The Ospreys team to play Wasps at Ricoh Arena on Sunday 5th February 2017, KO 3.00pm, is as follows:
15 Dafydd Howells
14 Jay Baker
13 Joe Thomas
12 Jonathan Spratt
11 Tom O’Flaherty
10 Luke Price
9 Matthew Aubrey
1 Rowan Jenkins
2 Scott Otten
3 Rhodri Jones
4 James Ratti
5 Adam Beard
6 Tyler Ardron
7 Joe Bearman
8 Rob McCusker (Capt)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Hugh Gustafson
17 Gareth Thomas
18 Daniel Suter
19 Lloyd Ashley
20 Joe Tomalin-Reeves
21 Dan Baker
22 Kieron Fonotia
23 Hanno Dirksen
Joe Bearman and Jonathan Spratt both make their 100th appearance for the Ospreys
Rowan Jenkins makes his first Ospreys start
Head Coach, Steve Tandy, commented:
“We are looking forward to what promises to be a real test for us on Sunday. Wasps have had an exceptional season so far, as you’d expect from a club of their standing. Whatever team they send out will have plenty of quality about it, and they don’t lose there very often, you’ve got to go back more than a year.
“This week will be no different to any other for us. We’ll prepare the same as any other and focus on ourselves, our preparation, and make sure that everyone who goes out there on Sunday knows what they have to do, where they fit in and what is expected of them.
“We had a plan for this period, and for the Anglo-Welsh itself, back at the start of the season. Where we find ourselves in the pool going into the weekend doesn’t change that. We want to win every game we play as Ospreys but we also have a focus on player development and, whatever the outcome on Sunday, we know that there are players in this group who have stepped up over the course of the Anglo-Welsh and B&I, and really shown that they’ve got the potential to be Ospreys. That’s the most important thing.
“It’s an important block of the season for us, with internationals away at the Six Nations and some pretty big games coming up with Munster and Glasgow at the Liberty later this month after we go to Zebre for a quick turnaround next Friday. We know what we’ve got to do in these games, the boys coming in know what it’s expected of them, and we are going to get on with the job in hand.”
Forthcoming Fixtures
Fri 10 Feb – 8.00pm (Local) - Zebre v Ospreys - Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi – PRO12
Sat 18 Feb – 5.15pm – Ospreys v Munster – Liberty Stadium – PRO12
Sun 26 Feb – 1.05pm – Ospreys v Glasgow – Liberty Stadium – PRO12
Fri 3 Mar – 7.35pm – Edinburgh v Ospreys – Myreside – PRO12