Ulster Rugby vs Ospreys

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www.ulsterrugby.com 37 ULSTERRUGBY
//Location
Swansea, Wales
//Founded
2003
//Ground
Liberty Stadium
//Capacity
20,570
//Last Game
Connacht (H) 26 - 11 (W)
Fri 31st Oct 2014, 19:35
//Next Game
Leinster Rugby (A)
Sat 29th Nov 14 2014, 17:15
//Recent Form
W W W W W
// Coach
Steve Tandy
// Captain
Alun Wyn Jones
Liberty Stadium
Landore
Swansea
Wales
Tel +44 1792 616 500
Tel +448700400004
Their unbeaten start to the season
has seen the Welsh region win
seven from seven, equaling their
best ever opening to a league
campaign, and when the win
over Connacht on the final day of
2013/14 is tagged on, it equals the
longest winning run in the history of
the Ospreys, eight on the bounce.
On the opening weekend, Nicky
Smith, Rhys Webb, Jeff Hassler,
Scott Baldwin and Hanno Dirksen
all helped themselves to tries
against Benetton Treviso at the
Liberty Stadium, while the ever
reliable Dan Biggar enjoyed a
perfect evening with the boot,
kicking four conversions and three
penalties before handing over
to Sam Davies to round off the
scoring in a 44-13 win.
The following week, a much tighter
affair saw the Ospreys edge the
first Welsh derby of the season,
a 17-15 win at the Dragons with
Webb again scoring along with Eli
Walker, Biggar adding seven with
his boot.
Edinburgh then arrived at the
Liberty off the back of a win at
Thomond Park on the opening
weekend and a one-point home
defeat to another early season
pace-setter, Connacht, but were
blown away by the Ospreys. The
on-fire Webb set the tone for the
afternoon with a brace of tries in
the opening 10 minutes, and by the
time the final whistle was blown the
Ospreys had added another seven
touchdowns on their way to a 62-13
victory.
A first trip of the season to Ireland
followed, and the Ospreys returned
home with the points in the bag
after a 19-14 win in Munster, before
the narrowest of wins in Italy, 15-14
versus Zebre.
Cardiff Blues were sent packing
from the Liberty Stadium, defeated
26-15, Webb and Dan Evans
scoring the tries, before Connacht
were defeated 26-11 in south
Wales last time out in the PRO12
to cement the region’s place at the
top of the table.
However, results to date will have
little baring on what happens in
Belfast this evening as the Ospreys
will feature a much changed
line-up, missing 10 players on
international duty plus a further
dozen currently on the treatment
table. The onus at this time of
the season is very much on the
next generation, with youngsters
looking to emulate the likes of
Justin Tipuric, Nicky Smith and
Scott Baldwin, players who came
to attention during international
periods before going on to become
first team regulars and fully fledged
internationals themselves.
After seeing their hopes for this season written off by the
Welsh media following a summer of change at the Liberty
Stadium, the Ospreys go into tonight’s game sitting at the
top of the Guinness PRO12 table, boasting the only 100%
record in any of the professional European leagues.
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