The Ospreys host Italian side Benetton at Ospreylia on Sunday afternoon for round six of the Guinness PRO14, K.O 1:45pm.
We return to St Helen's for this weekend's fixture, the first time since November 2016 when the Ospreys faced English Premiership side Harlequins in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.
Ospreys have won 10 of their last 12 games against Benetton in the PRO14, and they have conceded fewer than 10 points in the first half in 11 of those 12 matches. Ospreys have also won each of their previous nine games at home to Benetton in the PRO14, scoring 42 points per game in that span.
The Ospreys have won all of their previous 18 home games against Italian opposition in the PRO14, comfortably their best win rate at home to a particular nation (Wales 81%, Scotland 76%, Ireland 60%, South Africa 60%).
Benetton have lost their opening four games of the PRO14 season, it’s their worst start to a campaign since losing their first 13 matches of 2015/16.
Benetton have won on just three of their last 27 trips to Wales, with each of those victories coming against the Dragons; this will be Benetton’s second game in Wales in 2020/21, losing to Cardiff at Rodney Parade last weekend.
Ospreys have the best scrum success rate in the PRO14 this season, losing just one of 43 scrums on their own feed for a success rate of 98%; Benetton have the worst success rate (85%, 22/26).
Benetton have averaged fewer missed tackles per game (12) than any other side in the PRO14 this season, however they have averaged the most turnovers conceded (14).
Ospreys' Mat Protheroe has made 8 clean breaks (bested only by Ulster's John Cooney with 12) and is one of just four players with 480 minutes to their name this season in the PRO14 (along with Cardiff Blues' Hallam Amos, and Scarlets duo Sione Kalamafoni, and Steff Evans). Monty Ioane has played every minute of Benetton’s campaign with 320 minutes in total.
Dan Lydiate has made 83 tackles in this PRO14 campaign so far, only Cardiff Blues' Kristian Dacey (87) has made more.
Benetton’s Iliesa Ratuva has beaten 14 defenders this season, the second most of any player in the PRO14 (Jarrod Evans tops the charts with 18) he has also made the joint second most offloads (7) despite playing just 290 minutes.
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 59th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Aled Evans, Ben Breakspear (both WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Live on Premier Sports
Ospreys in the PRO14 this season
Tackles made
Dan Lydiate - 83 (2nd place)
Adam Beard - 73 (4th place)
Clean Breaks
Mat Protheroe - 8 (2nd place)
