After last weekend’s impressive 25-3 victory over Perpignan at the Swansea.com Stadium the Welsh region are guaranteed a place in the knockout stages of the tournament. The match, however, could well be significant in deciding whether it will be a home tie in the next phase of the competition for Booth’s side in the first week of April or a daunting away trip.
The Ospreys will find out the task ahead after Saturday’s result in the other Pool 2 match-up where leaders Montpellier travel to the Stadio Monigo to face Benetton.
A triumph for the French by a significant margin would leave an opportunity for the winners in South Africa a chance to leapfrog Italian side Benetton into second place in the standings and the guarantee of a more favourable draw.
Having won five out of their last six matches in all competitions, the Ospreys will be hopeful they can pull off another upset but will have to win on South African soil for the first time at high altitude.
Booth, however, is optimistic of his side’s chances and feels the side who adapts better to the conditions will come out on top.
“It is a shot, a bit like a cup final really. Both teams are through, and it’s can you get home-field advantage,” said Booth.
“We have already selected the team and it’s about us being us and the best team will win.
“For us, we haven’t won out here before so there is an added context. Everyone likes to do things that are a first.
“We know though there will be challenges around altitude and different things, but we are excited by it.
“They [the Lions] are a slightly different team home than away and play a different way. They have the local knowledge and that counts for a lot.
“Often in these kinds of games it’s can you react quickly and deal with the environment and I think that will be the challenge.
“We’ve travelled with 28, so the match-day 23 and five standbys. There are a lot of youngsters here. It is about giving them experience.
“We have Deavesy [Harri Deaves] and Tristan [Davies] back from HIA’s which will give us something extra.
“With Dewi [Lake] it is what it is with his hamstring and the nature of the injury. There is also a bit of a tendon element as well.
“Those things resolve themselves in a certain time frame, but it’s probably best to ere on the side of caution.
“It doesn’t look like he’ll feature in that Six Nations period and that is gutting for him because he was playing exceptionally well for us.
“Nicky [Smith] is progressing, he should be back in time for the next round of URC games.
“Morgan Morris will be back for the next game. He is not fit [for selection for Wales], the nature of his calf injury is very difficult to deal with to go into an extremely competitive environment and intensity.
“If you were to send someone with that injury straight back in, they would be likely to break down.
“I think some of our players could have muscled their way in there [into the Wales squad] but the challenge for them now is to do that and a good advert for that is Owen Watkin.
“Watkin has got what he deserved and for us, he is one of our most important players. I had a conversation with the Welsh coaches when they came down and they were glowing in relation to how much he has grown. That is all you can do as a player, and I’m pleased for him.
“Some may feel that they have missed out, but I’m pleased for Owen as one of the right people to have been rewarded.”
[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]
