Ospreys (rugby union)
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| Union | Welsh Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Location | Swansea, Wales |
| Ground(s) | Liberty Stadium (Capacity: 20,827) |
| Chairman | Geoff Atherton |
| Coach(es) | Steve Tandy |
| Captain(s) | Alun Wyn Jones |
| Most caps | Duncan Jones (223) |
| Top scorer | Dan Biggar (2,002) |
| Most tries | Shane Williams (57) |
| League(s) | Guinness Pro12 |
| 2015–16 | 8th |
| Official website | |
| www |
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The Ospreys (Welsh: Y Gweilch), formerly the Neath-Swansea Ospreys is one of the four professional rugby union teams from Wales. They compete in the Guinness Pro12 and the Heineken Cup. The team formed as a result of Neath RFC and Swansea RFC combining to create a new merged entity, as part of the new regional structure of Welsh rugby, that began in 2003. They are also affiliated with a number of local semi-professional and amateur clubs, including Welsh Premier Division sides Aberavon RFC, Bridgend Ravens, and original founding clubs Neath and Swansea. The regional area represented by the team has widely become known for rugby purposes as 'Ospreylia'.
Their main home ground is the Liberty Stadium, Swansea, although some smaller profile games have been played at the Brewery Field, Bridgend. Ospreys currently play in a black home strip, while the away strip is white and orange. The Ospreys logo consists of an image of an Osprey mask.
The Ospreys are the most successful Welsh team in the history of the Celtic League or Pro12 tournament, having won the competition four times. They also became the first and only Welsh regional team to beat a major touring side, defeating Australia 24–16 in 2006.
On 24 July 2003 it was announced that the new team jointly representing Neath RFC and Swansea RFC would be known as the Neath-Swansea Ospreys. The Ospreys part of the team's name was inspired by the use of the bird as Swansea RFC's centenary badge. Former Neath RFC coach Lyn Jones was appointed as head coach, who named Scott Gibbs as the team's first ever captain. 5 September 2003 saw the region play their first ever competitive game, a 41–30 Celtic League home win over Irish province Ulster at The Gnoll in Neath.Leeds Tykes were the Ospreys' first ever Heineken Cup opponents, with the English team triumphing 29–20 on 7 December 2003. They struggled to recover from their opening defeat, finishing bottom of their pool, recording their only victory against the Tykes' at home in the final round at St. Helens. Domestically the Ospreys' did salvage some pride, avoiding becoming the lowest placed Welsh region, by pipping Cardiff Blues to fifth place in the Celtic League.
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