Sarries set up Munster semi

Saracens gained sweet revenge for their EDF Energy Cup humiliation just 15 days ago with a dominating 19-10 victory over the Ospreys to reach the Heineken Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Their reward is a meeting with 2006 champions Munster at Coventry's Ricoh Arena on the last weekend of the month.

The Welsh side won that semi-final in Cardiff 30-3 and came into the re-match as warm favourites, but this was a very different Saracens.

They dominated up front, forced countless turnovers at the breakdown and relied on the clever tactical kicking of Glen Jackson to pin the Ospreys back at every opportunity.

They also took advantage of an outrageous piece of luck to score the game-breaking try through Francisco Leonelli, although only the most one-eyed of Ospreys would claim that was the difference between the sides.

The Ospreys actually started the brighter, flinging the ball across the width of the pitch and clearly expecting to continue on from Cardiff in similar vein.

Their early reward was a James Hook penalty after Sarries killed the ball in front of their own posts, but Jackson quickly levelled the scores following a scrum offence.

Dominance

The scrum was to prove a key area of dominance for Sarries, with Cobus Visagie earning another penalty on 16 minutes which Jackson knocked over.

Saracens were on top particularly at the breakdown but Ospreys so nearly turned the game on its head with an interception try, just as they had in Cardiff.

This time Gavin Henson made the pick and the smooth running of Hook should have sent Sonny Parker in only for the centre to drop the ball.

Moments later Shane Williams came up with an eyecatching jink through midfield but as they did so often throughout the afternoon, the Sarries defence managed to smother an Ospreys counter.

But the Ospreys were also coming up with too many errors. After a neat handling move they were once again in good position only for Lee Byrne to drop the ball.

And in injury time they almost paid for Hook's showboating attempt to catch a high ball behind his back and his subsequently sliced kick. Andy Saull looked to have scored only for the video referee to spot Shane Williams' hands under the ball.

That meant Saracens had to settle for a 6-3 lead at the break, although that was to be extended just two minutes after the re-start.

The manner in which they scored must have convinced Sarries this was to be their day.

Neil de Kock was under extreme pressure as he tried to clear from his own 22 and Marty Holah almost charged him down, only for the flanker's hand to flick the ball. That played all the Saracens men in front of the ball onside, Adam Powell sent Leonelli streaking down the touchline and the replacement wing scored in the corner.

Jackson added the extras from the touchline and Saracens could sniff the semi-finals.

Pulsating

But there was still plenty of action in what was turning into a pulsating game.

Adam Jones dropped the ball to halt another Ospreys surge and at the other end Hugh Vyvyan powered over only for Filo Tiatia to hold him up.

On 57 minutes Byrne was rightly shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on when Stephen Haughton looked set to score and Jackson's kick stretched the lead to 16-3.

Despite an element of panic creeping into their game as the seconds ticked down, the Ospreys rallied bravely and after relentless pressure got their reward with six minutes left, Paul James adopting an excellent body position to drive over from close range.

But despite Hook cutting the arrears to six points, there was to be no stirring comeback. Shane Williams dropped the ball on the left inside his own half and after a couple of forward drives, Jackson knocked through a drop-goal to send the majority of Saracens' first ever capacity crowd into raptures.