EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP SAT. 3 APR. 21 KO 15:00 LIBERTY STADIUM
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IN TODAY’S ISSUE
1
EPCR WELCOME
3
TOBY BOOTH’S WELCOME
5
MIKE RUDDOCK: PLAYER PATHWAY PROGRAMME
8
TRY OF THE ROUND
16
OSPREYS V NEWCASTLE FALCONS
17
PLAYER FEATURE: RHYS DAVIES
25
OSPREYS IN THE COMMUNITY
27
PLAYER SPONSORS
30
20/21 FIXTURES
33
OSC
35
TEAM LINEUP
36
3
Chairman welcome message
European Rugby Challenge Cup Rounds 1&2 2020/21 Only 56 days after Bristol Bears lifted the European Rugby Challenge Cup trophy in Aix-en-Provence, the tournament kicks off again with a new, dynamic format to meet the challenges that club rugby has been presented by the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wherever you are watching the action, the whole EPCR team joins me in hoping that you enjoy it.
FRONT PAGE When the global health crisis struck, we were well on course to have the final of this tournament in 2019/20 watched live in the stadium by a record attendance, with more than 50,000 expected for a showpiece in Marseille. As we set out on the pathway to the Stade Vélodrome again this term, we will not be swayed from our purpose of lobbying for fans to return to stadiums across Europe. We believe that it is essential for the sport and for the mental health of a public and of clubs who have suffered enough in recent months. Of course, we say that believing that this can be achieved safely and consistently with guidelines of various governments across other industries.
4 European club rugby tournaments will be played across eight weekends on an exceptional basis this season and that means 14 runners and riders in this Preliminary Stage of the Challenge Cup. The top eight will progress to an exciting and expanded knockout round, where they will be joined by the clubs classified between fifth and eighth place in each pool of the Heineken Champions Cup. They will form a Round of 16, who will battle it out from the start of April in a series of straight shootouts ahead of the final on Friday 21 May in the South of France. This tournament features three clubs who are previous winners (Pau, Cardiff Blues, Stade Français Paris) and the pedigree of the participants in the Preliminary Stage is highlighted by a repeat of the 1997 Heineken Cup Final, with twice-European champions Leicester Tigers coming up against the winners that day, Brive. There is no doubting in the quality of the matches as this tournament goes from strength-to-strength. We thank our broadcast partners – BT Sport, beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions domestically – for their dedication to taking the action to homes across the world, which has been appreciated even more during
FRONT PAGE through official channels of the tournament online, where
the pandemic. Their service is supplemented by the online offering streaming is available on matches which are not broadcast via linear or digital broadcasters. We share this journey with you, the fans, but also with the support of partners Tissot, the Financial Times, Gilbert and Kappa, and hope to be in your company soon once more as we make our way through what promises to be an exciting 2020/21 season. Yours in Rugby, Simon Halliday, Chairman, EPCR
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Toby Booth’s
welcome
The Falcons, like all Premiership teams, will pose a real challenge and are well coached and will be tough to beat because they are used to playing, week-in and week-out, in a competition that demands a high level of consistency.
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Mike ruddock: player pathway programme The exciting new initiative will allow the Ospreys to invite new talent from outside of the region and Welsh-qualified players from the UK and overseas to attend a three-month trial and be assessed and benchmarked
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Osprays_Ad_P1.indd 1
16/09/2013 10:36:43
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Opposition team:
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newcastle falcons COACH: Dave Walder GROUNDS: Kingston Park FOUNDED: 1877 CAPTAIN: Mark Wilson
Newcastle Falcons have had a disappointing run of results of late, losing 6 out of their last 7 fixtures in the Premiership. However, despite suffering a defeat at home to the Cardiff Blues in the European Challenge Cup, Falcons bounced back with an impressive victory over Castres Olympique in Castres. The last time these two sides met in an European competition at the Liberty, Ospreys ran out 45-0 winners with captain Justin Tipuric scoring a memorable solo try.
18 THREE TO WATCH Logovi’i Mulipola Samoan international prop Mulipola has been with the Falcons since 2018 having spent seven seasons with rivals Leicester Tigers. Capable of playing both tighthead and loosehead, the 128kg front rower has tasted victory already, having claimed a Premiership title and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. The Ospreys have enjoyed a dominant scrum in the Guinness PRO14, so the visitors will be hoping that Mulipola will give the hosts a real challenge to grapple with up front. Luther Burrell Having enjoyed a stint playing rugby league with Warrington Wolves, the English international returned to union last year, joining the Falcons. The hard running centre boasts over 150 Premiership appearances and has well over 50 appearances in Europe, including a Premiership title, European Challenge Cup final, and a Premiership Rugby Cup final. Burrell has scored four international tries for England in his 15 appearances. Alex Tait Tait, a Grand Slam winner with England U20s in 2008, is a cult favourite at the Falcons having joined the Falcons at a young age while still at Barnard Castle School. Tait’s vision and versatility in the back field is evident as the one-clubman recently surpassed 250 appearance for his side. Newcastle will be calling on all of his experience against an Ospreys side brimming with youthful talent.
