Ospreys 25
Exeter Chiefs 13
FIVE PENALTIES, A drop-goal and a series of superb up-and-unders from Dan Biggar helped Ospreys edge a tight contest against Exeter in Champions Cup pool 2 before Josh Matavesi sealed victory with an intercept try.
With Clermont’s trip to Bordeaux postponed after the attacks in Paris, the Sunday evening scrap was the only game in the pool so the Welsh side move top of the pile before going to Stade Michelin next Sunday.
Exeter will head south frustrated at not capitalising on their first-half which could have ended with a much greater advantage than just four points.
Before the half hour, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie looked a sure bet to score, but let the hosts off the hook when he let the ball slip after barging through contact.
Exeter did get their try on 31 minutes, scrum-half Will Chudley produced a smart show and go after claiming a high kick on halfway and once he was through the gap, he fed James Short who shrugged off tackles before stepping on the gas and powering for the left corner.
Biggar’s form under the high ball was remaining at a consistently excellent level as he made 40-metre gains from contesting his own kicks look almost routine. But his accuracy off the kicking tee was not so sharp, the Wales out-half was guilty of two poor strikes that could have reduced or wiped out the 6 – 10 half-time arrears.
Biggar was hit and miss after the break too, but to his credit he kept coming back and putting his hand up for responsibility. The 26-year-old had added two penalties and a drop goal to put his men 18 – 13 ahead and force his opposite number Gareth Steenson into chasing the game with 10 minutes to go.
At that point, the Ulsterman let a ball fly from his hands a fraction earlier than he should have. Centre Matavesi telegraphed the pass and sucked in big lungfuls of air to out-pace England wing Jack Nowell with the aid of a big direction change and slide before the try-line arrived.
Biggar added the conversion, rounding off a night where he was able to shrug off errors and keep influencing the game for the benefit of his team.
