OSPREYS: Parry and Watkin lead together for the first time as Ulster close out pre-season

The new co-captains start alongside each other for the first time at the Affidea Stadium on Friday, in the Ospreys' final warm-up before a United Rugby Championship season that opens in South Africa.

Richard Bond
3 Min Read
Ospreys co-captains Owen Watkin and Sam Parry
Owen Watkin and Sam Parry have been named Ospreys co-captains. (Image: Ospreys)

Sam Parry and Owen Watkin will lead the Ospreys together for the first time on Friday, named in the same side for the trip to face Ulster in their final pre-season fixture.

The newly appointed co-captains start alongside each other at the Affidea Stadium (7.45pm kick-off), the last warm-up before the region’s United Rugby Championship campaign begins.

Hooker Parry packs down in the front row with Cam Jones and Rhys Henry, while Watkin partners Lalakai Foketi in the centres.

The side blends the region’s international experience with its homegrown youth, Ross Moriarty and Morgan Morris anchoring the back row behind a second row of Rhys Davies and Huw Sutton.

Keelan Giles and Luke Morgan take the wings either side of full-back Tom Rogers, with Harri Wilde at fly-half and Luke Davies at scrum-half.

The visitors travel to Belfast looking to carry momentum from an eight-try, 52-12 win at Coventry last time out, a run-out that gave minutes to 30 players.

Mark Jones has again named a deep matchday squad, a 17-strong bench including forwards James Ratti, Morgan Morse and Harri Deaves and backs Keiran Williams and Evardi Boshoff.

The fixture is the last before the Ospreys open their URC season away to the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban on Saturday 26 September, with a trip to the Emirates Lions to follow before the first game at their redeveloped St Helen’s home.

Ospreys XV

Cam Jones, Sam Parry (co-captain), Rhys Henry, Rhys Davies, Huw Sutton, Liam Wright, Ross Moriarty, Morgan Morris; Luke Davies, Harri Wilde, Keelan Giles, Lalakai Foketi, Owen Watkin (co-captain), Luke Morgan, Tom Rogers.

Replacements

Steffan Thomas, Lewis Lloyd, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Ben Roberts, Harri Deaves, Gwilym Evans, Morgan Morse, Nick Fisk-Jones, Steffan Jac Jones, Iestyn Hopkins, Keiran Williams, Evardi Boshoff, Harri Houston, Lewis Edwards, Efan Daniel, Kian Hire.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

OSPREYS: Eight-try Ospreys cruise to pre-season victory over Coventry
The 52-12 win that opened pre-season at the Nick Newbold Stadium.

OSPREYS: Parry and Watkin take the armband for a season of firsts
The Wales pair named co-captains for the new season.

OSPREYS: ‘Hopefully this is the start of careers’: Jones on the teenagers who impressed at Coventry
The head coach on the youngsters who caught the eye.

OSPREYS: “Invest, build, compete, win”, the club lays out its case for the last west Wales licence
The region’s case under the WRU’s three-team plan.

Author

Richard Bond

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


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