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head to head m. wilson v j.tipuric Mark Wilson was named captain ahead of the 2020-21 season and is a player who leads by example. An abrasive ball carrier and a diligent tackler, Wilson is never too far away from the action, and his physical contribution to the breakdown has been a huge asset for both Newcastle Falcons and England. Going head-to-head with Wilson will be the Ospreys’ captain, Justin Tipuric. A different mould of backrower, Tipuric’s strengths lie in his speed, athleticism, relentless energy, and an unrivalled understanding and reading of the game. Tipuric’s prowess in the back row has seen the Trebanos man earn 85 caps for Wales and 2 tours with the British and Irish Lions. This titanic clash between flankers and captains will be one to keep an eye on.
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justin tipuric
mark wilson
31
AGE
31
trebanos
PLACE OF BIRTH
kendal
6 ft 2in
HEIGHT
6ft 3in
102kg
WEIGHT
112kg
180
LEAGUE APPEARANCES
227
30
tries
20
85
internationals caps
23
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25
PLAYER FEATURE:
RHYS DAVIES
“My favourite rugby memories so far have probably been playing with Wales U20s in the World Championship and making my debut for the Ospreys. It’s my home region and a team I’ve always dreamt about playing for. ”
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27
OSPREYS
In the community
Freya Bevan is the daughter of Swansea RFC and Ospreys
Development Team Manager John Paul Bevan. She was diagnosed with a PNET Brain Tumour at 22 months old. MRI scans have monitored Freya’s condition but sadly, towards the end of last year a scan showed a new tumour. Not deterred, the whole community has rallied round in a bid to help raise vital funds to help towards Freya’s treatment.
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Ospreys
PLAYER SPONSORS
DYFED TELECOM
30
Ospreys
PLAYER SPONSORS
31
Ospreys
PLAYER SPONSORS
32
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2021
Fixtures JAN. 3 WIN 17 CARDIFF BLUES
DRAGONS
VS
OSPREYS
20 WIN 28 VS
OSPREYS
POSTPONED OSPREYS
VS
WORCESTER
POSTPONED CASTTRES
CONNACHT
VS
OSPREYS
20 WIN 26 VS
OSPREYS
34
FEB. OSPREYS
ULSTER
10 WIN 0 VS
21 LOSS 7 VS
ZEBRE
OSPREYS
MAR. OSPREYS
20 LOSS 31 VS
DRAGONS
30 LOSS 25 GLASGOW
LEINSTER
VS
OSPREYS
19 WIN 24 VS
OSPREYS
35
OSPREYS
SUPPORTER’S CLUB
Find out about the latest news and events from around the region, as well as a look at some future Ospreys stars in this issue’s article from the Ospreys Supporters Club .
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 FRONT PAGE 10 11 12 13 14 15
N. SMITH
A. BROCKLEBANK
S. PARRY
J. BLAMIRE
M. FIA
L. MULIPOLA
A. BEARD
D. BARRY
A.W. JONES
S. ROBINSON
W. GRIFFITHS
W. WELCH
J. TIPURIC
M. WILSON
M. MORRIS
C.CHICK
R. MORGAN-WILLIAMS
L. SCHREUDER
L. PRICE
J. HODGSON
K. GILES
B. STEVENSON
K. WILLIAMS
L. BURRELL
O. WATKIN
P. LUCOCK
G. NORTH
G. WACOKECOKE
D. EVANS
A. TAIT
16. g. mcguigan 17. k. cooper 18. m. tampin 19. c. collett 20. p. van der walt 21. s. stuart 22. b. connon 23. m. passman
16. I. PHILLIPS 17. g. phillips 18. t. botha 19. r. davies 20. G. EVANS 21. s. venter 22. j. thomas 23. M. PROTHEROE
STARTING XV’s
Challenge Cup_Portrait_148x210mm_141x200m_3mm Bleed_UK.pdf
Challenge Cup_Portrait_148x210mm_141x200m_3mm Bleed_UK.pdf
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TISSOT supersport chrono. T I S S OT WATC H E S .C O M
Photos © Pressesports
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