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Ospreys eager for third title in Magners finale

Sean Holley
Ospreys coach Sean Holley wants to claim the Magners League trophy

MAGNERS LEAGUE GRAND FINAL - LEINSTER v OSPREYS
Venue: Royal Dublin Showground Date: Saturday, 29 May Kick-off: 1830 BST
Coverage: Live on S4C and full commentary on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & online, score updates on BBC Sport website highlights on Sunday's Scrum V (BBC TWO Wales & online, 1730 BST)


Ospreys head coach Sean Holley admits that Saturday's Magners League Grand Final against Leinster in Dublin will define their season.

Both sides are bidding for their third Celtic crown and the grand finale at the Royal Dublin Showground is a last chance for either to win a trophy.

"We're just pleased to be there in the first instance," Holley said.

"But now we are there clearly we want to come away with some silverware. I think it will define our season."

Leinster finished top of the Magners League table after the regular season while the Ospreys finished in second.

The Welsh region then beat Glasgow Warriors in their home semi-final while Leinster won their all-Irish clash against Munster.

Saturday's winner will claim some consolation for falling short in Europe this season.

Ospreys in good shape - Holley

"What we work towards ultimately is the major trophies," added Holley, who said the Ospreys are aiming to become perennial finalists and trophy winners.

"We consider this to be a major trophy and one we've worked hard towards all season."

The star-studded Ospreys suffered an agonising narrow 29-28 defeat at Biarritz in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and failed to advance from their pool in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

Leinster lasted one more round in the Heineken, going down 26-16 in the semi-finals to eventual winners Toulouse - who beat rival French side Biarritz in the final to claim their fourth European crown.

Holley admitted that injuries had deprived the Ospreys of key players during the season.

But the coach believes that this has started to work in their favour towards the crunch end of the season.

"A lot of our key players have had rest periods through the year, mainly through unfortunate injuries," Holley said.

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"If you take Adam Jones and Mike Phillips they had a break at the start of the season, Alun Wyn Jones has had a break in the middle and Lee Byrne has had a bit of a break.

"We've got several who clearly haven't: Tommy Bowe, Ryan Jones, James Hook, Paul James.

"They've all played massive parts in international and domestic rugby, but even then Huw Bennett, Dan Biggar, Andrew Bishop, they didn't play a lot during the Six Nations.

"So we're at the point where perhaps we're in pretty good shape, so that's pleasing.

"We've been able to pick a squad for the past month or so to get some momentum going and the boys have got the bit between their teeth."

Leinster were the inaugural Celtic League champions in 2001/2 and again claimed the crown in 2007/8, while the Ospreys also have two titles in 2004/5 and 2006/7.



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see also
Leinster v Ospreys (Sat)
28 May 10 |  Welsh
Tiatia to stick on 99 for Ospreys
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Double injury blow hits Ospreys
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Kiwi trio dominate Ospreys awards
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Ospreys 20-5 Glasgow Warriors
14 May 10 |  Welsh
Leinster 16-6 Munster
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Regional rugby archive
07 Jul 03 |  Welsh
RaboDirect Pro12 table
09 Aug 06 |  Tables
Magners Celtic League 2009/10
14 Jul 09 |  Rugby Union
Coming up next on Scrum V...
03 Nov 08 |  Welsh
BBC Sport Wales coverage
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