After a hard fought match on Saturday, it was Leicester Tigers who qualified for the quarter-finals and top Pool Three of the Heineken Cup after gaining a losing bonus-point at the Ospreys.
James Hook booted five penalties to gave the Welsh region a win had to wait nervously on other results in the final round of the Pool stage to secure their quarter-final berth.
Leicester trailed throughout the whole match but three penalties from Derick Hougaard ensured the English giants passage through to the last eight.
The Ospreys were handed a major blow when Lee Byrne pulled out with a recurrence of an ankle injury.
But despite the setback, the hosts opened the scoring through Hook’s 7th minute long-range penalty.
Ryan Jones and a pumped-up Filo Tiatia were making early inroads and the relentless pressure created the chance for Hook to add his second penalty from distance three minutes later.
Leicester got their first points on the scoreboard thanks to Hougaard’s penalty but the South African fly-half wasted the chance to level the scores by the end of the opening quarter.
Hougaard then tried an ambitious drop-goal to make amends but his effort flew to the left of the posts.
The visitors had enticed the Ospreys into a big kicking battle and looked to have the edge.
But Sean Holley’s men came to life on the half hour mark after barnstorming runs from Tiatia, Mike Phillips and IRB World Player of the Year Shane Williams.
The relentless attacks looked set to create the opening try but Toby Flood deliberately kicked the ball away and left French referee Christophe Berdos no other option but to banish the yellow card.
Hook failed to take advantage when he sliced the penalty wide but the Wales fly-half increased the Ospreys’ slender lead to 9-3 with his third penalty goal in the 45th minute.
Hougaard slotted home his second successful kick before Hook restored the Ospreys six-point lead in the 61st minute.
Then the two fly-halves added another kick each in the a tense finale at the Liberty Stadium.
