Cardiff Blues 27 – 25 Ospreys
The Blues had to withstood a second half fightback from the Ospreys before edging home narrowly at the Cardiff City Stadium.
In the first half the Ospreys were unrecognisable from the side which demolished the Scarlets only a matter of days ago. Alun Wyn Jones’s men simply couldn’t get their hands on the ball and when they did they gifted possession straight back to the home side.
The Blues won the battle at the breakdown convincingly with the Ospreys guilty of turning over possession on a number of occasions to make things difficult for themselves.
With Blues fly half Dan Parks keeping the scoreboard ticking over with his right boot, the home side were good value for their 17-3 interval lead.
Wales winger Tom James scored the first try of the match after Chris Czekaj put him clear from 20m. The speedster had too much gas for the Ospreys cover and he dived over in the corner. With Parks knocking over a couple of penalties, the Blues raced out to an 11-point lead.
The only response the Ospreys could muster in the first spell was a long range penalty by Dan Biggar as Parks continued to rock the Ospreys with two snap drop goals.
Richard Mustoe then put clear daylight between the two sides when he eluded the clutches of Adam Jones to race unhindered to the try-line.
Eventually the Ospreys awoke from their slumber to see prop Paul James barge over from close range and then try-poacher Tommy Bowe intercepted to run in for a simple score.
With James Hook rifling over a conversion and a penalty, the Blues were hanging on desperately before replacement fly-half Ceri Sweeney landed a penalty with three minutes left to ease the nerves, even if Andrew Bishop had the last word with a last gasp try.
