The Ospreys team to play Benetton Treviso at Stadio Comunale di Monigo, on Saturday 25th March 2017, KO 8.35pm (local) is as follows:
15 Dan Evans
14 Keelan Giles
13 Kieron Fonotia
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Dafydd Howells
10 Sam Davies
9 Tom Habberfield (Capt)
1 Paul James
2 Sam Parry
3 Brian Mujati
4 Lloyd Ashley
5 Rory Thornton
6 James King
7 Olly Cracknell
8 Dan Baker
REPLACEMENTS
16 Scott Otten
17 Nicky Smith
18 Rhodri Jones
19 Tyler Ardron
20 Sam Underhill
21 Brendon Leonard
22 Jay Baker
23 Jonathan Spratt
The following players were unavailable for selection due to injury:
Dmitri Arhip – Shoulder
Scott Baldwin – Head laceration
Adam Beard – Elbow
Ashley Beck - Calf
Bradley Davies – Knee
Hanno Dirksen - Knee
Jeff Hassler – Achilles
Ben John – HIA
Alun Wyn Jones - Shoulder
Dan Lydiate – Knee
Rob McCusker – Ankle
James Ratti - Shoulder
Eli Walker – Back
Owen Watkin – Knee
Head Coach, Steve Tandy, commented:
“Everybody is really excited about what’s in store for us between now and the end of the season. Our performances this far have put us in a solid position to kick-on for the play-offs but there’s a hell of a lot of hard work ahead of us so nobody is taking anything for granted. If we don’t maintain the standards we’ve set then everything we’ve done so far will go to waste.
“We are firmly in control of our own destiny and that’s a good place to be in at this stage. We know that if we do what we have to do over the next five rounds we can secure a semi-final spot regardless of what anybody else does. We’re well aware that’s not as easy as it sounds though. With some big games coming up, Welsh derbies and against teams competing at the top end for the play-offs, it’s going to be a real rollercoaster for everyone but you’ve got to be excited about it.
“We want to be involved in these games, high stakes, at the end of the season and we want to make sure that we keep going until the end of May. It starts this weekend in Treviso against a side who are physical, who have a big pack and who will always cause a team problems. We’ve slipped up there a few times in the past so we know that we’ve got to be at our best to get what we want. The focus has to be right, and we need to be sure that we are on top of everything, the detail of what we need to do, to get the right performance level that will set us up for a huge month with big games against Stade, Leinster, the Blues and Ulster.”
Forthcoming Fixtures
Sun 2 Apr – 5.45pm – Ospreys v Stade Francais – Principality Stadium – ERCC
Sat 8 Apr – 3.00pm – Ospreys v Leinster – Liberty Stadium – PRO12
Sat 15 Apr – 2.45pm – Cardiff Blues v Ospreys – Principality Stadium – PRO12