Who is Ospreys Rugby?

Feb 20 • General News, Guinness Pro14 • 2102 Views • Comments Off on Who is Ospreys Rugby?

Who is Ospreys Rugby?

The Toyota Cheetahs will be taking on Ospreys in round 16 of the Guinness PRO14 championship at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, Wales.

The two sides met in round 5 in Bloemfontein with the Toyota Cheetahs victorious 44-25.

Getting to know Ospreys

One of the four Welsh powerhouses operating in the Guinness PRO14, Ospreys are the joint most-successful side in the championship.

Only Leinster can match the Liberty Stadium outfit’s four titles and Steve Tandy’s side will be aiming to challenge for honours once again when the new season gets under way.

Last season, they secured a fourth-placed finish before being knocked out in the semi-finals and in the new, expanded Guinness PRO14 format, they will ply their trade in Conference A.

History

Formed as Neath-Swansea Ospreys following the regionalisation of Welsh Rugby in 2003, they went on to finish fifth in their first Celtic League campaign.

At the end of their second season, in which they became reigning champions, they dropped ‘Neath-Swansea’ and began operating under the name Guinness PRO14 fans are so familiar with today – the Ospreys moniker was inspired by the large bird of prey that featured on the Swansea RFC centenary badge.

Since then, they have won the championship twice more, triumphing over Leinster in the 2009-10 and 2011-12 seasons respectively, and have never finished lower than eighth in the table.

Captain – Alun Wyn Jones

Wales’ most-capped lock forward, Alun Wyn Jones has spent his entire professional career with the Ospreys, making his debut in 2005.

Swansea-born Jones was handed the captaincy in 2010 and succeeded his British & Irish Lions colleague Ryan Jones.

The Ospreys stalwart, who is in the midst of his third spell as Wales skipper, also featured prominently for the Lions as they claimed a series draw against the All Blacks in New Zealand this summer.

Star man – Justin Tipuric

Thoughts may usually turn to Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb when discussing the shining light at the Ospreys but Justin Tipuric deserves to be the name on the tip of many a tongue.

The 28-year-old, a Welsh international since 2011, travelled to New Zealand with the British & Irish Lions this summer and was unlucky not to earn a Test cap following a string of impressive performances in the Southern Hemisphere.

Flanker Tipuric possesses an arsenal of qualities that make him a veritable force of nature in the Guinness PRO14 – such as brilliant rugby brain and his unrelenting stamina – and he will be right at the heart of Ospreys’ next stab at glory.

Player to watch – Keelan Giles

Keelan Giles made his Ospreys debut against Treviso in September 2016 and promptly scored what would be the first of 14 tries for the season.

The 19-year-old winger, from Swansea, has whipped up a groundswell of hype and is already being touted as the future of Welsh rugby – he has already been called up by his country numerous times but is yet to make his senior international debut.

If he can avoid ‘second season syndrome’, Giles could have a huge impact for Ospreys in 2017-18.

Stadium

In July 2005, the Liberty Stadium, the largest purpose-built venue in Swansea, opened its doors.

Also the home of Premier League football club Swansea City, the Liberty was known as the White Rock Stadium during construction and it recorded its first capacity crowd of 20,520 when the Ospreys beat Australia in November 2006.

Currently the third-largest stadium in Wales, a possible expansion of the stadium has been mooted.

Historic rivalries

Ospreys enjoy a healthy rivalry with the three other Welsh regional sides but there is a particular edge to their clashes with Scarlets.

That rivalry harks back to historical derby matches between Llanelli and Swansea, and Llanelli and Neath.

Ospreys

As een van die vier Walliese kragte in Guinness PRO14, is Ospreys, tesame met Leinster, die twee suksesvolste spanne in die kampioenskap met vier titels in die sakkie. Ospreys het verlede jaar vierde op punte leër geëindig.

Geskiedenis

Nadat Wallis Rugby in 2003 ‘n streekverdeling gedoen het, het die span oorspronklik as Neath-Swansea Ospreys bekend gestaan en vyfde in hul eerste Celtic-liga kompetisie geëindig. Aan die einde van die tweede seisoen waarin hulle as streek kampioene geëindig het, is die ‘North-Swansea’ gedeelte van die naam weggelaat en staan hulle sedertdien bekend as Ospreys. Die naam Ospreys verwys na ‘n groot roofvoël.

Sedert die naamsverandering het Ospreys die kampioenskap nog twee keer gewen, met oorwinnings oor Leinster in die 2009/10 en 2011/12 seisoene onderskeidelik en het nog nooit laer as ‘n agste posisie op die punteleer geëindig nie.

Kaptein – Alun Wyn Jones

Alun Wyn Jones is die speler wat die meeste wedstryde nog vir Wallis gespeel het. Hy het sy buiging in 2005 vir Ospreys gemaak en het nog vir geen ander span gespeel nie. Die boorling van Swansea is in 2010 as kaptein verkies en was ‘n prominente speler in die Britse en Ierse Leeu-span wat ‘n gelyk-op geëindig het in die reeks teen die All Blacks in Nieu-Seeland in 2017.

Stêr Speler – Justin Tipuric

Mens is geneig om eerste aan Dan Bigaar en Rhys Webb te dink as jy van die ster spelers in die Ospreys span dink, maar Justin Tupuric se naam verdien om genoem te word. Die 28-jarige speel sedert 2011 vir Wallis en het saam met die Britse en Ierse Leeus na Nieu Seeland getoer, maar was ongelukkig om nie ‘n Toets wedstryd te speel na ‘n string indrukwekkende wedstryde in die Suidelike Halfrond. Die flank beskik oor ‘n arsenaal van kwaliteite wat van hom ‘n ware krag in Guinness PRO14 maak. ‘n Speler met ‘n briljante rugby brein en onverbiddelike uithouvermoë.

Speler om dop te hou – Keelan Giles

Keelan Giles het sy debuut vir Ospreys teen Treviso in September 2016 gemaak en het vinnig sy eerste van 14 drieë van die seisoen gedruk. Die 19-jarige vleuel van Swansea word beskou as die toekoms van Walliese rugby – hy is reeds verskeie kere deur sy land opgeroep maar moet steeds sy senior internasionale buiging maak. Giles behoort ‘n groot impak vir Ospreys in die 2017/18 seisoen te maak.

Stadion

Liberty-stadion is in Julie 2005 geopen en is die grootste doelgeboude stadion in Swansea. Liberty-stadion huisves ook die Premier Liga voetbal klub, Swansea City en het tydens konstruksie bekend gestaan as ‘White Rock” stadion. Die stadion was die eerste keer vol gewees met ‘n kapasiteit skare van 20 520 tydens ‘n wedstryd tussen Ospreys en Australië in November 2006. Liberty is tans die derde grootste stadion in Wallis.

Historiese kragmetings

Ospreys is in gesonde kompetisie met die drie ander Walliese streek spanne, maar in die besonder met Scarlets. Die kompetisie gaan verder terug na historiese derby wedstryde tussen Llanelli en Swansea en Llanelli en Neath.