Ospreys ring changes chasing Scarlets Cup revenge
European Challenge Cup: Ospreys v ScarletsVenue: Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea Date: Sunday, 6 April Kick off: 17:30 BSTCoverage: Listen and live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.
Ospreys head coach Mark Jones has rung the changes for Sunday's European Challenge Cup last-16 tie against Scarlets.By contrast Scarlets' Dwayne Peel makes just two tweaks to his side that beat their Welsh neighbours 38-22 in the United Rugby Championship (URC) last weekend.Wales international Ryan Elias switches with Marnus van der Merwe at hooker and Jac Price comes in for Alex Craig at lock.Jones brings in full-back Jack Walsh, wings Dan Kasende and Keelan Giles, centre Keiran Williams and scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams.Wales hooker Dewi Lake returns to the Ospreys pack along with prop Tom Botha and lock Rhys Davies. Flanker Justin Tipuric's re-introduction to the back row sees Wales captain Jac Morgan switch from open to blind-side.
Lake has not started for club or country since Ospreys' Challenge Cup trip to Montpellier in mid-December.After undergoing bicep surgery he made two replacement appearances for Wales in the Six Nations and came off the bench for Ospreys at Parc y Scarlets last weekend.
The visitors led the Welsh derby 17-0 after 15 minutes in Llanelli, but the home side stormed back with six tries to record their first win against Ospreys since January 2022."We realise it will be a different challenge this week," said Peel. "It takes me back to the old December double headers in the Heineken Cup."Momentum is important and we need to carry that final 60 minutes of last Saturday into this game. Ospreys will be pumped for it, we need to make sure from an emotional point of view we are right there and then we can play our game on the back of that."Despite last weekend's defeat Jones remains positive for the re-match."We're looking forward to this one," the Ospreys coach said."Ospreys v Scarlets is always a massive fixture and for it to be the first time the teams have faced each other in the knockout rounds of an EPCR competition, it adds an extra edge."We're expecting a big crowd on the weekend, which is brilliant. We know our supporters will get behind the boys and be our 16th man, which is what Welsh derbies are all about."Ospreys have home advantage having clinched second place in Pool 2 with a stunning late comeback victory at Pau, along with wins against Newcastle and Lions, losing only at Montpellier.Scarlets finished third in Pool 3, beating Black Lion and Vannes at home, but losing at Bayonne and Gloucester.
Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Dan Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Adam Beard, Jac Morgan (capt), Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris.Replacements: Sam Parry, Garyn Phillips, Ben Warren, James Fender, Morgan Morse, Luke Davies. Owen Williams, Iestyn Hopkins.Scarlets: Blair Murray; Macs Page, Joe Roberts, Eddie James, Ellis Mee; Ioan Lloyd, Gareth Davies; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Jac Price, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Sam O'Connor, Sam Wainwright, Alex Craig, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Nicholas, Dan Davis.Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe & Jamie Leahy (RFU)TMO: David Rose (RFU)
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