Johne Murphy began a dramatic afternoon with a second-minute try before Ospreys forced themselves ahead with tries through Shane Williams and Tommy Bowe in the first half, and 22 points from fly-half Dan Biggar, who kicked eight from eight.

But Tigers struck back through Billy Twelvetrees, Lucas Amorosino and Jeremy Staunton, who all scored their first tries for the club. Staunton's score with four minutes remaining gave Tigers a try-scoring bonus point and was converted by Twelvetrees to bring Tigers level.

Tigers were forced into four late changes in the backs before kick off with James Grindal, Anthony Allen, Twelvetrees and Lucas Amorosino coming in for Harry Ellis, Aaron Mauger, Dan Hipkiss and Matt Smith respectively. Amorosino and Twelvetrees made their first Tigers start. Marcos Ayerza, George Chuter and Julian White returned to the front row while Louis Deacon captained the side from the second row.

Ospreys included six members of British & Irish Lions squad that toured to South Africa in Lee Byrne, Bowe, James Hook, Williams, Mike Phillips and Alun-wyn Jones.

Tigers raced into a second-minute lead with a try from their first attack of the game. Allen made the break in midfield and switched it outside to Scott Hamilton and then Murphy, who fought off the attentions of Jerry Collins and Phillips to score. Staunton was unable to add the conversion from the right touchline.

The scrum began strongly winning successive penalties. Staunton was off target with the first from halfway before knocking over the second from the Ospreys’ 22 to put Tigers 8-0 up after 10 minutes.

Ospreys fly-half Dan Biggar landed a 50m penalty to put Ospreys’ first points on the board 14 minutes in and signal a spell of 26 unanswered points for the visitors.

Biggar cut the Tigers’ lead to 8-6 with his second penalty midway through the half before the visitors went ahead on 23 minutes with their first try of the game. The Ospreys played advantage from a knock-on in midfield, and Hook and Bowe combined to put Williams in to the right. Biggar converted and then landed a drop goal from 40m to stretch the Ospreys lead to 16-8.

Ospreys scored their second try of the game after 30 minutes when Bowe capitalised on a mistake by Staunton to run in under the posts from 40m. Biggar’s conversion made it 23-8 to Ospreys before the fly-half added another penalty.

Tigers struck back immediately with their second try through Twelvetrees. Tigers won possession from an up-and-under in midfield and Twelvetrees out-sprinted the Ospreys defence to score on the right. Twelvetrees, who had taken over kicking duties, added the extras to reduce the Ospreys’ lead to 23-15.

Referee Alain Rolland gave Tigers a penalty to restart, deeming Phillips had infringed as Twelvetrees scored the try, but the centre struck a post with his kick from halfway.

Tigers were forced into another change in the backs during the break with Allen being replaced by Craig Newby.

Biggar kicked his fourth penalty of the game shortly after the restart but Tigers hit back with a brilliant try from Amorisono. Hamilton stepped up from full-back to make the break and found the Argentina international on the left wing to score his first Tigers try. Twelvetrees added the conversion to leave Tigers 29-22 behind and lift the roof off Welford Road.

It was a compelling second half. Murphy then came off his wing to crash through the centre before being stopped 10m out.
Biggar and Twelvetrees exchanged penalties as the game entered its final 15 minutes and set up a tense finish.

Staunton then brought Welford Road to its feet with five minutes remaining when he crossed for his first Tigers try and Tigers’ fourth of the game. Tigers with the advantage of a penalty deep in Ospreys territory attacked through Staunton and he forced his way through a couple of tackles to score on the right. It left Twelvetrees with a testing conversion that he knocked over to bring Tigers level at 32-32.