Whilst most eyes will be on the 14 Ospreys looking to make history in a Welsh shirt at the Millennium Stadium this Saturday, another flock of Ospreys will be soaring into Principality Premiership action the night before when 17 players turn out for clubs across the region.
Eight players will feature in the ‘Ospreys derby’ between Bridgend and Swansea at the Brewery Field, with Cai Griffiths, Mike Powell, David Bishop and Shaun Connor turning out in Ravens colours against fellow Ospreys Leigh Bevan, Ben Lewis, Richard Hibbard and Filo Tiatia.
League leaders Neath will also have four Ospreys in their ranks for their game at Cross Keys, with Jonathan Spratt, Martin Roberts, Craig Mitchell and Tom Smith pulling on the black jersey, whilst Mark Taylor and Andrew Bishop team up in midfield for Maesteg, who entertain Llandovery. Aberavon will be boosted by the inclusion of Lyndon Bateman, Jonathan Vaughton and Marc Breeze in their line-up to face Glamorgan Wanderers.
Head Coach Lyn Jones said, “With only two games over the last six weeks or so, it’s important that we keep the players active and allow them some valuable game time. Once the Six Nations are out of the way though, the games will come thick and fast and everyone of these players will have a part to play so it’s crucial that they are ready for action. With this in mind, the matches this weekend are very important to us and we’ll be monitoring their performances.
“We have a fantastic relationship with all the clubs in the region and instances like this weekend, where all parties benefit through these player appearances, only serve to strengthen those relationships.”
The Principality Premiership matches involving the Ospreys players are:
Bridgend v Swansea
Cross Keys v Neath
Glamorgan Wanderers v Aberavon
Maesteg v Llandovery
All games kick-off at 7.15pm
