Ospreys quiet on league and cup glory

Apr 5 2007 Western Mail

IT only takes about 20 minutes to drive from Stradey Park to the Liberty Stadium, but the difference in expectations can't be more stark.

Scarlets are busy talking up their chances of doing a historic cup and league double, while Ospreys do their best to play down their hopes.

Amazing, staggering even, when you look at the players at the disposal of the Ospreys, a star-studded squad which should have been capable of winning this season's Heineken Cup.

How they must regret failing to get out of their group after watching the Scarlets, who they hammered on Boxing Day, reach the semi-finals.

There's also the small matter of the Ospreys having already reached a final, albeit of the Anglo-Welsh EDF Cup, and lying third in the Magners League with two games in hand on Ulster and one on leaders Leinster. Coupled with that, Leinster have also got to come to the Liberty Stadium.

And there's also the possibility EDF final opponents Leicester Tigers won't put out a full-strength team at Twickenham a week on Sunday because they face Scarlets in a Heineken Cup semi-final the following Saturday.

So it's all on for the Ospreys, who will climb to second in the Magners if they beat Munster at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday night and pick up a bonus point.

Yet, while the Scarlets, who are fourth in the league, four points behind Ospreys, are buzzing in anticipation at the prospect of mounting a real bid for glory on two fronts, their West Wales rivals are downbeat.

Scarlets' enthusiasm for the challenges that lie ahead and their desire to put backsides on seats is in marked contrast to the Ospreys.

The mood at the Liberty Stadium was pretty flat yesterday, as though they were scared of saying, "We're a top side."

Whereas Scarlets captain Simon Easterby has this week oozed confidence about the ability of his team, who have only reached the semi-finals of the Heineken, Ospreys supremo Lyn Jones was remarkably cautious, despite being in a better position in the league and having already booked a cup final place.

Sure, he did agree "the double is still on," but proceeded to play down their chances.

"April is a pivotal month for us. We have two European semi-finalists and our other two matches are against European quarter-finalists," said Jones.

"I think that's the mark of the league and the structure we are in proves how difficult it can be and what a great test it is for a squad of players.

"It's a difficult one. Leinster have points on us (eight). We do have a game in hand and their record in is not great in Wales, but we will see.

"Leinster are focusing big-time on the Magners League. It's where you finish.

"We are coming to the run-in, the business end of the season - see who has got the strongest squad."

Hardly a ringing endorsement of Ospreys' claims.

Munster are first up for the big-spending Ospreys and the Heineken Cup holders, who crashed out of this season's tournament when Scarlets turned them over at Stradey last weekend, have named a strong squad.

There's not a lot of love lost between Munster and the Ospreys. Munster still haven't forgiven them for accusing Ireland prop Marcus Horan - he was cleared by an European Rugby Cup disciplinary panel - of making a racist remark during a stormy Heineken Cup three years ago.

"The league structure at the moment is taking shape and every result that happens between now and the end of April will see it panning out more, who is in the chase" said Jones.

"It's not where you start, it's where you finish."

Ospreys squad: S Terblanche, S Williams, J Vaughton, N Walker, S Parker, A Bishop, J Spice, J Hook, S Connor, J Marshall, P James (capt), B Williams, C Griffiths, H Bennett, A Jones, B Cockbain, J Thomas, A W Jones, R Jones, A Lloyd, R Pugh, S Tandy.

Munster squad: T Buckley, F Pucciariello, M Horan, J Flannery, F Sheahan, D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll, C Wyatt, D Ryan, S O'Connor, J O'Sullivan, A Foley, J Coughlan, A Quinlan, T O'Leary, B O'Meara, P Stringer, R O'Gara, J Manning, E Hickey, I Dowling, L Mafi, B Murphy, T Halstead, K Earls, A Horgan, B Carney, M Lawlor, C Cullen.