North to make his bow for Ospreys
GEORGE North, Scott Williams and Aled Davies all start for the Ospreys in their friendly against Saracens in London tonight (6pm).
The Wales trio joined from Northampton (North) and Scarlets for the start of the coming season and are all pitched into a new-look backline for the clash at the Honourable Artillery Company ground in the heart of the City.
Justin Tipuric will captain the side from openside flanker, while prop Nicky Smith, hooker Scott Baldwin and lock Bradley Davies are also included in a strong looking pack.
The Ospreys have just returned from warm weather training in Portugal and will be looking for a positive performance and result ahead of their Guinness PRO14 opener at home to Edinburgh on Friday week.
“We’ve had a great week in Portugal that has enabled us to really focus in on our preparation for the new season,” said head coach Allen Clarke.
“This game, against a top-quality outfit, allows us to test ourselves and see exactly where we are a week out from the first game of the season.
“With pre-season you are looking at specific areas of your game, things we’ve worked on in training, different combinations and individual players, with the prospect of the opening weekend of the new campaign front and centre in our thoughts.
“We’ve got two of last season’s PRO14 quarter-finalists at the Liberty over the first two weekends, followed by an away tie against a losing semi-finalist. That means we have to be ready from the first whistle of round one and this game is an important stepping stone.”
Ospreys’ starting XV:
D Evans; G North, S Williams, O Watkin, T Williams; S Davies, A Davies; N Smith, S Baldwin, T Botha, A Beard, B Davies, S Cross, J Tipuric (c), J King.
■ Hallam Amos is among the Wales stars included by Dragons in their friendly at Gloucester tonight (7.45pm).
He is joined by Cory Hill, leon Brownand Aaron Wainwright in the starting XV, with Richard Hibbard returning to his old club fatre moving back to Wales at the end of last season.
Gavin Henson is among those named on the bench, alongside Wales hooker Elliot Dee.
J Williams, D Howells, T Morgan, J Dixon, H Amos, J Lewis, R Williams; R Bevington, R Hibbard, L Brown, B Nansen, C Hill (captain), H Taylor, A Wainwright, L Evans.
Dragons’ starting XV: