This week, we welcome the current BKT United Rugby Championship champions, the DHL Stormers on their first visit to Swansea.com Stadium.
I’m on record of wanting to test our group, whether it be young players or international players, against the best. Having the top South African teams in the competition means everyone needs to get better, and this is a benchmarking exercise for progress. And they’ve got to lose some time.
We are well into block one of the BKT URC 22/23 season and it’s great to be back. As CEO, I have never been shy about where I want to take Ospreys and the vision I have for the team. Last season, we saw this start to materialize, and despite the issues faced, we finished strong.
Ospreys Defence Coach Darren Edwards came into the set-up in January of this year to replace Richie Pugh who moved into a coaching role with Wales Sevens. Edwards continued his role as defence coach into the 22/23 season.
The Maesteg-born coach brings a wealth of experience having previously guided Wales U20s, the Dragons, Bath and Wales Sevens, with his playing career including time at Saracens, Bedford, London Welsh, Newport, London Irish and Leeds. Hear more from him here.
Most tourist guides give you the lowdown on the place you’re about to visit. But ours is a bit different. We give you a quick tour of the tourists, who are going to visit us.
First up, it’s the Stormers!
GARETH ANSCOMBE MATTHEW AUBREY SCOTT BALDWIN ADAM BEARD
TOMAS FRANCIS KEELAN GILES
GRIFFITHS
TOM BOTHA MICHAEL COLLINS SAM CROSS ALEX CUTHBERT
RHYS DAVIES BRADLEY DAVIES
SAM PARRY GARYN PHYILLIPS MAT PROTHEROE JACK REGAN
NICKY SMITHETHAN ROOTS
ELVIS TAIONE GARETH THOMAS
TIAAN THOMAS-WHEELER JUSTIN TIPURIC JACK WALSH BEN WARREN
OWEN WATKIN
RHYS WEBB KEIRAN WILLIAMS
There’ll be a special armed forces Ozone when we take on the DHL Stormers at the Swansea.com Stadium this evening, along with cadets parading at half time to celebrate Armed Forces Day. As an organisation we are very proud of our links to our armed forces and we’re delighted to have representatives from all services at the Stadium.
Before the Ospreys take on Clermont Auvergne, we will have a special Ozone in operation. The Royal Welsh, The British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Naval Reserves, as well as cadet organisations from the three forces, will be stationed outside.
There will be lots of activities on site and plenty to see and do, so make sure you call down pre match and join in all the fun.
At half time there will be a special half time parade with members of all the Armed Forces parading around the pitch, give them a cheer as they march past.
We will also be signing the Armed Forces Covenant with representatives of the Armed Forces all in attendance.
If you’re an Ospreys supporter, or anyone from Wales, you’ll be familiar with ‘Twinning’. This was a craze during the 70’s and 80s where various towns and villages in Wales were ‘Twinned’ with a village in Europe that nobody had ever heard of, let alone been too.
Well, at the Ospreys we’re bringing that concept back to life, but in a far more relevant way. In an effort to familiarize our supporters with some of the new South African teams, we’re going to be twinning some of our players, with theirs. Up first, it’s the Stormers.
