Wales fly-half Dan Biggar kicked all of his side’s points in a 21-12 victory at the Liberty Stadium as the Ospreys grabbed their first win in four attempts in Europe this term.
Only Leinster and Saracens have won at the Liberty in the last eight seasons of continental competition and Toulouse are sill the only French side to win at the ground after Castres were unable to back up their 15-9 success at the Stade Pierre Antoine that effectively ended the Ospreys’ quarter-final aspirations last Saturday.
The Ospreys suffered a pre-match blow with the late withdrawal of Wales and Lions lock Ian Evans – Canadian international Tyler Ardron coming into the starting line-up – and they went behind to a fifth minute penalty by Castres’ South Africa scrum-half Rory Kockott.
They responded by battering at the Castres try line but had to settle for the first of seven Biggar penalties to initially level matters and then a similar strike to edge them in front after 12 minutes.
Both sides were willing to run the ball but the battle of the boots continued with Kockott matching Biggar strike for strike.
Castres were virtually living off scraps with the young Ospreys backs desperate to move the big French forwards around the pitch and their pack was weakened when Scottish international Richie Gray was forced off shortly after Biggar had restored the Ospreys’ lead with his third penalty.
More woe for the visitors came in the shape of a yellow card to captain and outside-half Remi Tales, with Biggar on target to punish the Ospreys further clear with a fourth success with the boot. But Kockott hit back with two penalties of his own for it to revert back to deadlock at the break.
The reliable boot of Biggar edged Steve Tandy’s side in front for the fourth time with his fifth penalty soon after the restart, an advantage they held when Tales sent a drop goal attempt wide.
And Biggar completed the job with two more penalties after 60 and 70 minutes to ensure the Ospreys bounced back from a disappointing start to their Heineken Cup campaign.
