys 29 pts
2. Glasgow 27 pts
3. Leinster 26 pts
4. Munster 25 pts
5. Edinburgh 23 pts
6. Newport 23 pts

**Leinster777** · 01-02-2010, 02:43 AM

See this season it turns into a cup, knock out type comp at the end. In previous years it was just whoever was on top at the end won, but while teams like Leinster, Munster, Ospreys etc were concentrating on the Heineken Cup they were losing out in the Magners. PLus it gives smaller teams a chance too.

**dudeabides** · 01-02-2010, 12:19 PM

That competition for the fourth spot could be pretty fierce, with those teams playing so well.

**Leinster777** · 01-02-2010, 12:25 PM

I know! Can't wait. Leinster game cancelled today due to our frozen little island.

**dudeabides** · 01-02-2010, 04:01 PM

Like he said, Leinster/Connacht did not play, here are articles about the other matches that did take place:

Quote:

Glasgow returned to the summit of the Magners League and claimed the 1872 Cup by beating Edinburgh 22-15 at Murrayfield.

Initially Edinburgh showed an improvement on the form they showed in last week's encounter but by the end they were well beaten, with coach Rob Moffat's side now four games without a try.

Instead, Edinburgh's points were once again all scored by Chris Paterson's boot, while Glasgow touched down in each half through DTH Van Der Merwe and Bernardo Stortoni. The league's top points scorer, Dan Parks, advanced his own total with three penalties and a drop goal.

Glasgow dominated and confirmed early superiority with a slick, though unconverted, try. The move began with a Max Evans break up centre field and finished with Parks side footing the ball to the left corner where Van Der Merwe touched down for the score.

Van Der Merwe and Al Kellock both saw yellow before the break and during the first sin-bin period Paterson and Parks exchanged penalties before Paterson cut Glasgow's lead to 14-9, after some heroic defence had kept the home side at bay. Kellock had just returned when Glasgow scored their second unconverted try. Richie Vernon forced a five-metre scrum and from the pressure Parks produced a perfect kick for the unmarked Stortoni, who duly scored.

Ospreys kept the pressure on by thrashing Cardiff Blues at the Liberty Stadium in our Game of the Week.

A quick-fire brace from Scotland wing Simon Danielli helped Ulster beat rivals Munster 15-10 at a sold-out Ravenhill.

Ulster ended a run of three straight Magners League defeats to boost their hopes of making the play-offs but they were made to battle hard against a makeshift Munster side at a bitterly cold Ravenhill. The visitors will be pleased with their losing bonus point while Ulster will be relieved at the result after failing to register a single score after Danielli's second effort. In fact, neither side managed to score any points in a scrappy second half.

Danielli's first came from an unexpected source when a Paul Warwick chip ricocheted off Paddy Wallace into the Ulster winger's hands and he simply turned and ran in to score.

Humphreys nailed a great conversion and then, virtually from the restart, Danielli was over the line again, this time after Andrew Trimble's burst drew tacklers before he released Danielli, who streaked up the left wing. Munster upped the pressure and South Africa international Jean de Villiers scored under the posts after the ball bobbled loose from a tackle, but the centre's try was in vain.

Wales star Stephen Jones gave national coach Warren Gatland an injury worry just four weeks before they play England at Twickenham as the Scarlets claimed a vital 14-9 Magners League win against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

The British and Irish Lions fly-half came off after 54 minutes in his side's victory complaining of soreness on the AC joint of his right shoulder following a heavy tackle in the first-half.

The Dragons led 9-8 at the interval as they sought a win to move them up to third in the table. But Scarlets, who are languishing one place off the bottom, had most of the territorial advantage during the first period, grabbing the only try of the match, although they should have added another two. Fullback Rhys Priestland was put over for that touchdown after centre Jonathan Davies, who was dynamic in midfield attack, went past opposite number Matthew Watkins and put Priestland in the clear.

The home side relied on the boot of outside-half Shaun Connor who grabbed an early drop goal from in front of the Scarlets' posts before landing two penalties, but his efforts were matched by Jones and Priestland, who slotted a crucial late penalty.

Leinster's trip to face Connacht at the Sportsground was a victim of the weather. The game had been given the all clear following a 12.00pm pitch inspection, but a second inspection by match referee Peter Fitzgibbon and coaches Michael Bradley and Michael Cheika resulted in the game being postponed.

Warriors reclaim top spot | Rugby Union | Celtic League | Rugby News | Scrum.com

Just like that, Glasgow back on top:

1. Glasgow 31 pts
2. Ospreys 29 pts
3. Leinster 26 pts
4. Munster 26 pts

And Edinburgh have 24, Ulster and Newport 23.

GWRFC · 01-02-2010, 07:31 PM

yes glasgow!

**Leinster777** · 01-04-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GWRFC

yes glasgow!

Not for long

GWRFC · 01-05-2010, 04:22 PM

Hopefully for long