#007 Ospreys v Zebre - Official Matchday Programme by ospreysrugby

GUINNESS PRO 14

SAT. 20 FEB. 21 KO 19:15 LIBERTY STADIUM

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In today’s issue Toby Booth’s Welcome

Pro14 Welcome

Cymry ar y Cae

Player Q&A: Josh Thomas

Player Feature: Keiran Williams

Opposition Team: Zebre

Ozzie’s Army

Osprey’s Supporters Club

Osprey’s in The Community

Osprey’s Starting XV’s

2021 Fixtures/Results

Osprey’s Player Sponsors

Toby Booth’s

welcome

We welcome Zebre as we return to the Liberty Stadium, this evening, and I will need to reacquaint myself with the stadium because it’s been a while since we have been there, but it’s exciting to be back there and to play on that surface again.

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GUINNESS PRO14 CAMPAIGN TO CONCLUDE IN MARCH AHEAD OF NEW “RAINBOW CUP” WITH SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP FOUR ‘SUPER’ TEAMS The current Guinness PRO14 campaign will end in March allowing South Africa’s four ‘Super’ teams and our existing clubs to finish the season with a 16-team “Rainbow Cup” competition ahead of the British & Irish Lions tour. After consulting with key PRO14 stakeholders, the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup was chosen as the best pathway to finish up the current campaign and introduce South Africa’s four ‘Super’ teams: the Vodacom Bulls; Emirates Lions; Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers. This decision also allows our European-based sides to earn qualification for European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) tournaments in 2021/22 in a fair and equitable manner. Ahead of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will provide a ground-breaking spectacle for fans who will see international star players from north and south establish new rivalries in their bid for the ultimate Test selection. Right through until the last kick of the ball in the Rainbow Cup in June, fans will be able to watch it all unfold with our broadcast partners Premier Sports, eir Sport, S4C, TG4, DAZN and Super Sport. How it will Work • The 2020/21 Guinness PRO14 campaign will finish after 16 rounds with the Conference winners facing each other in a final in late March • Qualification for EPCR tournaments in 2021/22 will be decided by rankings after Round 16 • On April 17, 2021, the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will kick-off and introduce the Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions, Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers and their World Cup-winning Springboks • The Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will consist of a pool stage (two pools of eight teams) and a final between the two pool winners FINAL CHAPTER OF GUINNESS PRO14 Rounds 12 to 16 will take place from February 20 and conclude on March 20. A final will then take place at the home venue of the highest-ranked team. This abbreviated fixture list will aim to ensure

home and away in-conference fixtures are completed and each team plays all of its cross-conference matches also. Further clarification will be available when fixtures are confirmed. The scheduled dates for the conclusion of the 2020-21 Guinness PRO14 campaign are: R12: R13: R14: R15: R16: Final:

February 20 February 27 March 6 March 13 March 20 March 27

Once Round 16 has been completed, the top-ranked teams from each conference will qualify for the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup. Requirement for play-offs is under review. GUINNESS PRO14 “RAINBOW CUP” FORGING NEW RIVALRIES With South Africa preparing to host their first British & Irish Lions tour since 2009, the World Cup champions will see their ‘Super’ teams – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers take on the very best that Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales have to offer. Players aiming to make the British & Irish Lions squad will find no better trial environment to test themselves in, as they go up against the likes of Siya Kolisi, Pieter Steph du Toit (both DHL Stormers), Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls), Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions) and former Guinness PRO14 top-try scorer Makazole Mapimipi (Cell C Sharks). The Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will kick off on April 17 with two pools of 8 teams made up of two Irish, two South African, two Welsh, one Italian and one Scottish club. Each team will play one game against each pool opponent and the sides that finish top of their pools will face off in a final on June 19. Across 57 matches, the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will feature the best of the Springbok talent going toe-to-toe with some of the British & Irish Lions’ biggest names – every one of them keen to lay down a marker to their respective selectors ahead of what will prove to an historic tour.

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Ffrind gorau ﬁ yw Steff Hughes o’r Scarlets, o ni’n arfer byw ‘da fe. Ni’n cael hwyl tynnu coese’n gilydd, yn enwedig ar gemau ddarbi. Dwi’n gweud wrtho fe, y peth cynta’ ﬁ mynd i neud yw trio taclo fe, ac yn y gêm ‘na ar Boxing Day, nes i lwyddo’i ddal e yn y deg munud cyntaf a rhoi good tacl arno fe. Ni’n cael good laugh am y peth ar ôl y gêm wedyn!

PLAYER Q&A:

Josh Thomas

“I have three big names – James Hook, Brock James and Stephen Myler – to learn from and watch. All three of them have been there and done it and done it on the big stage. They have all the knowledge about the role and just to be around them and listen to them is great for me. I’m just learning the whole time at the moment, picking their brains and trying to improve my game.”

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PLAYER FEATURE:

KEIRAN WILLIAMS

“I try not to run into the big boys, but unfortunately sometimes I do! I try to run between them. I just need more exposure and experience at this level and that will help my game.” Williams’ hard running style and ability to get his side over the gainline have drawn comparison with another Osprey - the Wales and British and Irish Lions legend, Scott Gibbs.

