Following the departure of Lyn Jones at the end of the previous season, the reins were handed to long serving coaches Sean Holley & Jonathan Humphreys, ahead of the new campaign, while recently appointed Elite Performance Director Andrew Hore carried out a worldwide search for a new figurehead for the region.

The season got off to a promising start, with the new coaching team guiding the Ospreys to four wins in the opening five Magners League matches, including a 43-0 thumping of Ulster and an impressive 32-10 win over local rivals Cardiff Blues.

The first half of the season saw the Ospreys once again shine in cup competitions, progressing for the third successive season into the EDF Energy Cup semi final thanks to wins over Harlequins and Worcester, while the disappointment of a narrow defeat at Leicester in the opening Heineken Cup fixture couldn’t dampen the Ospreys enthusiasm as back to back wins over Benetton Treviso and a home win over Perpignan left the region very much in contention for the knockout stages.

Christmas wins over the Blues and the Scarlets saw the Ospreys sitting in first place in the Magners League going into the new year, only to be overhauled by second place, and eventual champions, Munster following a 25-21 defeat at the Liberty Stadium at the start of January before attention turned back to the Heineken Cup. A bonus point defeat at Perpignan in the penultimate fixture made for a nervy evening at the Liberty Stadium at the end of January, when a 15-9 win over old rivals was enough to ensure that the Ospreys progressed to the knockout stages for a second consecutive season.

Disappointment was to follow, with Gloucester handing the Ospreys a 17-0 defeat at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena to end the region’s interest in the EDF Energy Cup at the end of March, before defeat at Munster a fortnight later saw the Ospreys crash out of the Heineken Cup at the quarter-final stage.

Shortly after, former Wales skills coach, Australia Assistant Coach and USA Head Coach, Scott Johnson was confirmed as the new Director of Coaching, arriving in Ospreylia in time to sit back and assess operations as the Ospreys secured three wins in the final five games to clinch fourth place in the Magners League, once again finishing the highest placed Welsh region.

At the end of the season, an incredible seven Ospreys players toured South Africa as part of the British & Irish Lions squad. Adam Jones, Alun-Wyn Jones, Mike Phillips, Shane Williams, Tommy Bowe and Lee Byrne were all named as part of the initial squad, and were joined by late call-up James Hook. Skipper Ryan Jones also received a call to join the tour, only to miss out due to an injury sustained playing for Wales against the USA.