Ardron set for 50th appearance

Tyler Ardron will complete a half-century for the Ospreys when he lines up against Benetton Treviso at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday evening (7.35pm KO).

  • Ardron will make his 50th appearance for the region this weekend
  • Made his debut against Leinster at the RDS in September 2013, making 45 appearances in his first two reasons only for the World Cup and injury to restrict him to just two games last season
  • Back fully fit, Ardron has started both PRO12 games so far this season, scoring against Connacht last Saturday

 

The 25-year old Canadian has returned to action this season in some style following an injury hit 2015/16, featuring in both Guinness PRO12 matches so far and scoring a try in last weekend’s bonus point win over Connacht in Galway. 

His eye catching, all-action performance at the Sportsground saw him crowned Ospreys social media man of the match, taking an impressive 40% of the vote ahead of Sam Davies and Rhys Webb.

Looking ahead to his 50th appearance, Ardron said:

“I’m proud to be reaching 50 games for the Ospreys, joining a high quality group of players who have done so already. It’s good to be involved again on a match-day and I’m excited to get the season going. I’m looking forward to plenty more games in an Ospreys shirt.”

Captain of his national team, Ardron signed for the Ospreys alongside his compatriot, Jeff Hassler, in the summer of 2013, making his debut off the bench in a 29-29 draw in Dublin against Leinster that September.

He quickly established himself as a key member of the squad, making 45 appearances across his first two seasons and being named Players’ Player of the Year for 2014/15. However, a combination of the Rugby World Cup and a recurring knee problem restricted him to just two games for the region last season, delaying his landmark 50th appearance until this weekend.

Head Coach, Steve Tandy, paid tribute to Ardron, saying:

“Reaching 50 appearances is a landmark to be celebrated and Tyler is now part of an exclusive club at the Ospreys.

“Tyler is a fantastic athlete and a skillful rugby player, with an outstanding work ethic and real leadership skills. He was sorely missed last season and having him back in the squad is like a new signing for us, giving everybody in the group a huge lift.

“He’s started the season really positively, showing what we missed last year, and we expect him to have a big influence over the coming months.”

Tickets for Saturday’s game against Benetton Treviso are available now at www.ospreysrugby.com/buytickets