Wales' Grand Slam stars made a victorious Millennium Stadium return as the Ospreys booked their second successive EDF Energy Cup final appearance against English heavyweights Leicester with a resounding 30-3 victory over Saracens.

Ospreys paraded nine of the Wales side that took Grand Slam and RBS 6 Nations title honours by beating France in Cardiff last weekend.

But they had to work just as hard before subduing Saracens in a dress rehearsal for next month's Heineken Cup quarter-final clash between the teams at Vicarage Road.

Wing wizard Shane Williams, Wales' record Test try-scorer, put the Ospreys on their way with a crucial touchdown just before half-time.

Williams and company, though, were unable to impose their glittering running game on dogged, well-organised opponents, and they could not breathe easily until centre Gavin Henson stormed over after 50 minutes.

Replacement back-row forward Filo Tiatia added a third touchdown that finally buckled Saracens' resistance, then Williams claimed his second try in typically audacious fashion.

Williams, recently-crowned Six Nations player of the tournament, has now scored eight tries in his last five games.

Fly-half James Hook added two penalties and two conversions, booking a Twickenham appointment with the Tigers on April 12 and an opportunity to avenge last season's 41-35 defeat.

Saracens had their moments, yet they lacked Ospreys' firepower behind the scrum and could not release attacking strike weapon Brent Russell in dangerous areas.

Saracens, targeting a first domestic cup final place since they beat Wasps to lift the Tetley's Bitter Cup at Twickenham in 1998, made a late front-row change.

Prop Cencus Johnston, whose wife is in labour, was replaced by South African powerhouse Cobus Visagie, with England international Kevin Yates featuring on the bench.

Scotland wing Nikki Walker missed out for the Ospreys due to an ankle injury, but his deputy Johnny Vaughton was the solitary uncapped player in a star-studded side.

The Ospreys camped inside Saracens' 22 from the kick-off, and Williams was agonisingly denied a third-minute try when his foot brushed the touchline before diving over.

Flanker Jonathan Thomas then powered to the line, but referee Wayne Barnes called a forward pass, meaning another reprieve for Saracens as they struggled to handle Ospreys' onslaught.

The Guinness Premiership club gradually found some rhythm and structure, but Glen Jackson drifted his opening penalty chance wide.

Ospreys' early sense of adventure soon disappeared as Saracens enjoyed sustained quality possession that meant they were able to utilise an impressive off-loading game to maximum effect.

Defence dominated the Ospreys' agenda for the best part of 20 minutes, yet they still went ahead midway through the second quarter when Hook slotted an easy penalty.

Most pundits had predicted a free-flowing contest, but it proved an attritional encounter dominated by two heavyweight packs engaged in close-quarter combat.

Inevitably, though, it was Williams who lit up the half by claiming a trademark try as the interval approached.

Evoking memories of his decisive kick and chase score against France, Williams sprinted clear of Saracens' defence before rival wings Dan Scarbrough and Richard Haughton challenged him as the line beckoned.

And on this occasion - after a lengthy delay - television match official Geoff Warren ruled in Williams' favour, confirming the try.

Hook missed the conversion, but Williams' wonderful opportunism underpinned an 8-0 half-time lead.

Saracens skipper Neil de Kock did not reappear for the second period - he was replaced by Fiji World Cup captain Moses Rauluni - and Jackson immediately opened Saracens' account through an angled penalty.

The game proved an increasingly fractious affair, with neither set of forwards prepared to budge an inch, and it took a sparkling Henson effort to enthuse a 40,000 crowd.

Henson ghosted into space and made a mockery of opposite number Andy Farrell's attempted tackle, before Hook's conversion gave the Ospreys breathing space.

Hook extended the advantage by landing another penalty after Saracens infringed on their own line, then Tiatia killed off the game as a contest.

Williams' 68th-minute score confirmed the Ospreys' dominance, and with Saracens slipping off the Premiership title play-off pace at an alarming rate, the looming Heineken Cup showdown threatens to make or break their season.