Wales rugby league | Are the Ospreys Under Achieving?

The Ospreys are an odd region. There is a strong feeling that they are under achieving as a side, that they are not hitting the heights or winning the trophies that their talented squad should.
Yet they are also the most successful of the Welsh rugby regions. They have twice won the Magners League (or Celtic league as it was) and once won the EDF Cup, beating Leicester in the final, as well as losing in the final - again to Leicester - on another occasion.
So it's not just the success they have enjoyed, but whether this success is enough. There is a feeling in the Swansea based region that they should be competing more strongly in Europe, in the Heineken cup, Europe's premier rugby competition.
Whilst they have now made it through the group stages for the last two years running they should be aiming for more. Both times now have been as 'best 2nd place qualifier' rather than winning the group. This has lead to major problems in qualification. Last year losing to Saracens (who they had beaten in the EDF semi final 2 weeks before) and this year they are away to Munster, last years champions. Not an easy trip.
When you look at who is in the ospreys squad, Adam Jones, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones (welsh captain), Mike Phillips, James Hook, Gavin Henson, Lee Byrne and Shane Williams (word player of the year) - all word class players, not just club class - you see why people feel they should do better.
They have lost games they should have won. They rarely dominate and they have trouble scoring tries, despite having some of the most creative players in the world.
There is hope that the incoming head coach, Australian Scott Johnson, can help sort it out. But one thing is for certain, there are problems at the Ospreys that need addressing.

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