Ospreys team to face London Irish

The Ospreys team to play London Irish on Sunday 16th January 2011, at The Madejski Stadium, kick off at 3.00pm, will be as follows:

 

 

15 Barry Davies

14 Nikki Walker

13 Tommy Bowe

12 James Hook

11 Richard Fussell

10 Dan Biggar

9 Mike Phillips

 

1 Paul James

2 Richard Hibbard

3 Adam Jones

4 Ryan Jones

5 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)

6 Jerry Collins

7 Marty Holah

8 Jonathan Thomas

 

Replacements

16 Huw Bennett

17 Duncan Jones

18 Craig Mitchell

19 Ian Gough

20 Justin Tipuric

21 Jamie Nutbrown

22 Sonny Parker

23 Lee Byrne

 

James Hook makes his 100th appearance for the Ospreys

Sunday's match is the Ospreys 50th Heineken Cup fixture

 

The following players were not considered because of injury:

Jonathan Spratt – ACL

Ben Lewis – Neck

Ben John – Wrist

Shane Williams – Shoulder

Conor McInerney – Knee

Andrew Bishop - Ankle

 

Ospreys Head Coach, Sean Holley, said:

“This is the first of two season-defining games over the next couple of weekends and you can’t failed to be excited by the challenge. It’s why we’re all involved in rugby isn’t it?

“We are up against a very good London Irish side, a team that will be very dangerous and will provide a very real challenge. We’re under no illusions as to how dangerous they can be. When they played us at the Liberty earlier in the season we saw their quality. We had to defend more defensive sets in that game than against any other team this season. They have threats across the park and I suppose the pressure is off them a little in terms of the Heineken Cup. Make no mistake about it the pressure is on us, as we go there knowing that we have to win, and hope for the right result elsewhere.

“We are going there confident in our ability, you have to be. We know that we’ll be backed by a large travelling contingent as is always the case, they’ll be loud and proud and they will have a part to play. Hopefully, we will be able to get the result we need to set up a real big one against Toulon at the following weekend, where we will need everyone, fans included, to be on top of their game, to blackout the Liberty Stadium.

“We won’t be taking anything for granted, make no mistake, our focus is entirely on doing what we have to do against London Irish on Sunday. Anything else, we can think about after that.”

 

Forthcoming fixtures

Sat 22 Jan – Ospreys V Toulon – Liberty Stadium – Heineken Cup – 3.30pm

Sat 29 Jan – Cardiff Blues V Ospreys – CC Stadium – LV= Cup – 6.30pm

Sun 6 Feb – Ospreys V London Wasps – RH Brewery Field – LV= Cup – 3.00pm

Sun 13 Feb – Ospreys V Ulster – Liberty Stadium – Magners League – 5.10pm

Sat 19 Feb – Benetton Treviso V Ospreys – Stadio Comunale di Monigo – Magners League – 5.30pm