OSPREYS: Four competitive debuts as Parry and Watkin lead side into Durban opener

Four players will make their competitive Ospreys debuts in Durban on Saturday as the region opens its United Rugby Championship campaign against the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

Liam Wright, Lawson Creighton, Lalakai Foketi and Tom Rogers have all been named in the starting XV at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium, where kick-off is at 4pm.

Sam Parry and Owen Watkin lead the side together as co-captains, taking charge of a competitive fixture for the first time after sharing the armband through pre-season.

Three Australians in Mark Jones’ first-choice XV

The Australian recruitment drive that reshaped the squad over the summer is on full display. Wright starts at six, Creighton takes the kicking duties at ten, and Foketi partners Watkin in the centre, three of the Wallabies Mark Jones brought to Swansea.

Steffan Thomas starts at loosehead with Parry at hooker and South African Tom Botha completing the front row, while Wales pair James Ratti and Rhys Davies pack down in the second row behind them.

Ross Moriarty lines up on the other flank from Wright, with Morgan Morris at number eight and Luke Davies at scrum-half.

Iestyn Hopkins starts at full-back, Luke Morgan on one wing and Rogers on the other.

Wilde in line for a first appearance on loan

Harri Wilde is named among the replacements and could make his first appearance since joining on loan from Cardiff.

Efan Daniel, Gareth Thomas and Rhys Henry provide the front-row cover, with Ryan Smith and Harri Deaves in reserve among the forwards, and Kieran Hardy and Evardi Boshoff completing the bench alongside Wilde.

Four away games before St Helen’s

The trip to Durban closes a pre-season that brought an eight-try win over Coventry and a heavy defeat to Ulster in Belfast, and begins a run of four games on the road before the Ospreys play their first match at the redeveloped St Helen’s against the Dragons on 24 October.

It comes with the region’s longer-term future still unresolved, as the row over the Welsh Rugby Union’s plan to cut the professional game to three teams rumbles on.

Ospreys team to face the Sharks

Ospreys: 1. Steffan Thomas, 2. Sam Parry (co-capt), 3. Tom Botha, 4. James Ratti, 5. Rhys Davies, 6. Liam Wright, 7. Ross Moriarty, 8. Morgan Morris, 9. Luke Davies, 10. Lawson Creighton, 11. Luke Morgan, 12. Lalakai Foketi, 13. Owen Watkin (co-capt), 14. Tom Rogers, 15. Iestyn Hopkins.

Replacements: 16. Efan Daniel, 17. Gareth Thomas, 18. Rhys Henry, 19. Ryan Smith, 20. Harri Deaves, 21. Kieran Hardy, 22. Harri Wilde, 23. Evardi Boshoff.

Author

Richard Bond

Swansea-based sports journalist.
Twitter: @RichBond00
Email: RichardBond@swanseabaynews.com