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Opposition team:

Zebre Rugby HEAD COACH: Michael Bradley GROUNDS: Stadio Sergio Lanfrachi FOUNDED: 1973 CAPTAIN: Tommaso Castello LAST TIME OUT It’s a game most Ospreys supporters would like to forget, as the Italian outﬁt handed Ospreys their second loss of the season. Zebre raced into the lead after two tries and a penalty in 25 minutes, leaving the visitors trailing 17-3 at half time. Ospreys suffered a host of injuries, with young centre Callum Carson forced to make his Ospreys debut as a scrumhalf, following injury to replacement halfback Harri Morgan. Two tries in the second half from prop Gareth Thomas and ﬂanker Olly Cracknell brought Ospreys back within a converted score. As the pack rumbled toward what looked to be a certain try from the maul, a controversial call from the referee halted the opportunity and granted Zebre the ability to kick the ball dead and end the game, 23-17 victors.

22 TWO TO WATCH Renato Giammarioli The 25 year old number eight has started in all seven of the games he’s appeared in, and has claimed one try so far this season. The stocky number eight, weighing in at 102kg and standing six feet tall, averages about six carries per game, and has gained almost 100 metres in total. He has also scored one try for his team. However, it is in defence that Giammarioli really puts his hand up. The big back rower has made 86 tackles so far, ranking him 22nd in the competition, boasting a 96% tackle success rate. The Ospreys back row will have their work cut out breaking down this determined defender. Mick Kearney The Dublin born lock represented Ireland U20 in 2011, going on to represent Connacht 68 times until joined his home province of Leinster for 47 appearances between 2015 and 2019. In 2019, the lock made the journey to Parma to join Zebre. At 6ft 5in and 116kg, Kearney has signiﬁcant presence in the pack, and can play either in the second or back row.

HEAD-TO-HEAD Tommaso Boni The Zebre centre certainly has a presence in midﬁeld, standing at 6’ 2” and weighing 105kg. The Italian is easily recognisable with his iconic mop of curly hair, but you’ll more often see him running hard at the defence, having made 182m over 57 carries in his seven games this season. He’s also no slouch at the breakdown, competing with back rowers to claim the 21st spot among turnovers won, having made 5 already. Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler Despite being seven years Boni’s junior, 21 year old Thomas-Wheeler has begun making a name for himself within the Ospreys, having shown his mettle in big games for Wales U20 in the past. Thomas-Wheeler, along with his midﬁeld partner Keiran Williams, will be looking to exploit the Italian’s defence and the match up will make for an eye-catching duel.

Tommaso Boni

Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler

AGE

Mestre

PLACE OF BIRTH

Neath

6ft 2in

HEIGHT

6ft 3in

105kg

WEIGHT

100kg

LEAGUE APPEARANCES

LEAGUE POINTS

25 OSPREYS

ZEBRE

9th

attack rank

11th

215

points scored

157

tries scored

143

defenders beaten

132

8th

defence rank

9th

1517

tackes made

1556

89%

tacke success

86%

turnovers won

3rd

kicking rank

8th

8973

kick metres

7605

3rd

discipline rank

10th

yellow cards

red cards

111

penalties conceded

123

12th

lineout rank

8th

150/27

lineouts won/lost

154/28

84%

lineout success

84%

lineout steals

84%

scrum rank

84%

72/6

scrums won/lost

57/6

92%

scrums won %

90%

scrum penalties won

Buonfiglio

Zebre

team lineup P. BUONFIGLIO

L. KRUMOV

P. LEAVASA

6 J.RENTON

T. B O N I

P. BRUNO

16 17 18 19

11 M. CECILIANI

P. BUONFIGLIO

M. NOCERA

L. KRUMOV

O. FABIANI

8 G.BISEGNI

M. BIONDELLI

20 21 22 23

5 7

R. GIAMMARIOLI

A. RIZZI

E. BELLO

M. KEARNEY

G. LICATA

9 12

10 13

G. D’ONOFRIO

S. ORTIS

A. FUSCO

P. PESCETTO

J. ELLIOTT

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These clubs have chosen Macron

Answer: Keelan Giles

ozzie’s army The Six Nations is taking a week off, but the rugby doesn’t stop. The Ospreys charge into battle once more this weekend as they welcome the Italian side Zebre to the Liberty Stadium. Zebre have won just three games so far this season, languishing at the bottom of Conference A while the Ospreys sit in third place, having won twice as many games. However, Zebre won’t hold any fear as they travel to Swansea, having already seen off a late challenge by the Ospreys in Parma. It will be an important game for both teams, having had an extended break due to Covid and the internationals. So put on your Ospreys kit, sit in front of the telly, and cheer on the Ospreys to continue on their unbeaten run in 2021!

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Hoffai Clwb Cefnogwyr y Gweilch estyn croeso cynnes iawn i chwaraewyr, swyddogion, a chefnogwyr Zebre heno. Mwynhewch y gêm! The Ospreys Supporters’ Club would like to extend a warm welcome to the Zebre players, ofﬁcials, and supporters today. Enjoy the match!

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Ospreys

STARTING XV G. THOMAS

S. PARRY

M. FIA

L. ASHLEY

O. CRACKNELL

R. DAVIES

R. WEBB

J. THOMAS

K. WILLIAMS

L. MORGAN

S. CROSS

M. MORRIS

T. T H O M A S - W H E E L E R

D. EVANS

M. PROTHEROE

Ospreys

Sub

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

I. PHILLIPS

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J. HAWKINS

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2021

Fixtures JAN. WIN

CARDIFF BLUES

DRAGONS

WIN VS

OSPREYS

POSTPONED OSPREYS

WORCESTER

POSTPONED CASTTRES

CONNACHT

WIN VS

OSPREYS

FEB. SAT. 20 FEB. 21 OSPREYS

ZEBRE