MAGNERS LEAGUE
Venue: Liberty Stadium, Swansea Date: 18 September Kick-off: 1905 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC TWO Wales & online, highlights on Sunday's Scrum V

James Hook is in a three-way battle for the Wales fly-half sport

James Hook has told the Ospreys he wants to play fly-half in a bid to become a world-class player.

The Lions and Wales star fears becoming a utility player could hinder his Wales hopes as Stephen Jones and Dan Biggar are his rivals for the ten shirt.

He said: "If you want to be a world class player in one position you've got to be playing there week-in-week-out.

"I want to play fly-half. Everyone sort of knows that by now. But it's up to me to put the performances in."

Teenager Biggar is not just competition for Hook for Wales but also at the Ospreys, as the 19-year-old begins to fulfil his enormous promise.

Hook struggled last season as the 24-year-old was played at fly-half and both inside and outside centre by the Liberty Stadium region.

606: DEBATE In the absence of Gavin Henson this is an ideal time to switch Hook to centre and confirm Dan Biggar as our number ten mr_stumpy

So Hook has asked Ospreys' new director of coaching Scott Johnson for continuity in selection.

"I think it's important for me to be playing in one position," Hook told BBC Wales' Scrum V show.

"Because moving about all the time, it's easier to put me on the bench than start me in a position.

"So I've got to be playing somewhere regularly and with the Ospreys I want to be playing outside-half.

"If I get selected for Wales I'll play anywhere, but at the moment, I want to just settle in one position and with the way the game is going, I think you can't play outside-half one week and centre another week."

While Hook did not enjoy a regular position as his region's pivotal fly-half, he earned himself a late call for the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa as a replacement for Leigh Halfpenny.

He impressed on tour and now hopes regular selection as a fly-half can ensure he continues to develop into a top-class player.

"If you want to be a world class player in one position you've got to be playing there week-in-week-out. And certainly last year I wasn't doing that and it didn't help me."

*You can see the full interview with James Hook on Scrum V on Sunday, BBC TWO Wales and online 1800-1850 BST, repeated on BBC TWO Wales from 2310 BST.

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