Justin Tipuric says the returning internationals are ready to help boost the Ospreys bid to make the RaboDirect PRO12 playoffs after tasting Grand Slam success with Wales.
Currently sitting in third place, the young back-rower insists that the Ospreys have a great chance of making the playoffs – starting with a big match against table toppers, Leinster, at the RDS in Dublin on Friday.
Having caught the eye during Wales’ Grand Slam winning campaign with an appearance off the bench at half-time in Ireland and his first international start in the penultimate game against Italy, Tipuric is now eager to don the black jersey again as they hope to help the Ospreys in the push for the playoffs.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Tipuric said:
“I’m available for selection for the Leinster match but we don’t know what the team is yet. I don’t expect to just walk back in, there’s good competition in the back row.
“We did well against Ulster and we were a bit unlucky against Glasgow but hopefully we can put in a performance against Leinster. Hopefully, we can get iton the playoffs. The aim is to win the Rab Direct Pro 12 but to start off, we must set our sights on the playoffs and if we get in those positions, then we’ll go from there.”
His back row colleague, the more experienced Ryan Jones, was enjoying a third Grand Slam, putting him in exclusive company as one of just six Welshmen to achieve such a feat, and he echoed Tipuric’s comments:
“We really want to finish on a high” he said.
“At the business end of it, we’d like to be in the top four positions and we’re in contention.”
The all-important run-in starts start on Friday with an away trip to Leinster before the Ospreys return to the Liberty Stadium to tackle Italian outfit, Treviso. The Ospreys then have two tough Welsh derbies against the Cardiff Blues, in the Cardiff City Stadium, before locking horns with Newport Gwent Dragons, in a home fixture. Finally, the Ospreys will finish their season with a trip to Italy to face Aironi.
Help the Ospreys celebrate the re-signing of an Ospreylian and Welsh legend when Adam Jones make his first appearance at the Liberty Stadium since putting pen-to-paper on anew deal, at the Treviso game on Saturday 31st March.
Then join us to pay tribute to one of the true legends of world rugby when Shane Williams makes his final appearance at the Liberty Stadium in the Welsh derby against the Dragons on Friday 20th April.
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