Edinburgh Rugby host Ospreys at Myreside with kick-off at 7.35pm on Friday night as ninth hosts second in Round 17 of the Guinness PRO12. The home side are still searching for their first league win of 2017 while Ospreys are looking for back-to-back wins over Scottish opposition after beating Glasgow Warriors last weekend. What’s at stake? With a win, Ospreys can move above Leinster to the top of the Guinness PRO12 as the Irish province play on Saturday evening. Edinburgh can move clear of Newport Gwent Dragons as they look to reel in champions Connacht in eighth. Edinbrugh Rugby Team News: Duncan Hodge has name three changes to his Edinburgh side to take on Ospreys after their Round 16 loss to Cardiff Blues. Loosehead prop Alasdair Dickinson returns to make his first start since Edinburgh’s Boxing Day defeat to Glasgow Warriors while Grant Gilchrist returns and joins Ben Toolis, who makes his 22nd consecutive start, in the second row. In the back line Duncan Weir, who was released from Scotland training camp this week, will pull the strings for Edinburgh at fly-half, resuming his half-back partnership with Sam Hidalgo-Clyne. Double try-scorer against Cardiff Blues last week Rory Scholes continues on the wing and is joined by Damien Hoyland and Blair Kinghorn in the back three. Ospreys Team News: Ospreys welcome fly-half Sam Davies back to their starting XV as he was released from the Wales squad for the RBS 6 Nations rest week. Replacement prop Paul James will make his 150th appearance for the club if he comes off the bench putting him one ahead of Duncan Jones as the Ospreys’ leading appearance maker in the Guinness PRO12. In the back three, the dangerous trio of Dan Evans, Dafydd Howells and last week’s try-scorer Keelan Giles continue while Tom Habberfield captains the Welsh side from scrum-half. Talking points: Acting head coach Duncan Hodge lamented simple mistakes for his side’s loss to Cardiff Blues last time out and admitted his squad have worked tirelessly to rectify their errors ahead of their clash with Ospreys. “As a group we were bitterly disappointed to score three tries and be in control of the match, only for basic errors and execution to cost us the game in the closing stages,” he said. “The players have knuckled down and addressed their work-ons and we hope this week’s work will pay dividends come tomorrow. “Ospreys are a quality side and travel to Myreside on a good run of form, but we have the belief in ourselves to come away with a result.” Key battle: Duncan Weir v Sam Davies Both fly-halves have been released from their respective RBS 6 Nations training camps and have an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in their national side ahead of round four of the Championship. Weir and Davies both have in-form outside backs to call upon and will look to gain good field position to strike from. Weir will bring direction to Edinburgh and his kicking from hand is set to be key as any loose efforts will give the dangerous Keelan Giles opportunities to attack a broken field defence. Davies earned plaudits for his performances for Wales as a replacement and will hope to continue his good form in his club colours. Key stat: Edinburgh’s only loss at home to Ospreys in their last nine matches was by a single point at BT Murrayfield in February 2012. Did you know? Ospreys most recent defeat on the road came in early November when they lost 33-0 to Munster. Edinburgh – Top points scorer: Duncan Weir 79pts Top try scorer: Magnus Bradbury 5 Ospreys – Top points scorer: Sam Davies 84pts Top try scorer: Dan Evans 5 Overall Guinness PRO12 head to head record: Played 27, Edinburgh won 10, Ospreys won 16, with 1 game drawn. Edinburgh Rugby v Ospreys at Myreside TV: BBC Alba and BBC Wales at 7.35pm Referee: George Clancy (IRFU) Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson (IRFU), Bob Nevins (SRU) TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU) Overall Guinness PRO12 head to head record: Played 27, Edinburgh won 10, Ospreys won 16, with 1 game drawn. At Myreside, 7.35pm Live on BBC ALBA and BBC WALES Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 88th competition game) Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson (IRFU), Bob Nevins (SRU) Citing Commissioner: Paul Minto (SRU) TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU)
