URC ROUND 12 PREVIEW: Dan Edwards returns to boost Ospreys for Glasgow test

Simon Thomas

Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys, 7.35pm, Saturday

Dan Edwards has been told to go out and enjoy himself as he returns to regional duties with the Ospreys.

Having come off the bench in Wales’ opening two Six Nations fixtures, the 21-year-old was then omitted from last weekend’s match against Ireland, with interim head coach Matt Sherratt calling up Gareth Anscombe and Jarrod Evans to share the fly-half duties.

Now Edwards has been released to get some game-time as the Ospreys take on the league champions at Scotstoun.

In terms of what he’s expecting from the youngster, coach Mark Jones said: “We just want him to be the same player he was before he went away in terms of his work ethic, his attention to detail and his point of difference on the field.

“It’s been great exposure for him training in the Welsh camp with players from different environments, preparing for games and going up against players in their national jerseys. That’s been good for him.

“It’s a different set of eyes and a different way of doing things. He’s going to bring that experience back with him.

“We just want him to come back and enjoy it, if I’m honest with you.

“It is good for us and Wales having Dan back this week. When you are a young player, time in the saddle is important, particularly in a decision making position like half-back where you touch the ball more than anybody else.”

Front row duo Sam Parry and Ben Warren have also been released from Wales squad duties to make the trip up to Scotland, while Justin Tipuric captains the side from the flank.

‘Great squad’

As for taking on Glasgow, Jones said: “They are the champions, they have got a great squad. You don’t win the league without having depth.

“I think they have only lost one game at home since 2021.

“We will be respectful and ready for the task because it is going to be a tough one, but we want to get something out of the game.”

Glasgow coach Franco Smith commented: “The Ospreys compete hard across the field and they have the quality in their squad to cause problems for any team in the competition.”

Adam Hastings returns to start at full-back for the hosts, while South African second row replacement JP du Preez could make his first appearance in 650 days after completing his rehabilitation from a long-term knee injury.

Zebre Parma v Dragons RFC, 7.35pm, Friday

Zebre will be looking to make it three URC wins on the trot when they welcome bottom-of-the-table Dragons to Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

Having gone four years without an away league win, they then rattled up two in quick succession by beating Ulster and Edinburgh on the road in the last two rounds.

They now have four victories from their 11 URC games this season, after beating Munster and the Ospreys at home.

Their best ever league tally during the 13 seasons since their inception is seven, back in 2017-18 in the days of the old PRO14.

As for the Dragons, they have lost ten URC games in a row since their opening day victory over the Ospreys.

On a brighter note, they are boosted by the return of wing Ashton Hewitt who will make his first regional appearance in more than a year following knee ligament damage.

Commenting on the 30-year-old’s comeback, coach Filo Tiatia said: “Ashton brings lots of exuberance for his age and scores a lot of tries. He’s a powerful athlete, he’s quick and communicates well. He can beat people one-on-one, it’s just building that confidence.”

Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Rugby, 3pm, Saturday

Cardiff’s Alun Lawrence has made more tackles than any other player in the URC this season and is expecting to add a fair few more to his tally when he takes on the league leaders at the Aviva Stadium.

The No 8 has put in no fewer than 161 tackles, overtaking his club colleague Teddy Williams at the top of the defensive table.

“I didn’t know that at all. That’s a pretty cool stat to know,” he revealed.

“Stuff like that is just part and parcel of my job.

“You can talk technical and tactical, but part of you has got to want to defend. You’ve got to want to go to that dark place. It’s a mindset.”

He continued: “Leinster are a good team, we all know that. So there are going to be times where we will be under a bit of pressure. I would imagine we will have to do our fair share of defending.

“But hopefully we can ride that out efficiently and when we get our chance we can do the same to them and they will have to make as many tackles as us.

“There’s no denying it’s going to be a challenge, but we are really excited about it. We have got a lot of belief and confidence in the camp.

“To play in the Aviva Stadium is pretty special. Some of the boys haven’t played there, myself included. It’s a big occasion for us.

“Leinster are on a 15-win streak. You would like to think someone has got to take it off them, so why can’t it be us? We may as well give it a good crack and that’s what we intend to do.”

Lawrence, who is in his second spell at Cardiff, will continue his remarkable record of having figured in every game for the club this season when he steps out in Dublin.

“I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It’s probably the most regularly I have ever played in my whole career,” said the 26-year-old.

“I just want to keep performing and keep those minutes racking up.”

Second row Rory Thornton makes his first start of the season for Cardiff, while Wales squad scrum-half Ellis Bevan is named on the bench.

Leinster include new Ireland cap Jack Boyle at loosehead prop just a week after him making his Test debut against Wales at the Principality Stadium.

Ulster Rugby v Scarlets, 5.15pm, Saturday

Jared Payne will be back on familiar turf and looking to put one over on his old team when he returns to the Kingspan Stadium this weekend.

The former Ireland international spent more than a decade with Ulster as a player and a coach.

