Three 2021 Lions to feature in the Welsh derby between Ospreys and Scarlets

Three 2021 Lions to feature in the Welsh derby between Ospreys and Scarlets

Ospreys and Scarlets clash in the Rainbow Cup on Saturday with three British and Irish Lions set to feature in the Welsh derby.

For  Ospreys, Justin Tipuric will lead the side and lines up in the back-row alongside Sam Cross and Ethan Roots.

Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones combines with Adam Beard to form the second-row with Ifan Phillips, Tom Botha joined up front with the returning Gareth Thomas.




In the backs, Luke Price and Matthew Aubrey line up as the half-back pairing with Tiaan Thomas Wheeler and Owen Watkin in the centre. Mat Protheroe, Cai Evans and Dan Evans make up the back three. 

For the Scarlets, Liam Williams misses out while Lions hooker Ken Owens returns to lead the Scarlets in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup derby .


Owens, among four Scarlets named in the British & Irish Lions squad yesterday, comes in at hooker as one of six personnel changes following the round one defeat to the Dragons at Rodney Parade,

In the back three, Leigh Halfpenny replaces Johnny McNicholl at full-back and joins Steff Evans and Tom Rogers who has recovered from a head knock picked up early on in Newport. Jonathan Davies and Tyler Morgan continue their midfield partnership, while there is a change at half-back with Angus O”Brien coming in for the injured Sam Costelow and Wales international Kieran Hardy getting the nod at nine for the first time since the Six Nations.

Up front Owens – who comes in for Ryan Elias – packs down alongside Rob Evans and Alex Jeffries in the front row; Jake Ball partners Lewis Rawlins at lock, while Aaron Shingler and Jac Morgan come into a reshuffled back row which sees Blade Thomson switch from blindside flanker to No. 8.

On the bench, Steff Thomas, Elias and Werner Kruger provide front row cover and are joined by Jac Price – back following a loan spell with Nottingham – and Uzair Cassiem as the forward replacements. The match is set to be Kruger’s final game for the Scarlets before he retires from rugby at the end of the season.

Scarlets team v Ospreys (Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup; Parc y Scarlets, Sat, May 8, 19:35 Premier Sports)

15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 Steff Evans; 10 Angus O’Brien, 9 Kieran Hardy; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Ken Owens (capt), 3 Alex Jeffries, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Blade Thomson.

Reps: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Lewis Rawlins, 20 Uzair Cassiem, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Paul Asquith, 23 Joe Roberts.

Unavailable because of injury

Steff Hughes (knee), Sam Costelow (quad), Johnny Williams (shoulder), Dan Jones (ankle), Rhys Patchell (hamstring), Tom Prydie (foot), Josh Macleod (Achilles), Dan Davis (hamstring), Tomi Lewis (knee), Samson Lee (concussion), James Davies (concussion), Danny Drake (ankle).

Ospreys

15. Dan Evans

14. Cai Evans

13. Owen Watkin

12. Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler

11. Mat Protheroe

10. Luke Price

9. Matthew Aubrey

1.Gareth Thomas

2. Ifan Phillips

3. Tom Botha

4. Adam Beard

5. Alun Wyn Jones

6. Sam Cross

7. Justin Tipuric ©

8. Ethan Roots

16. Sam Parry

17. Nicky Smith

18. Rhys Henry

19. Bradley Davies

20. Rhys Davies

21. Reuben Morgan-Williams

22. Joe Hawkins

23. Luke Morgan

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