Elvis rocks Castres to aid Welsh cause

Neath-Swansea 20 - Castres 11

The Ospreys finally fluttered into life; a little late for their own European campaign, but not, perhaps, for their fellow Welsh side the Newport-Gwent Dragons. The Dragons now have a foot in the knock-out stages if they can win at Newcastle today.

The Ospreys finally fluttered into life; a little late for their own European campaign, but not, perhaps, for their fellow Welsh side the Newport-Gwent Dragons. The Dragons now have a foot in the knock-out stages if they can win at Newcastle today.

The Ospreys' victory revealed a steely edge to their squad after the coaches had made changes to the side who lost in Munster last week. There were a dozen in all, two positional, and the assistant coach, Sean Holley, pronounced himself satisfied with the performance of the changed team. "We started next year's campaign today," he said, "and the guys who came in showed they were focused and motivated. This was a home game and we have a proud record here."

But it was a close thing. Only an opportunistic try at the end by Elvis Seveali'i - who used to specialise in late tries when he was with Bath a couple of seasons ago - saw the Welsh side to safety. Until then, it had been too close to call. The replacement Richard Dourthe had a chance to ease Castres in front by a point with a long-range penalty, but his effort fell short and wide.

Thankfully the Ospreys had the Wales centre Gavin Henson playing at fly-half and in immaculate form with the boot, and his 50-metre penalty, after a deliberate knock-on by Nicolas Raffault, from out wide early in the second half restored the Ospreys' lead.

They defended brilliantly thereafter, as they had to given the performance of the Castres fly-half and captain, Yann Delaigue, who kept them on their toes throughout with his wicked angles and cunning chips and kicks. But as Delaigue later admitted, Castres let themselves down. A Glenn Metcalfe turnover in the ninth minute allowed Shane Williams enough time and room for a chip, and the nippy scrum-half Richard Rees raced over for the first try.

Henson added the conversion and countered a Castres penalty with one of his own before the French side had their best spell in the game as their pack began to assert itself. It resulted in the scrum-half Alexandre Albouy sending the prop Alessio Galasso over for a try.

Unfortunately for them, Laurent Marticorena missed the conversion, but his second penalty ensured a one-point half-time lead. He also missed a second-half penalty, though, and that was pretty much that as the Ospreys closed ranks and absorbed everything the French threw at them.

Neath-Swansea Ospreys: S Terblanche; E Seveali'i, D Bishop, D Tiueti (M Jones, 66), S Williams; G Henson, R Rees (A Durston, 78); P James (C Griffiths, 75), B Williams (capt), A Jones (A Millward, 63), A Newman, J Thomas, A Lloyd (L Bateman, 72), R Jones (R Hibbard, 80), S Tandy (R Pugh, 71).

Castres: G Metcalfe; U Mola, L Marticorena (R Dourthe, 67), M Denney, N Raffault (D Bory, 59); Y Delaigue (capt), A Albouy; M Reggiardo, R Vigneaux (G Argenese, 72), A Galasso, L Nallet, N Spanghero, R Froment (G Bernad, 55), R Capo Ortega, P Volley (J Deen, 66).

Referee: A Spreadbury (England).