Ospreys get Williams vote

Dec 14 2007 by Andy Howell, Western Mail

LYN JONES has virtually written off the Ospreys’ chances of winning their Heineken Cup group... although Ulster boss Steve Williams reckons the star-studded Welsh region are “one of four or five teams capable of winning the trophy.”

Williams reckons the Ospreys fliers his Ulster team meet at Ravenhill tonight are good enough to lift the European Cup at the Millennium Stadium in May.

The two sides lock horns once again this evening after the Ospreys thumped the Irish province 48-17 at the Liberty Stadium a week ago, cutting Ulster to shreds with some scintillating running.

Williams knows his players have got their work cut out once more in the return clash and, assessing the tournament, he declared, “The Ospreys have got the squad that can win it.

“There are others – four or five real contenders – who are working at a different level, and the Ospreys are certainly one of those.

“Gloucester and the Ospreys are similar sides, with players across the park who can score tries at the drop of a hat.

“It is going to be a great game when they meet at the Liberty Stadium next month.

“We were outgunned by the Ospreys last week, and they were a lot faster in thought and deed.

“We couldn’t match them once the game became unstructured, and their broken-field runners got going.”

Despite Williams’ rave reviews about the Ospreys, Jones himself concedes group leaders Gloucester are very much in pole position for top spot in the group.

Jones reckons the Ospreys might have to make do with a place in the last eight as one of the best pool runners-up, but is confident the Welsh region will reach the knockout phase.

Jones reckons a win in Ulster tonight, followed by triumphs in the return games with Gloucester (home) and at Bourgoin (away) will be enough for the Ospreys.

But he accepted that the five-point lead Gloucester have already built up will be supplemented by further maximum hauls from their home clashes with Bourgoin and Ulster.

The only way the Ospreys could overhaul them would be to take maximum points from their own three remaining games and deny English powerhouses Gloucester anything in return.

“Sometimes, you can just sense with some teams when it is their year,” said Jones.

“The Scarlets had a great tournament last season, but nothing has gone right for them this campaign.

“Just look at Gloucester’s performances, the ball has bounced their way and they have reaped the rewards.

“If I was a betting man, I would bet they were going to get a maximum at home to Bourgoin and Ulster, which would take them to 24 points.

“At the moment we are standing at nine. If we can register three wins, it is going to give us 21 points, one more than last season.

“Nine out of 10 times that is going to be good enough to get through to the next round. Having said that, we have got to go to Ulster and Bourgoin as well as taking on Gloucester at the Liberty Stadium.

“I am being quite factual when I say we don’t talk about bonus points. Provided you aim for and fulfil your targets, things will happen for you.

“We are very upbeat and delighted with the way we played last Friday night at home to Ulster. Whether we look to change things around for tonight, when Ulster will be ready and marking us a little better, is something for the players.”

Despite the Ospreys having recorded their widest winning margin in the Heineken Cup, when they ran in seven tries to take the Irish province apart 48-17 last weekend, Jones understandably refused to write off their opponents.

“You can put things right very quickly during these back-to-back games. However, we are confident, having scored 40 plus points against Ulster,” he stated.

“But we appreciate how hard we need to work in Ulster to get what we want.

“People are underestimating Ulster. We know they are at the bottom of their game, but they have got a lot of good players.”

Meanwhile, Ulster caretaker coach Williams, the former Wales forward, is determined to go out with a bang if tonight’s Heineken clash is to be his last in charge at Ravenhill.

Williams joined Ulster as forwards coach last July, but temporarily stepped into the hot seat when Mark McCall resigned last month.

Ulster launched a worldwide search for a successor with former Wales coach Gareth Jenkins and Ospreys backs guru Sean Holley being linked with the post.

Williams, 36, was placed in charge until this week’s Pool 2 clash with the Ospreys is over and is among the potential candidates to replace McCall full-time.

He admitted the last month had been one of the toughest assignments of his coaching career.

“Like everyone else, I have no idea what is happening or what is going to happen and there is no point pretending that doesn’t matter,” said Williams.

“The uncertainty about everything is not pleasant and let’s not pretend that it is. We have a very difficult period of games as well so these are probably not great times to really build ourselves as a group.

“But that’s what the job is and it is not the first time I have been in this position.”

Match Guide

Ulster
B Cunningham; T Bowe, A Trimble, R Dewey, S Danielli; N O'Connor, K Campbell; B Young, R Best (capt), D Fitzpatrick, J Harrison, R Caldwell, N Best, M McCullough, K Dawson.

Replacements: T Court, M Miles, C Del Fava, D Pollock, I Boss, P Wallace, M McCrea.

Player to watch – Kieran Campbell: Has been rewarded for some razor-sharp outings off the bench with a rare start alongside 20-year-old novice fly-half Niall O’Connor

Ospreys
L Byrne; N Walker, M Taylor, S Parker, S Williams; J Hook, J Marshall; D Jones, H Bennett, A Jones, AW Jones, I Evans, J Thomas, F Tiatia (capt), M Holah.

Replacements: R Hibbard, P James, I Gough, H T-Pole, M Phillips, S Connor, A Bishop.

Player to watch – Shane Williams: The ever entertaining and enterprising Wales wing wizard faces a late fitness test along with hooker Huw Bennett, who is also a doubt

Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)

Form guide: Ulster have won just twice in 11 competitive outings this season, while the Ospreys are looking for a third victory on the trot

Simon Thomas’ verdict: The Ospreys to storm Ravenhill by winning and picking up a precious bonus point in the process