Ospreys ring the changes for trip to Italy
THE Ospreys welcome back Keiran Williams today (3.05pm) as part of an overhauled side that features 11 changes after last weekend’s misadventure against the Sharks.
Toby Booth chooses to rest Gareth Anscombe for the date against Benetton at Stadio Monigo, with the Wales international having started three matches on the bounce since returning from a twoyear injury layoff. Stephen Myler starts at fly-half instead.
But maybe Williams will be keenest to catch the eye.
The 24-year-old centre makes it back into the team for the first time this season after shaking off a bump.
Really, the Ospreys could have done with him when they fell to a 27-13 home defeat by the Sharks in a game that saw not one clean break from a member of the Welsh team’s starting XV.
The blockbusting Williams, one of Welsh rugby’s most direct runners, would have at least added to the Llandarcy-based side’s physicality against opponents who were good at keeping the defensive door shut.
Just maybe he’ll want to send a ‘don’t forget me’ message to Wayne Pivac, too.
Despite an excellent campaign last term, he didn’t feature in any of Pivac’s Wales squads and there is no obvious sign that the national coach has him on his radar.
But Williams is a cannonball of a player who offers go-forward and the Ospreys will hope he can make an impact on his return.
Their leaving Anscombe to have a weekend off is no surprise, ahead of the 30-year-old heading into Wales’ autumn programme of matches.
The only four survivors from the defeat against the Sharks are Luke Morgan, Rhys Webb, Alun Wyn Jones and Owen Watkin.
Booth will view the alterations as a means of re-energising his team.
Alex Cuthbert comes in for his Ospreys debut, three-and-halfyears since departing Cardiff for Exeter Chiefs, while Wales squad man Rhodri Jones starts at loosehead prop and there’s a fresh back row of Olly Cracknell, Sam Cross and Ethan Roots.
Hooker Elvis Taione, impressive every time he has taken the field this term, starts his first game for the region.
Benetton: Andries Coetzee, Tommaso Menoncello, Marco Zanon, Joaquin Riera, Monty Ioane, Tomas Albornoz, Callum Braley, Nahuel Tetaz, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Tiziano Pasquali, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Giovanni Pettinelli, Michele Lamaro (c), Riccardo Favretto. Reps: Giacomo Nicotera, Cherif Traoré, Ivan Nemer, Irnè Herbst, Sebastian Negri, Dewaldt Duvenage, Rhyno Smith, Tommaso Benvenuti.
Ospreys: Max Nagy; Alex Cuthbert, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Luke Morgan; Stephen Myler, Rhys Webb (c); Rhodri Jones, Elvis Taione, Tomas Francis, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Olly Cracknell, Sam Cross, Ethan Roots. Reps: Ifan Phillips, Nicky Smith, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Morgan Morris, Reuben MorganWilliams, Joe Hawkins, Mat Protheroe.