With All Black flnaker Jerry Collins absent due to a one-match suspension after receiving three yellow cards during this season’s Magners League, Holley has settled for a back row of rising star Justin Tipuric, Kiwi Marty Holah and experienced Welsh international Jonathan Thomas.
Holley commented: “It’s gone down to the wire and we are left in a position where we have to go out and give everything on Friday night and hopefully, get our reward. It’s important that we concentrate on ourselves, that the boys know their roles and responsibilities, that they carry them out to the best of their abilities and we don’t allow ourselves to get distracted by what may be happening elsewhere.
“It’s not going to be an easy 80 minutes, they are a very tough nut to crack. Look at their results at home this season and you’ve seen that they’ve given some very good teams a close call. Add into the mix that Rowland will, I’m sure, want to take our scalp, and you’ll see that we have to be professional and do a job.
“I expect to see champion spirit, and a champion’s performance from us. Nothing less than that will be good enough.”
Fly half Dan Biggar requires two points to become only the second Ospreys player to reach 500 in the Magners League.
The Ospreys will face an Italian side coached by Rowland Phillips, who said: “This game represents the opportunity to play against the best team – on paper – of the entire Magners League and one of the best sides in European rugby.
” It’s another chance to match ourselves against some top class players.”
“What I want to see from my team is the will to show once again how we grow up mentally during the season, concentrate for the whole game and using our structures to play good rugby.
“You look at the Ospreys squad and you can see some of the best players in the world. What amazes me is how they struggled during the season both in the Magners League and in the Heineken Cup, where they failed to qualify for the knock-out stage”.
Ospreys: 15 Richard Fussell 14 Tommy Bowe 13 Andrew Bishop 12 James Hook 11 Nikki Walker 10 Dan Biggar 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Paul James 2 Richard Hibbard 3 Adam Jones 4 Ryan Jones 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt) 6 Justin Tipuric 7 Marty Holah 8 Jonathan Thomas
Replacements 16 Huw Bennett 17 Ryan Bevington 18 Duncan Jones 19 Ian Gough 20 Tom Smith 21 Tom Isaacs 22 Ashley Beck 23 Sonny Parker.
Aironi: 15 Horacio San Martin; 14 Matteo Pratichetti, 13 Gilberto Pavan, 12 Gabriel Pizarro, 11 Danwel Demas; 10 James Marshall, 9 Tito Tebaldi; 8 Gareth Krause, 7 Josh Sole, 6 Joshua Furno; 5 Quintin Geldenhuys (cap), 4 Marco Bortolami; 3 Fabio Staibano, 2 Luigi Ferraro, 1 Alberto De Marchi.
(Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Luca Redolfini, 19 George Biagi, 20 Nicola Cattina, 21 Pablo Canavosio, 22 Giulio Toniolatti, 23 Riccardo Bocchino). All.: Phillips.
