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Rugby Union

Hook inspires Ospreys win

12/01/2008

Fly-half James Hook kicked 22 points to lead the Ospreys to an impressive 32-15 win over Gloucester in the Heineken Cup today.

Both sides scored two tries as torrential rain at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea made free-flowing rugby extremely difficult, but the Ospreys were much the better side and deserved the win.

They will now qualify for the quarter-finals if they win at Bourgoin next week. Gloucester will qualify from Pool 2 if they win at home to Ulster.

Gloucester were slow off the blocks and the home side made them pay. First Hook converted a penalty and then Gavin Henson brilliantly got on to the end of his high kick and then set up Shane Williams for the try. Hook added the two points and then kicked a penalty to make it 13-0.

Ryan Lamb converted a penalty for Gloucester, but Hook replied with three more points to keep the Ospreys 13 points ahead.

Gloucester were down to 14 men when Peter Buxton was sin-binned for going offside to slow the ball down. Hook kicked the resulting penalty. The Welsh international added another penalty minutes later to further extend his side's lead.

Rory Lawson replaced Gareth Cooper at scrum-half for Gloucester and the Scotsman scored a try almost immediately as he made a break through a small gap in the Ospreys' defence to go over. Chris Paterson added the two points to bring his team within 12 points.

But Gloucester continued to give away silly penalties and Hook made them pay as he kicked another to make the scores 25-10.

The Ospreys made the points safe when hooker Richard Hibbard bundled over for a try and Hook converted. Ryan Lamb scored a late try for Gloucester, but they were unable to claw back the Ospreys' lead.