Bowe hails historic Grand Final victory

"It's a great statement for Ospreys Rugby" says try scoring hero.

Speaking after the dramatic 17-12 win over Leinster, the Irish winger said:

"It's a great finish to the season. I've been playing Magners League now for a number of years and certainly this year has felt that its built to a climax. It's been an extra two games to add on to a long season but it's a great occasion to come to the RDS where Leinster have such a great track record.

"We knew we'd be under the cosh a bit, with Leinster having such great vocal support as well, but we settled in quite early and played some good rugby. We've played each other enough times, we pretty much know each others games inside out. I think we had probably the two most exciting back-lines in the Magners League there today, and we showed what we could do. We had a few opportunities and we took two of them.

"It's very special. It's a great end to the Magners League and a great end to our season. I think it's the first time I've ever beaten Leinster. I've drawn against them and it's a great way to win, to come over here, a very difficult place to win, they have a great record over here and there'll be a lot of celebrating.

"After two years at the Ospreys now, I can see that we are definitely improving year on year. We were very disappointed to go out of Europe to Biarritz but this is a nice reward for us and something in the trophy cabinet.

"Leinster are a team who have really stepped up to the plate in the last couple of seasons, they've been playing fantastic rugby, and are a team that is going forward. For us to come over here and beat them is a great statement for Ospreys Rugby. It's great to come here to a packed out house and actually see a lot of Ospreys supporters, being very vocal.

"This season we've gone to Thomond Park and won, we've won at the RDS, probably two of the toughest places in Europe to win and that's a great statement for us. We now know we have the capability to do it. In the big matches you've got to do it and today was a big match.

"I think Dan was tremendous. Since the Six Nations he's really stepped up a gear. The one thing that the Ospreys are doing now is while we are trying to play a lot more running rugby, we are playing that bit of territory. You see the likes of Munster, the Leicester's and the Leinster's, there's no point in running out of your 22 too much and getting turned over. The game is a possession and territory game nowadays, and I think that Dan has really stepped up to the plate in that kind of game. He's putting us into the right areas of the pitch. Lee Byrne as well is tremendous at doing that, they really pinned Leinster back and that's what we did at Thomond Park.

"There's a huge amount of expectation. We do have tremendous players at the Ospreys but the organisation is still very young. We're still way behind, we're trying to build the organisation and there are certain aspects that are still a work in progress. I think everybody knows how ambitious we are, but it isn't going to happen overnight. The team that we have, people are expecting results straight away. I think this year has been a successful year for the Ospreys, and will galvanise us, give us something to build on next year."