Munster left with must-win games

Munster captain Denis Leamy believes his team must win their remaining two group games to maintain hopes of a 13th successive Heineken Cup quarter-final appearance.

Munster captain Denis Leamy believes his team must win their remaining two group games to maintain hopes of a 13th successive Heineken Cup quarter-final appearance.

The heavyweights, European champions in 2006 and 2008, slipped to a 19-15 defeat against Pool Three rivals the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium.

Home fly-half Dan Biggar kicked 14 points, including the conversion of scrum-half Mike Phillips’ try, as the Ospreys, Munster and Toulon continue to battle for top spot in a fiercely-competitive pool.

Munster managed touchdowns by prop Tony Buckley and centre Keith Earls, but they were smashed in the scrums by a dominant Ospreys front-row of Paul James, Richard Hibbard and Adam Jones.

“I thought we had our chances,” said number eight Leamy.

“When we get down so close to their line, we need to be converting those chances. We didn’t today.

“It’s just disappointing – it didn’t happen for us. We came here to win, and it’s gutting really.”

As for the scrummaging exchanges, Leamy told Sky Sports 1: “We came out the other side of a lot of decisions at scrum-time. It was another disappointing aspect of the game.

“It’s an area where we have improved greatly this season, and I think possibly today was a step backwards unfortunately.

“I was relieved they didn’t score at the end. We did our very best to hold them out, but a losing bonus point is not a whole lot of comfort at this stage.

“I think we have to win both games that are left in the group.”

Munster face remaining fixtures against Toulon in France and at home to London Irish, while the Ospreys must visit Irish and host Toulon.

Biggar’s mature contribution shone in the heat of battle, a feisty contest that occasionally threatened to boil over, but ultimately produced another high-octane encounter that has become a Heineken Cup trademark.

And there was further evidence of little love lost between the teams after the final whistle when Phillips and Munster fly-half Ronan O’Gara heatedly exchanged words.

“It was pretty tiring,” said man-of-the-match Adam Jones. “We all worked pretty hard in the front-five.”

And Ospreys skipper Alun-Wyn Jones added: “We are a little bit disappointed we didn’t stop them getting the losing bonus point, but a win is a win for us.

“We have got a bit to do in the group, but we will see where we are going into the last two rounds.”

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