Ospreys and Blues share spoils
The Ospreys had to settle for a 21-21 draw in a stop-start, tryless Magners League derby with the Cardiff Blues.
Last Updated: 02/04/11 10:12pm
The Ospreys had to settle for a 21-21 draw in a stop-start, tryless Magners League derby with the Cardiff Blues at the Liberty Stadium.
Both regions took two points from the draw in a game that was dominated by the boots of outside halves Dan Biggar and Dan Parks.
Biggar provided 18 points with five penalties and a drop goal, with a further drop goal scored by James Hook. Parks kicked all his side's 21 points - five penalties and two drop goals.
The first half produced little excitement and the only highlight was the attacking impetus of Blues number eight Xavier Rush, who made one 40 metre break and then also put full-back Dan Fish clear with a neat pass out of the back door.
Scrum
The Ospreys had the best of the set-piece, especially in the scrum which was responsible for two of Biggar's first three penalty shots.
Biggar's first kick was a monster penalty which just crept over the upright from five metres inside the Ospreys' own half.
From 9-0 down after 23 minutes the Blues started to get a bigger percentage of possession which saw Parks put over a drop goal and five minutes later he struck a penalty.
But with both sides making mistakes they had to rely on their respective number 10s to get the scoreboard ticking.
After Blues lock Bradley Davies was sent to the bin by French referee Christophe Berdos, Biggar restored the Ospreys six-point lead with his fourth penalty.
In injury time Parks and Biggar swapped a penalty and a drop goal respectively as the Ospreys went in at the interval 15-9 up.
The drop goal fest continued right at the start of the second half with James Hook putting over three more points.
But that was cancelled out with a fourth Parks penalty as the stop-start nature of the contest continued.
Sin bin
Referee Berdos' ran out of patience with the serial infringing and he sent Jerry Collins to the sin bin for failing to release a player on the floor.
Despite being a player light the Ospreys were next to score with Biggar converting his fifth penalty after the Blues had been caught offside.
But Cardiff hit back as Parks was successful with his fifth penalty kick, reducing the home lead to 21-18 on 62 minutes.
And the scores were level at 21-21 after Parks put over his second drop goal six minutes from time.
The Ospreys twice tried to regain the lead but both Biggar and Hook missed the target with drop goal attempts late on.
