Williams suffers Aironi setback

Williams could be fit for the play-offs if the Ospreys make it through

Shane Williams has lost his fight to be fit for the Ospreys’ final Magners League game of the season at Aironi.

The Wales wing had hoped to return to the side after spending almost two months out with a knee injury.

Lee Byrne (knee) and Jerry Collins (banned) will also be missing, as the Ospreys seek to clinch a play-off spot.

They need to collect maximum points in Italy, and hope either Cardiff Blues slip up at the Scarlets or for Ulster to fail to win a point at the Dragons.

“We’re still in with a chance, we feel like we’ve been given a second chance,” said head coach Sean Holley. “It is down to other results but we can only do what we have to do on Friday.

“The boys have been really good this past week and have been extremely focused on the job and fingers crossed some of the other teams can do us a favour.”

Williams has been absent since injuring his knee while playing for Wales in the Six Nations match against Ireland on 18 March.

A rest period of “eight to 12 weeks” was the diagnosis, which ruled him out the Ospreys’ push to defend their Magners League title.

After making a speedy recovery, Williams targeted a return to action in the final game of the season, but Holley said the match has come a week too soon.

“Shane just hasn’t made it this week, but if we’re fortunate enough to get through for whatever reason then he may become available for the week after.

“He was just not quiet there this week, which is a shame.”

The news was not as positive for Byrne, though, who will not play again this season because of knee cartilage injury.

The Wales full-back hobbled off after half an hour of the 20-22 home defeat to Munster, and Holley revealed that surgery could be required to rectify a “slight meniscus tear”.

Another notable absentee will be former New Zealand flanker Collins, whose two-year stint at the region will end at the end of the season.

He picked up his third yellow card of the season in the final minute against Munster – an offence that allowed the visitors to launch a final attack which subsequently yielded the winning three points.

The yellow card triggered an automatic one-match ban, and Collins could face a longer ban in found guilty at a Magners League disciplinary hearing on Thursday.

“It’s a sad way for Jerry to go out at the Ospreys,” said Holley.

“He’s been a good servant, he’s worked hard here. He’s had an influence in big games. I think Jerry does get targeted sometimes – it’s easy to pick out a big Samoan with a flat-top blond hair.”

Aironi are bottom of the Magners League with just one win to their name all season, a 25-13 success over Connacht in March.