News
Shane Williams
Shane Williams
Williams scoreless in testimonial
25 August 2008, 12:23 pm
By PA Sport
Leicester Tigers may have claimed a pre-season win over the Ospreys but they couldn't spoil the party atmosphere as Shane Williams kicked off his testimonial season at the Liberty Stadium.
The 31-year-old winger failed to get on the scoresheet in a re-run of the last two Anglo-Welsh Cup Finals but he will no doubt have been grateful for 7,010 supporters who turned out to help celebrate his stunning career.

Williams, who currently has 43 tries for his country to his name, was among 14 Welsh internationals to appear for the Ospreys as they fielded two completely different XVs in either half.

A last-minute penalty try sealed a 30-17 win for the visitors as the Ospreys finished their first pre-season fixture with defeat despite tries from Rhys Webb and Andy Lloyd.

Will Hurrell crossed for the game’s first try after 22 minutes, with former Newcastle Falcons fly-half Toby Flood converting to move the Tigers 10 points clear.

The England Under-18 winger was involved three times in a flowing move that began five metres inside his side’s own half.

Jordan Crane’s lengthy run put the Ospreys on the back foot before fellow England Saxons international Richard Blaze supplied the scoring pass. Hurrell stepped Lee Byrne to dive over underneath the posts and give Flood the easiest of conversion attempts.

The Ospreys hit back just two minutes later, however, as scrum-half Webb showed an impressive turn of pace to snipe his way over from eight metres out. The 19-year-old spotted a gap in the Tigers’ ruck defence to register the Ospreys’ opening try of the new season.

Leicester were next on the scoresheet with the game 33 minutes old thanks to a fine individual effort from full back Matt Smith. The former Tigers Academy player, who spent last season on loan at National One side Nottingham, beat three lacklustre tackles after fielding a clearance kick just inside his own half.

Again Flood converted, although this time from a far more difficult angle just a metre in from the left-touchline.

Dan Biggar and Flood then exchanged penalties either side of half-time before the Premiership finalists lost Crane to the sin bin for deliberately killing the ball after 56 minutes.

The Ospreys made the most of the numerical advantage as Lloyd crossed for his side’s second try after Flood failed to hang on to a high pass behind his own line. Lloyd had the simplest of tasks to dive on the lose ball and close the gap to five points, while James Hook’s straightforward conversion reduced the deficit even further, leaving the hosts trailing by just three points at 17-20 with 19 minutes left to play.

That was as close as the Ospreys would come to victory, though, as a further penalty from Flood and the converted penalty try sealed the win for Leicester.
ADD TO DEL.ICIO.USDel.icio.usShare this page
ADD TO DIGGDiggShare this page
ADD TO FACEBOOKFacebookShare this page
ADD TO GOOGLEGoogleShare this page
ADD TO NEWSVINENewsvineShare this page
ADD TO REDDITRedditShare this page
ADD TO STUMBLEUPONStumbleUponShare this page
ADD TO YAHOO MYWEBYahooShare this page
Match Previews & Reports
England Latest
France Latest
Italy Latest
Ireland Latest
Scotland Latest
Wales Latest
Team Statistics onlyinclude Five & Six Nations games from 1992 to the present day
Player Statistics onlyinclude Five & Six Nations appearances since 1992
delivered by Sotic powered by RedDot