The Tigers only require a losing bonus point to win Pool Three to secure a place in the quarter-finals but the Ospreys have a golden opportunity of going through themselves if they can secure victory.
Ospreys Coach Sean Holley commented: “We go into Saturday’s game knowing that our destiny is in our own hands. We are in a great position as we prepare for the final pool match: We have a home match that we need to win to get a quarter-final place in the European Cup, it doesn’t get any more straightforward than that.
“In our way are Leicester Tigers, a side that we know plenty about having faced them in a number of big games in recent seasons and this one will no doubt be as physical and intense as previous matches, with so much at stake.”
Despite going down to Perpignan last weekend, Holley has been able to take some positives from the narrow defeat.
“There are elements of last Saturday’s performance that were good,” he said. “We showed great courage and spirit to turn the game around and make sure that we came home with a point. Since then we’ve looked at the areas where we felt we let ourselves down and this week has been about focusing on making sure we are more clinical and more accurate when we need to be.
“It’s a massive game for everybody at the Ospreys, players, management and fans. You can’t fail to be excited about the prospect of a full-house cheering us on. We’re all in this together though and we’re hoping that the fans will create an atmosphere that will really lift the boys and help to get us over the line.”
The Ospreys: 15 Lee Byrne 14 Tommy Bowe 13 Andrew Bishop 12 Gavin Henson 11 Shane Williams
10 James Hook 9 Mike Phillips; 1 Paul James 2 Richard Hibbard 3 Adam Jones 4 Ian Gough 5 Alun-wyn Jones 6 Ryan Jones (capt) 7 Marty Holah 8 Filo Tiatia.
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett 17 Cai Griffiths 18 Lyndon Bateman 19 Tom Smith 20 Jamie Nutbrown 21 Dan Biggar 22 Jonny Vaughton.
