Ospreys 25-13 Exeter Chiefs: Biggar’s boot hands Welsh side crucial win

Biggar fired a warning of things to come with two early penalties, but Gareth Steenson hit back with a three-pointer of his own before James Short scorched his way over for the game’s first try on 32 minutes. Steenson converted for a 10-6 interval lead in favour of the Chiefs.

The hosts came out an improved side in the second half with Biggar adding two more penalties to edge his side ahead before Steenson returned with his second penalty of the evening to put the visitors 13-12 up with an hour played.

Biggar then landed a drop-goal, which was quickly followed by yet another penalty from the Welshman to put Ospreys into a firm lead. Joshua Matavesi’s interception try after 72 minutes then put the result beyond doubt and sent Exeter back to the West Country empty handed.

Exeter were fresh from a stellar start to their Premiership season which included a fine 19-6 win over Leicester last week, but they suffered a slow start in south Wales, a dominant pack effort from the home side laying the platform for Biggar to kick his side into a 6-0 lead after 19 minutes.

But Steenson kept the visitors in the contest, knocking over a three-point reply on 25 minutes.

Visibly buoyed by their first notch on the scoreboard, the Chiefs rumbled ahead just after the half hour as wing man Short showed an impressive mix of pace, agility and composure to steam in down the left edge for his third try in 11 European games.

Fly-half Steenson, who scored all 19 points in Chefs’ win last time out, kept up his 100 per cent record with the boot to hand the visitors a four-point interval lead.

But with coach Steve Tandy’s words still ringing in their ears, Ospreys came out firing in the second period as Biggar chipped away at the deficit to hand his side a two-point lead, kicking two penalties inside nine second-half minutes.

However Exeter, benefiting from two surprise missed penalty attempts by Biggar earlier in the game, edged ahead once more through Steenson’s second three-pointer, but RUCK Man of the Match Biggar struck back three minutes later with a drop goal to put Alun Wyn Jones and co. two ahead once more.

That proved to be the fourth and final time the lead would change hands.

Biggar then kicked his fifth penalty of the day and with Exeter desperate to haul themselves back into contention, Steenson threw a speculative pass in an attempt to wipe out the five-point deficit, but, on 72 minutes, Matavesi read the ball impeccably and raced 70 metres downfield before touching down, despite a desperate chase from Jack Nowell, to dash any hopes of a comeback, before Biggar rounded off the scoring with his only conversion of the match.

---

Biggar by name, Biggar by nature. The 6ft2in fly half was in inspired from once again this evening. Despite a pair of wayward penalty attempts in the first half, the Welshman’s spot kicking proved to be crucial, while his remarkable kick-chase technique was a ruthlessly useful asset for the hosts.