Ulster’s round 21 clash with the Ospreys promises to be a dramatic affair at the Liberty Stadium, with both sides aware that victory in the fixture will represent a huge step forward in their bid to reach the GUINNESS PRO12 semi-finals.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, April 29
OSPREYS (4th) v ULSTER (5th), Liberty Stadium, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD/BBC 2 Northern Ireland)
Team News: Director of rugby Les Kiss has named the Ulster team that will travel to the Ospreys in round 21 of the GUINNESS PRO12 this afternoon.
The starting XV shows just three personnel changes as the Ulstermen travel to Swansea knowing that their PRO12 play-off destiny still remains in their own hands with two regular season games remaining.
Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey, who returned from a three-month injury lay-off with an impressive second half cameo against Munster a fortnight ago, is drafted into the side where he will partner Luke Marshall in midfield.
The other back-line change sees fellow Ireland international Craig Gilroy brought in at full-back where he will form an explosive back-three partnership with Charles Piutau and captain Andrew Trimble. Experienced half-backs Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson remain in place.
Robbie Diack is the sole change in the pack as he slots in at number 8 where he will be flanked by Iain Henderson and Sean Reidy. Kieran Treadwell and Alan O’Connor will continue their second row partnership for the fifth game in a row, while front rowers Andrew Warwick, Rory Best and Wiehahn Herbst are also retained.
Paul Marshall, Stuart Olding and Jacob Stockdale provide strong back-line options from the bench, while the forwards are also well backed up by Rob Herring, Callum Black, Rodney Ah You, Franco van der Merwe and Nick Timoney.
Meanwhile, Ospreys boss Steve Tandy has made five changes in personnel to the side that went down 35-17 to Welsh rivals Cardiff Blues at the Principality Stadium in the last round.
Josh Matavesi, Dafydd Howells and Sam Davies make way in the back-line for the returning Kieron Fonotia, Tom Habberfield and Dan Biggar respectively, with Biggar rejoining captain Rhys Webb at half-back.
Canadian international lock Tyler Ardron and Bath-bound flanker Sam Underhill, who has been included in the England squad to tour Argentina in June, come into the pack. James King switches to number 8 with Dan Baker dropping to the bench.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Kieron Fonotia, Ashley Beck, Tom Habberfield; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb (capt); Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Brian Mujati, Bradley Davies, Tyler Ardron, Sam Underhill, Justin Tipuric, James King.
Replacements: Scott Otten, Paul James, Rhodri Jones, Lloyd Ashley, Dan Baker, Brendon Leonard, Sam Davies, Josh Matavesi.
ULSTER: Craig Gilroy; Andrew Trimble (capt), Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Charles Piutau; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Andrew Warwick, Rory Best, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson, Sean Reidy, Robbie Diack.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Rodney Ah You, Franco van der Merwe, Nick Timoney, Paul Marshall, Stuart Olding, Jacob Stockdale.
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Television Match Official: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ospreys to win: 8/11; Draw: 14/1; Ulster to win: 6/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Les Kiss (Ulster) – “You can ponder the outcome you don’t want but you have to shove it out of your mind straight away. Obviously you have to be aware of it (that the season could end with defeat), but you cannot be hijacked by that.
“There is a high level of confidence and belief and that is what we are tapping into more than anything. There is a really good spirit within the group at the moment.
“The Ospreys have been a top-two team all year, but are now stuttering a bit. There’s no mistaking that they were a top-two team – they have played some fantastic rugby throughout the year.
“They’re in a space where they’re going to be asking questions of themselves and we have to make them ask deeper questions. I would imagine they’re saying the same thing about us.
“A lot of the game at this time of the year is mental, a lot of it at this time of the year is emotional, and when you are in battle you have to have that steel and composure to apply your plan accurately.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Everybody knows that the last month or so hasn’t been what we’ve wanted but it’s important to remember that what we’ve done before that means we are still in fourth place and in control of our own destiny.
“Of course, that counts for nothing if we don’t deliver on the pitch over the next couple of weekends. Saturday is going to be huge for us and we know that Ulster will come here fired up, targeting the win they need to go above us.
“They’ll believe they can win and they’ll be looking to knock us out. We’ve got to prepare for that, we’ve got to not just match them from the first whistle, we’ve got to be prepared to fight for everything, right to the end. They won’t come here and just allow us to have it our own way.
“There’s so much at stake over the next two weekends but we can’t look any further ahead than Ulster at the Liberty, where we have the support behind us to help us make the most of home advantage.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 106; Tries: Keelan Giles, Dan Evans 6 each; Ulster – Points: Ruan Pienaar 100; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 8
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Ospreys – Played 20, Won 13, Lost 7, 65 Points; W 59-5 v Zebre (home), W 32-11 v Connacht (away), W 64-10 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 31-19 v Leinster (away), L 9-7 v Ulster (away), W 46-24 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 35-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), L 33-0 v Munster (away), W 22-5 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 31-22 v Edinburgh (home), W 19-9 v Scarlets (home), W 10-0 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 29-7 v Connacht (home), W 40-10 v Zebre (away), L 25-23 v Munster (home), W 26-15 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 13-9 v Edinburgh (away), L 13-5 v Benetton Treviso (away), L 20-18 v Leinster (home), L 35-17 v Cardiff Blues (away); Ulster – Played 20, Won 13, Drew 1, Lost 6, 64 Points; W 29-8 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), W 22-11 v Benetton Treviso (away), W 19-8 v Scarlets (home), W 22-17 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 9-7 v Ospreys (home), L 30-25 v Connacht (away), L 15-14 v Munster (home), L 28-17 v Edinburgh (away), W 35-22 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 23-7 v Connacht (home), L 22-7 v Leinster (away), L 16-13 v Scarlets (away), W 24-18 v Edinburgh (home), W 37-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 40-17 v Zebre (away), W 19-7 v Benetton Treviso (home), W 68-21 v Zebre (home), W 27-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), D 24-24 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 22-20 v Munster (away)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, February 7, 2014 – Ulster 10 Ospreys 7, Ravenhill
Friday, November 21, 2014 – Ulster 25 Ospreys 16, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, December 20, 2014 – Ospreys 31 Ospreys 20, Liberty Stadium
Friday, September 4, 2015 – Ulster 28 Ospreys 6, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, May 7, 2016 – Ospreys 26 Ulster 46, Liberty Stadium
Saturday, October 1, 2016 – Ulster 9 Ospreys 7, Kingspan Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– The Ospreys have slipped to three straight defeats in the PRO12 but have not lost four in-a-row in the Championship in the same season since their inaugural campaign in 2003/04
– The Ospreys’ two defeats at Liberty Stadium in the PRO12 this season have come in their last three home fixtures, against Munster and Leinster, while their only victory in their last six encounters with Irish provinces was when Connacht visited Swansea in January
– Ulster’s six-match winning run in the PRO12 came to an end with a draw at home to Cardiff Blues and a loss in Munster in the last two rounds
– The Ulstermen have lost just one of their last eight encounters with Welsh regions: 16-13 in Llanelli in round 13
– Ulster’s only defeat in their last seven matches against the Ospreys was 31-20 at the Liberty Stadium in December 2014
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