WORCESTER Warriors’ head coach Clive Griffiths has challenged the Sixways players to follow in the footsteps of Leicester and Perpignan and shut the Ospreys out in their EDF Energy Cup clash at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday (3.05pm).

The Welsh region have not scored in their previous two matches and the former Swansea coach hopes that the longer they can keep Sean Holley’s side at bay the better their chances will be.

But while the Ospreys have not crossed the whitewash in 160 minutes of rugby, they haven’t been breached either. The Sixways side have scored 16 tries in their two European Challenge Cup outings.

“We have got to use the fact that they haven’t scored in two matches as a motivating factor,” Griffiths said. “The longer they go without scoring a try it plants seeds of doubt in their minds.

“The first quarter and first-half will be very, very important. I know the game isn’t won in the first-half, but Harlequins scored three tries in 11 minutes against us and it knocks your confidence and it gave them confidence.

“Leicester and Perpignan got amongst the Ospreys — we have looked at the tapes and we must do what they did.”

In the two final league games before the Guinness Premiership broke for the EDF Cup and European competitions, Warriors conceded nine tries, seven of which came from their own ball.

Worcester tightened their defence in the two European outings with only two scores against them, but the former Wales assistant-coach knows the Ospreys will pose a bigger threat than Petrarca and Bucuresti Oaks put together.

“We will have to defend very well for the whole 80 minutes,” he said. “We have laid down a few extra principles since the Bath and Harlequins games and are also mindful that we did concede nine tries in those games, which is unlike.

“We have to be mindful of the fact that we have to defend and when we have the ball we have got to be absolutely squeaky clean and don’t give any turn-over ball because they have the likes of Shane Williams and Lee Byrne, so it’ll be good night Vienna — they will punish you.”

The Liberty Stadium side are expected to recall star utility-back Gavin Henson to the starting XV on Sunday after handing the Wales international a two-game ban for internal disciplinary reasons.

He was given a shock return to the squad last weekend for the Perpignan match following an injury to fly-half James Hook, but was an unused replacement.

But Ospreys’ chief Holley is delighted to have him back. “He’s ready,” Holley said. “Quality players like Gavin are few and far between, so you can understand the selection.”