MAGNERS LEAGUE
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Saturday, 2 October Kick-off: 2010 BST Coverage: Live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales & online, score updates on BBC Sport website, highlights on Scrum V

James Hook is set to wear the new Ospreys kit in action for the first time

Wales centre James Hook is on target to return from his shoulder injury with an Ospreys bench place in Saturday's west Wales derby at Parc y Scarlets.

"He is looking strong and fit and is causing our defensive sessions real problems on the attacking team," said Ospreys coach Sean Holley.

"But he has had no pitch time since South Africa in the summer.

"We are not taking a short-term view on this... the likelihood is that he will be on the bench."

Holley added: "Our centre pairing of Andrew Bishop and Tommy Bowe are playing particularly well."

Hook, 25, missed Wales' June tour of New Zealand to undergo shoulder surgery and planned a return before the Heineken Cup.

The Ospreys' European campaign starts on the Saturday after the Magners League game in Llanelli with the daunting trip to face Toulon.

The Liberty Stadium region will also hope to have Mike Phillips and Ryan Jones firing on all cylinders after knee injuries, the pair in line to make first starts of the season against the Scarlets having come off the bench in last Saturday's 38-6 win over Aironi.

Ben Lewis (neck) joined the Ospreys' casualty list after that match, Ian Evans (leg), Tom Smith (shoulder), Rory Pitman (knee), Barry Davies (groin), Scott Baldwin (foot), Sonny Parker (shoulder) and Jonathan Spratt (knee) having missed the Aironi game.

It's such a long season that the extra month off at the start of the season should really benefit me in the long run James Hook

But the return of 43-cap Hook will be a major boost to both the region and to Wales ahead of November's challenging four-Test series.

The 2009 British and Irish Lions tourist played through pain for much of last season, but pulled out of Wales' two-Test tour of New Zealand to cure the problem.

"The target I was set was the start of October and that's definitely looking achievable now which is great," said Hook earlier this month.

"It's never easy to be on the injury list, sitting out match preparation and watching the games from the stands, but the way it has worked out it's only been a handful of games I've missed and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

"I've effectively had an extended pre-season and I've enjoyed that if I'm honest, it's been a change for me seeing as I didn't go away with Wales and didn't have to rush back for the start of the new season.

"It's a long season and when the time comes around I'll hopefully be in peak condition. It's such a long season that the extra month off at the start of the season should really benefit me in the long run.

"Ideally I want to get a bit of game-time so that I can be in contention to play against Toulon but it's important that I'm 100% ready.

"There's no point coming back a week or two early and risk putting myself out again."

Hook took his Lions form into last season, featuring at full-back during the autumn internationals as replacement for an injured Lee Byrne, but then moving into midfield for the Six Nations campaign.

He scored three tries in that tournament, and then added another touchdown when Wales lost narrowly to world champions South Africa in June.

Hook, who still wants to be considered as a fly-half, is in the final year of his Ospreys contract, with persistent rumours linking him with a potential move to an English or French club.

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