Alun Wyn gets call for Ospreys opener
WALES captain Alun Wyn Jones will start the first game of the season as Ospreys head to Edinburgh tonight in the Guinness PRO14 (7.35pm).
Jones is one of eight Welsh internationals named in the region’s starting line-up for the trip to Murrayfield, with Justin Tipuric continuing as Ospreys captain in the back-row.
Dan Evans starts at fullback with summer signing Mat Protheroe on one wing and speedster Luke Morgan on the other. George North is currently serving a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Ashton Hewitt in August.
Owen Watkin partners exciting young prospect Keiran Williams in the midfield. Scott Williams, who featured in a pre-season friendly against the Scarlets, is being rested as the Ospreys manage his return to action after back surgery in March.
Rhys Webb partners the experienced Stephen Myler at half-back.
In the front row, Wales international Nicky Smith and Tom Botha will be either side of hooker Sam Parry, with Adam Beard partnering Jones in the boiler house.
The combative Olly Cracknell and Morgan Morris complete the back row with Tipuric.
Young hooker Dewi Lake, who is highlyregarded by Wales head coach Wayne Pivac, is on the bench.
As is exciting young flyhalf Josh Thomas, who shone at Parc y Scarlets last week.
For Edinburgh, Blair Kinghorn and DTH van der Merwe both miss out through injury, but WP Nel is back on the bench.
Ahead of the season opener, head coach Richard Cockerill, said: “We’ve had a little bit of downtime, but we’ve been back in this week and trained well in preparation for the new season.
“We’ve had some pretty good preparation. Glasgow twice, Ulster and Bordeaux – that’s the toughest pre-season we’ve played.
“We’ve got to use that experience and we’ll look to put our best team on the field and go try to get as many points as we can.
“We’ll be well prepped and we’ve got a good record at BT Murrayfield. We want to get off to a good start at home.” Edinburgh: Damien Hoyland; Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Jamie Farndale; Jaco van der Walt, Charlie Shiel; Pierre Schoeman, Stuart Mcinally (capt), Simon Berghan; Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist; Magnus Bradbury, Luke Crosbie, Nick Haining. Reps: David Cherry, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Andrew Davidson, Hamish Watson, Dan Nutton, Nathan Chamberlain, George Taylor. Ospreys: Dan Evans; Mat Protheroe, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Luke Morgan; Stephen Myler, Rhys Webb; Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Tom Botha; Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones; Olly Cracknell, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris. Reps: Dewi Lake, Rhodri Jones, Ma’afu Fia, Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate, Reuben Morgan-williams, Josh Thomas, Tiaan ThomasWheeler. Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland).