The Ospreys will host the Emirates Lions in a critical United Rugby Championship clash today, Friday at 21:45 (SA Time) at the Dunraven Brewery Field in Bridgend, with both teams fighting for a playoff spot.
The two sides have a closely matched record in previous encounters, making for an anticipated close game. Bookmakers place the Ospreys as slight favourites due to home advantage and expected “extreme” conditions.
The Lions have had a fair Vodacom URC season so far, winning four of their eight matches to occupy seventh place on the standings, and with Ospreys two places below them on the table, they will back themselves to deliver a quality performance at the Dunraven Brewery Field – after drawing and winning their last two EPCR Challenge Cup matches, to retain their place in the top eight and possibly reduce the gap between themselves and the leading teams with only eight pool matches remaining following this round.
The hosts will look to take advantage of Ospreys’ dip in form in their last two EPCR Challenge Cup matches, in which they went down to Zebre Parma in Italy and Montpellier at home in Wales, while they will also be mindful of the fact that the Lions have been more effective on attack, scoring 226 points to their 196 in the Vodacom URC to date.
The teams are also closely matched on defence, with Ospreys, who managed to qualify for the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16, leaking only one more try in the Vodacom URC, while they will also have the luxury of playing in front of their home crowd in vastly different weather conditions to the South African summer.
The Ospreys have named Dewi Lake as captain. The side also sees Keiran Williams feature to make his 100th Ospreys appearance.
Steffan Thomas starts for the Ospreys at loosehead, with Dewi lining up at hooker and Tom Botha completing the front three.
Rhys Davies and Ryan Smith start in the second row. James Ratti lines up at six, Harri Deaves takes up the other flank and Morgan Morris starts at eight.
Kieran Hardy starts at scrum half with Dan Edwards at 10. Keiran Williams partners with Owen Watkin at the centre.
In the back three, Iestyn Hopkins starts at full back, with Keelan Giles on one wing and Dan Kasende on the other.
The Lions have a Springbok boost in their lineup, including Morne van den Berg at scrum-half and Asenathi Ntlabakanye at tighthead prop. Henco van Wyk is set to earn his 50th cap in the midfield. Captain Francke Horn will lead the team from No. 8.
The Lions named a new look front row in SJ Kotze, PJ Botha and Springbok Asenathi Ntlabakanye, with Ruben Schoeman the preferred starter alongside Reinhard Nothnagel in the second row.
The backline features Springbok halfback Morne van den Berg at the base of the scrum, with star centre Henco van Wyk running out for his 50th international club appearance for his franchise.
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen has gone with a powerful bench which includes bruiser Etienne Oosthuizen and turn over king Jarod Cairns, who is yet to feature on this tour. Hassiem Pead and Erich Cronje complete the backline options.
Teams:
Ospreys: 15 Iestyn Hopkins, 14 Dan Kasende, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Harri Deaves, 6 James Ratti, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Rhys Davies, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Dewi Lake (c), 1 Steffan Thomas. Replacements: 16 Lewis Lloyd, 17 Cam Jones, 18 Kian Hire, 19 Lewis Jones, 20 Ross Moriarty, 21 Morgan Morse, 22 Reuben Morgan Williams, 23 Phil Cokanasiga.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Bronson Mills, 11 Richard Kriel, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (c), 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze. Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 RF Schoeman, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Darrien Landsberg, 21 Jarod Cairns, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Erich Cronje.