After 3 fantastic Welsh derby victories, the Ospreys are preparing for what is their biggest challenge of this season, as they get ready to face the Vodacom Bulls. The SA heavyweights currently sit sixth in the URC table and will present a formidable obstacle for Toby Booth's squad as they chase the top of the Welsh Shield. The Ospreys will need to match the Scarlets results (they play the next day) so the Ospreys will need to gain at least 2 match points and if they can secure 5 match points they will not be caught.
The Ospreys will be sweating on injuries picked up by both scrum-halves, Webb and RMW, but Mat Protheroe should be back from his head injury issues. Does Booth mess with a winning team or does he make necessary changes (not that there are many changes available to him in terms of quality players not in the 23)? The weather is set to be nice.
Likely squad
G Thomas N Smith D Lake S Parry T Francis T Botha A Beard AWJ R Davies W Griffiths J Morgan M Morris E Roots
R Webb RMW G Anscombe K Giles O Watkin G North A Cuthbert M Collins M Protheroe K Williams
I think the starting team will be virtually the same if both scrum-halves are fit (if neither are fit, Harri Morgan and Matthew Aubrey will be selected for the team/squad)
Starting Team
G Thomas D Lake T Francis A Beard AWJ W Griffiths J Morgan M Morris
R Webb G Anscombe K Giles O Watkin G North A Cuthbert M Collins
Discuss
This new idea of flying out of defence at the strike runner seems to be creating massive holes in our defence. The Bulls clearly did their homework on us.
The team needs credit for their heart and dog but we've got to sort out our kicking and exit game.
Sobering loss.
We gave them a two try head start (AGAIN) but I thought we did really well to dig in and claim the try BP and the losing BP.
Cornell Hendricks is some player.
Think we’ll come up short but we’ve taken a step forward from last season in the last three weeks.
Well I got 14 of the starting XV correct. Did not see Luke Morgan starting but can only assume that Cuthbert has a knock? I am a little surprised to see BBBD and Lydiate on the bench as I expected it to be Rhys and Roots. It is good to see Harri Morgan in the squad for what I think is the first time this season?
Here is the team
Are we really going to be able to win an arm wrestle against the bulls? We’re going to need to try and move them about a bit and we’ll need to get right behind the team with a lot of noise.
Lydiate needs to start. Can’t face those tall trees without our best defensive forward.