The Ospreys, formerly the Neath–Swansea Ospreys is one of the four professional rugby union teams from Wales. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions 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'.
Rugby union in Wales is considered a large part of Welsh national culture. Rugby union is thought to have reached Wales in the 1850s, with the national body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) being formed in 1881. Wales are considered to be one of the most successful national sides in Rugby Union, having won the most Six Nations Championships after England, as well as having reached 3 World Cup semi finals in 1987, 2011 and 2019, having finished 3rd in the inaugural competition and having finished 4th in 2011 in a repeat of the first third place play-off. The Welsh team of the 1970s is considered to be one of the greatest national teams of all time. As of November 2021, they are ranked 8th in the world.
Kevin Andrew Morgan is a Welsh former rugby union player. He won 48 caps for Wales, mainly at full back but also on the wing.
Stephen Myler is an English rugby player. He played most of his career with the Northampton Saints in Premiership Rugby, and he currently plays for Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship.
St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground, commonly known simply as St Helens Ground, is a sports venue in Swansea, Wales, owned and operated by the City and County of Swansea Council. Used mainly for rugby union and cricket, it has been the home ground of Swansea RFC and Swansea Cricket Club since it opened in 1873.
James William Hook is a retired Welsh rugby union player. Hook has won 81 caps for Wales and is Wales' fifth highest all-time points scorer. Most often playing as a fly-half, Hook is known as a utility player, and has also played as a centre, wing and fullback.
Barry Hugh Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player. He played hooker. In 1997, he toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Neath RFC.
Shaun Connor is a former Wales 7s international rugby union player and the current backs coach of the Welsh National Team. He was a crucial part of the Ospreys team that defeated Australia, earning him the title of Man of the Match. He has previously played for the Ospreys, being the first back to make 100 appearances for the club, and the Dragons. After retiring he went on to coach the Ospreys Under 20s and also worked with the Dragons as backs coach.
Rhys Webb is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half. Born in Bridgend, he is a product of the Ospreys academy and played club rugby for Bridgend and Aberavon before breaking into the regional side in 2008. He played for the Ospreys for 10 years before moving to French club Toulon in 2018, but terminated his contract with them in 2020 and agreed a return to the Ospreys; however, he was unable to join the Ospreys immediately and signed for Bath for the remainder of the 2019–20 season before returning to the Ospreys.
Daniel Biggar is a Welsh professional rugby union player currently playing for French Top 14 side Toulon as a fly-half. A Wales international, Biggar has also twice been selected to tour with the British and Irish Lions.
Welsh regional rugby is the top tier of professional Welsh club rugby and is composed of the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons which compete in the United Rugby Championship.
Hanno Dirksen is a South African rugby union player currently playing for NOLA Gold of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Tevita ‘Tex’ Cavubati is a Fijian Rugby Union player who currently plays as a lock for Blackheath F.C. in National League 1 and for Fiji.
George Horne is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for United Rugby Championship club Glasgow Warriors and the Scotland national team.
Adam James Beard is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for United Rugby Championship club Ospreys and the Wales national team.
Tom O'Flaherty is an English rugby union player who plays for Premiership Rugby Sale Sharks. His playing position is a Wing.
Joe Hawkins is a Welsh international rugby union player who currently plays his club rugby at centre for Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership. Hawkins began his professional career with the Ospreys in the URC, before signing for Exeter in 2023. He represents Wales at international level, having made his test debut against Australia during the 2022 Autumn Internationals. He has 5 caps.
Robbie Smith is a Scotland international rugby union player who plays for Northampton Saints. His usual position is hooker.
Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler is a Professional Rugby union player who currently plays for Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi a Japanese rugby union club, based in Nagoya as a centre / fullback.
Luke Scully is a Welsh rugby union player, currently playing for United Rugby Championship side Ospreys as a fly-half and centre.
