Hibbard eager to give departing Ospreys perfect send-off

Wales hooker Richard Hibbard says Ospreys’ RaboDirect Pro12 title bid is being driven by a wish to send try machine Shane Williams and his soon-to-depart team-mates out on a high.

Former IRB world player of the year Williams could be set for his Liberty Stadium farewell tomorrow night when Ospreys host Munster in their league semi-final and with Ireland wing Tommy Bowe as well as a few more poised to leave at the end of the season, Hibbard wants to give thedeparting players an exit to remember.

“We haven’t had the best press since last season really. We’ve lost ourcoaches, there’s a lot of bodies moving on and it’s the start of a new era next year,” Hibbard told the Irish Examiner in an interview arranged by league sponsors RaboDirect.