Regional Select XV match details confirmed

The Ospreys will play the first of their three pre-season fixtures a fortnight today when they face a Regional Select XV at Aberavon's Talbot Athletic Ground.

The game on Tuesday 10th August, which kicks off at 7pm, will be the second time that the region has faced such opposition, following a similar fixture two years ago at Maesteg RFC.

The Regional Select XV will comprise players from Aberavon, Bridgend, Maesteg, Neath, Swansea and Tonmawr, with the coaching team to be confirmed later this week.

The fixture will take the form of four twenty minute periods, providing an opportunity for the squad to get a good run-out at the start of a week that will see the Ospreys really step up preparations for the new season with another game against Leeds Carnegie following just four days later.

Ospreys Head Coach Sean Holley, a former Aberavon player, says that he is looking forward to the short trip to his old club:

"It’s going to be a great evening" he said

"The Regional Select XV will give us a tough workout which is what we’ll need at this particular point of pre-season, and it’ll be fantastic to be out and about, playing at one of the ground’s that has traditionally been at the heart of the region. Its also a chance for some of the younger players and new signings to show what they can do.

"For me personally, it’ll be a great occasion to take an Ospreys team to one of my former clubs at the Talbot Athletic Ground, as we did two summers ago when we went to Maesteg. That was a fabulous occasion with a huge crowd coming along and I’d anticipate that we’ll get a tremendous welcome from the local community who will, I’m sure, turn out in big numbers to see some of their local players testing themselves against the Region.

" Everybody who has been involved in these fixtures here is really looking forward to getting the new season off to a positive start at Aberavon in a fortnight's time."

Admission prices have been kept as low as possible to encourage as many families as possible to come along, with adults paying just £5 (OAP’s and under-16’s £3), with under-11’s getting in free.

The Ospreys Community Rugby team will be in attendance, while the Ospreys rugby themed inflatables will also be at the ground adding to the fun. In addition, members of Taibach RFC’s mini’s section will participate in a tag match on the pitch pre-match.