The latest innovation from Wales’ top regional side last season will see the BKT United Rugby Championship team face off against Aberavon, Bridgend Ravens and Swansea in three 30-minute matches with a 10-minute break between each game.
Former Ospreys and Wales hooker Scott Baldwin has taken over the head coach role at the Brewery Field this season and will be keen to see how his new Bridgend team measures up against the full-time professionals.
Ex-Wales U20 outside half Ben Burnell has switched from Pontypridd to the Ravens this summer, along with former Cardiff Rugby centre Ryan Wilkins. They were both at Pontypridd last season, as were three more Ravens converts in Curtis Greenslade, Harvey Nash and Macauley Rowley.
Baldwin will get his first taste of action with the SRC club when they welcome English National League One side Plymouth Albion to the Brewery Field on Saturday 24 August. The week after the ‘Origin Series’ outing they will make the trip to Bournville for a rematch with the English National 2 West side who they beat 34-31 at home last Summer.
Aberavon will have exciting new half-backs Elis Horgan and Ed Dunford on parade for the first time at the Swansea.Com Stadium, along with former Wales U20 back row man Gwilym Evans. Both Dunford and Evans have played BUCS Super Rugby at Cardiff University, while Horgan is a former Bath University captain.
Another prominent BUCS Super Rugby recruit for the Wizards this summer has been the ex-Wales U20 prop Louis Fletcher, who has now left Swansea University.
Swansea have also been busy in the transfer market this summer as Hugh Gustafson bolsters his squad for the SRC season.
Prop Ellis Fackrell and centre Callum Carson are two former Wales U20 caps who both spent time at the Ospreys academy, while flanker Lucca Giannini and outside half Josh Phillips are two more age-grade caps who have headed to St Helen’s having had previous experience in the Scarlets academy.
Swansea University locks Chris Thompson and Ben Roberts have signed-up, while scrum half Aron Hemmings has made it a permanent move to the All Whites after a lengthy permit deal. He will battle it out for the No 9 jersey with former Aberavon scrum half Iwan Temblett.
Centre Callum Dodd and wing Tom Edwards are newcomers at Swansea, while outside half James Davies returns after a season at Aberavon.
The ‘Origin Series’ will give Ospreys fans the first chance to watch their team after such a positive 2023-24 campaign, in which they won their first knockout European game and made the BKT URC playoffs.
It will be a first chance for former Scarlets’ prop Steff Thomas to pull on an Ospreys jersey after his summer transfer, while the other new signings, Wales and former Scarlets scrum half Kieran Hardy, ex-Leicester wing Phil Cokanasiga, Welsh qualified lock Will Greatbanks and Cheetahs laonee Jeandre Rudolph should all get some time on the pitch.
‘Origin Series’ tickets are included as part of Season Memberships and seating will be available on a first come first serve basis in the West Stand.
Tickets can be purchased HERE
