OSPREYS BACK TO CELTIC ACTION

The Ospreys won last time out in the Celtic League 18-17 against Connacht at Liberty Stadium but away from home they have lost their last six matches in all competitions since beating Connacht 22-13 in Galway on 10 April.

Ulster have won six of their last seven matches in the Celtic League, the exception being the 23-30 reversal to Leinster in Dublin on 1 October. At Ravenhill the Ulstermen have recorded eleven successive victories in all competitions since Munster won there in the Celtic League almost exactly twelve months ago.

And Ospreys coach Sean Holley is looking forward to a match he knows will test his side.

“Last year proved to be a successful season for us against Ulster, with victories at both St Helens and Ravenhill and I have no doubt they will be going 100% to make amends following the good form we showed against them.  Ulster had a tough season last year, but to date they are one of the form teams in the Celtic League and they have shown up well in the early rounds of the Heineken Cup.  They have the same basic structure of last year’s side, but they have had minimal injuries and international squad call ups, and this has been a tremendous positive for their coaching team

“However, for Fridays game it looks as though they will be missing a number of players as Ireland prepare for their fixture against New Zealand.  It still promises to be an exciting encounter against a direct and physical side, and our players will have to play at the top of their game if we are to achieve a result,” he said.

The two sides have met on five previous occasions with Ulster’s only win so far being 31-19 at Ravenhill in the Celtic League in February 2004

Ulster: tba.

Ospreys (from): A Cashmore, R Mustoe, A Bishop, L Davies, A Brew, J Vaughton, S Connor, M Jones, J Spice, R Rees, P Jones, B Williams (capt), R Hibbard, A Millward, C Griffiths, A Newman, L Bateman, I Evans, J Bater, L Beach, S Tandy, R Pugh.

Referee: Iain Heard (SRU).