But now he’s heading back to Belfast aiming to help the Scarlets come out on top.

“It will be my first time there on the visiting team,” said the New Zealand-born defence coach.

“It will be good to go back to Kingspan and see a few old friends and obviously try and get one up over them as well.

“They have had their fair share of injuries this season, but they are getting a few players back and knowing a few of the guys who are stepping back into the fold they are pretty competitive and will want to right the wrongs of the last few weeks. I am sure they are going to come out fighting. They are going to be a dangerous team.

“Kingspan is a tough place to go, the way the crowd gets behind the team. They get on top of you, they’re a passionate bunch and the weather can sometimes be a bit averse.”

Highly-rated youngster Macs Page – who scored a stunning solo try against Munster in the last round – starts on the wing for the Scarlets having just signed his first senior contract, while Conor McKee makes his Ulster debut at scrum-half.

Other matches

Munster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby, 7,35pm, Friday

It’s been a week of big announcements for Munster as they prepare for their return to URC action.

They have revealed that Clayton McMillan will take over as head coach this summer, having signed a three-year contract.

Born in Perth, but raised in Rotorua, former police officer McMillan has led the Hamilton-based Chiefs to three Super Rugby finals in four seasons.

In further big news, it’s been announced that Munster legends Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray will retire from international rugby after the Six Nations, along with Leinster’s Cian Healy.

Flanker O’Mahony will hang up his boots at the end of the season, as will prop Healy, while scrum-half Murray will pursue a playing opportunity abroad.

As for the Munster team to face Edinburgh in Cork, Kiwi centre Alex Nankivell will make his first appearance since December following injury, while Magnus Bradbury is back at No 8 for the visitors.

Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt says his team are excited about the challenge and ready to bounce back after losing at home to Zebre in the last round.

Emirates Lions v Hollywoodbets Sharks, 12.30pm, Saturday

Double World Cup-winning Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi returns for the Sharks as they embark on back-to-back URC fixtures against the Lions.

The flanker will make his first appearance in six weeks when he comes off the bench in Johannesburg, with fellow South African Test star Vincent Koch also added to the replacements roster.

The Sharks will be looking to build on their 29-19 victory away to the Bulls a fortnight when they triumphed despite being reduced to 13 men for some ten minutes.

Head coach John Plumtree said: “We put ourselves under unnecessary pressure in that game. Having players yellow carded made life difficult for us.

“But out of adversity came heroism and that is something you can’t train or buy.

“Despite the pressure, you can’t fault their character. They stayed composed and got ahead on the scoreboard playing the style of rugby we want them to play.

“But that’s all in the past. We know winning at Emirates Airline Park is never easy. We have a lot of respect for the Lions and we know how tough this is going to be. You can’t take anyone lightly in the URC.”

Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers, 3pm, Saturday

The third-placed Bulls will face their sixth successive South African derby in the league when they welcome the Stormers to Loftus Versfeld.

Since mid-December, they have taken on the Sharks and the Lions home and away, as well as travelling to Cape Town to meet the Stormers, winning three of the five games.

Head coach Jake White admits it’s been a unique sequence of games.

“There is no other team in the whole league who has played this many derbies in a row,” he said.

Reflecting on the mixed results over the past couple of months, he added: “I am a realist. We are playing more and more rugby and more and more people are expecting us to hit our straps every weekend. That’s fantastic, but it’s not going to happen.

“We are not at a stage where we can run out and dominate every team.

“Carlos Alcaraz lost to someone who wasn’t even seeded the other week. What does that mean? It means sometimes it happens like that in sport.”

The Bulls will however go into their latest derby buoyed by last weekend’s 31-19 bonus point victory over the Lions.

“I was glad we could get on top of them because they are a difficult team to beat,” he said.

“They are well coached, they are very fit and when they start running at you, it’s difficult to defend against that.”

As for the Stormers, they are down in tenth spot in the table having won just four of their 11 league matches this season.

Coach John Dobson admitted: “We pretty much have to win in Pretoria to stay alive. It’s easier said than done.”

Connacht Rugby v Benetton Rugby, 7.35pm, Saturday

Cian Prendergast will be straining at the leash as he looks to put his international disappointment behind him.

The flanker was named on the bench for last weekend’s meeting with Wales in Cardiff and was all set to make his Six Nations debut.

But he was then ruled out through illness, with Leinster’s Ryan Baird taking his spot among the replacements and being called into action early in the second half.

Now the well-again Prendergast, who has captained Connacht of late, is set to take out his frustrations on Benetton.

Coach Pete Wilkins said: “He is back in with us and available for selection, which is good news for us.

“On the back of his disappointment with the illness and missing out on his bench spot last weekend, he’s champing at the bit.

“He’s determined at the best of times, but I think channelling that disappointment hopefully into a big performance for us.”

Both teams will be looking to build on victories in Round 11, with Connacht having defeated Cardiff 24-19 and Benetton beating Ulster 34-19.