Tandy names his selection for Saturday's PRO12 game v Benetton Treviso.
The Ospreys team to play Benetton Treviso at Stadio Comunale di Monigo on Saturday 17th October 2015, KO 1.30pm (UK), is as follows:
15 Richard Fussell
14 Tom Grabham
13 Ben John
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Hanno Dirksen
10 Sam Davies
9 Brendon Leonard
1 Ryan Bevington
2 Sam Parry
3 Dmitri Arhip
4 Lloyd Ashley (Capt)
5 Rory Thornton
6 Joe Bearman
7 Sam Underhill
8 Dan Baker
REPLACEMENTS
16 Scott Otten
17 Gareth Thomas
18 Cai Griffiths
19 Rynier Bernardo
20 Gareth Delve
21 Tom Habberfield
22 Jonathan Spratt
23 Dan Evans
The following players were unavailable for selection due to Rugby World Cup selection:
Scott Baldwin, Dan Biggar, Paul James, Aaron Jarvis, Alun Wyn Jones, James King, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Eli Walker (Wales)
Ifereimi Boladau and Matthew Dwyer (British Army/Forces World Cup)
The following players were unavailable for selection due to injury:
Tyler Ardron - Knee
Adam Beard – Shoulder
Ashley Beck – ACL
Jeff Hassler – Knee
Nicky Smith - Ankle
De Kock Steenkamp - Hip
Dan Suter – Neck
Rhys Webb - Foot
Ospreys Head Coach, Steve Tandy, said:
“It’s going to be another real test for us this weekend. Clearly we haven’t had the start to the season that we would have wanted and when that happens, then it’s easy to allow the pressure from outside to build. It’s not going to get any easier, we have Treviso who can call on their Italian internationals again while next week we are home to Connacht who have only lost two players, but we know what we need to do.
“It’s a test of character for a young group of players, but the desire, the effort, the pride and the commitment is there to put it right. We know that three defeats don’t make us the worst team in the world just as the winning start last season didn’t make us world beaters. We ignore all that and just get on with our job, which is to prepare for the next match as best we can.
“The focus has to be on performance, with attention to detail on the small things, the controllables, if we can get them right then the performance will follow, starting on Saturday. We haven’t been that far away in the last two games. We were leading Munster into the last minute, we led Edinburgh at the 50 minute mark and were within four points with just five minutes to go. It’s about those little things, the split decisions, and being able to close out tight games. That comes with experience.
“Obviously, it’s not ideal going into games missing 20 or more players, but we have to accept that. It’s a situation that impacts on the clubs who contribute the most to the national set-up, something we are proud of, and we have to deal with that. It’s a reality of the structure of the professional game these days, so there’s no point in blaming it for anything, we have to get on with it and we will get on with it, as a business, starting on Saturday.”
Forthcoming Fixtures
Sat 24 Oct – 1.30pm KO - Ospreys v Connacht - Liberty Stadium - PRO12
Sun 1 Nov - 2.30pm KO – Glasgow v Ospreys – Scotstoun – PRO12
Sat 7 Nov – 2.30pm KO - Ospreys v Zebre – Liberty Stadium – PRO12
Sun 15 Nov – 5.15pm KO – Ospreys v Exeter Chiefs – Liberty Stadium –ERCC