SEAN Holley insists the Ospreys remain hungry for Magners League success despite winning the Celtic competition three times in the past six years.

The Liberty Stadium region, who open their 2010-11 campaign against Ulster in Belfast tomorrow evening, completed an unprecedented hat-trick of Celtic titles by defeating Leinster in the inaugural play-off final in Dublin last term.

That victory over the European champions was one of the sweetest triumphs in the region's history, achieved against the odds at a venue where no visiting side had won for 20 months.

And Holley made clear that yet another Magners crown had far from blunted the region's appetite for success in the tournament.

''No way,'' said Holley. ''It makes you want to win it more.

''To see the fellas there on the podium, to see their faces, to know what it's like in the changing room and on the journey home — the players would all say they want to lift the trophy again.

''You want to win silverware. It's a drug, our drug. It's what it is about and it satisfies so many people.

Encompasses

''It connects people. From our media man Peter Owen to the guys in the office selling tickets through to Roy Evans putting the kit out and kids wearing them and buying shirts — it encompasses all those people.

''They all share in a part of it and you get a sense of that when you are involved in it.

''That's what spurs you on.''

The Ospreys are not exactly charging to the start line, with Holley able to field only five of the side who started the Magners League final.

At their press call in Llandarcy yesterday, the coach read out a 11-strong list of ''significant injured'' — Tom Smith, Tom Isaacs, James Hook, Barry Davies, Scott Baldwin, Ben John, Jonathan Spratt, Ryan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Eli Walker and Morgan Allen.

Also ruled out of contention for Ravenhill are Mike Phillips, Adam Jones, Tommy Bowe, Duncan Jones, Alun Wyn Jones and Tom Prydie, all of whom are in a training group after injuries or playing Test rugby in the summer.

Challenge

It leaves the Ospreys with a significant challenge to get off to the kind of smooth start that eluded them last term when, gradually reintegrating their Lions, they lost their first two home matches.

And while Holley acknowledges that it isn't ideal to begin the campaign with so many players missing, he feels the solution to the problem is out of the hands of coaches.

''There has to be an answer somewhere,'' he said.

''But I don't think it's down to the coaches. It's down to the powers that be, because there's obviously TV and a lot of finance involved.

''We have to play in a number of different competitions.

''Indeed, at one point in the season a particular player could play in consecutive weeks in the Magners, the LV, the European cup and on the international scene — four different competitions in four weeks. Four different balls at four different venues.''

The Ospreys coach argued the risk of player burn-out was greater than ever before.

''When I say to you that Alun Wyn hasn't had a summer off in his professional career, you have to ask yourself at what point is he going to break down.

''That's what we are involved in.

''It's a huge worry because I am constantly dealing with a blue column of 15 guys on my long-term injured list.

''Why is that? It's a lot to do with the length of the season.

Hazard

''Find out how many games Mils Muliaina has played this year in the lead up to a World Cup. I would hazard a guess it would be half the number played by Tommy Bowe.

''People say players should play no more than 30 games in a season, but that seems quite a lot to me.

''When you go down at pitchside and see them play now, it's pretty physical.

''You see the guys on a Monday after a Saturday and they are still pretty beaten up.''

The Ospreys would respond to the pressures on their leading lights by continuing to blood young players, added Holley.