Ospreys suffered Welsh derby heartbreak in the GUINNESS PRO12 last time out and head coach Steve Tandy is adamant they are doing everything in their power to avoid a repeat of that disappointment against Newport Gwent Dragons this Friday.

Scarlets were the visitors to Liberty Stadium last Saturday and emerged as 25-16 winners – condemning Ospreys to a third straight GUINNESS PRO12 defeat.

They have only lost four on the spin in the same season once before – back in 2003-04, their inaugural campaign – while they are also on an eight-match winning league run over the Dragons since a 21-20 away defeat in January 2012.

They return to Rodney Parade this Friday knowing that their hopes of finishing in the top four are over but Tandy insists they are playing for pride, desperate to end the season on a high.

“It's another derby match for us on Friday, another tough evening in store,” said Tandy. “There are four games left and we want to end the season positively, it's important that we don't go quietly.

“While there is still a chance of finishing in the top six, we must keep going, must target winning performances, and take what comes with that. We can't be left wondering 'what if' at the end of the season.

“Everybody knows the feeling of disappointment that we shared last Saturday, we have to take that and ensure we don't feel it again on Friday night.

“The Dragons will be up for it, their supporters will want to make life difficult for us, so it's important that we are up for the challenge and show what we are made of as a collective, regardless of youth or who's in the team or unavailable.

“It's only as a collective that we can achieve what we want, this weekend and the rest of the season.”

Tandy has shuffled his deck extensively from that Scarlets loss with nine changes to the starting XV – lock Adam Beard making his first Ospreys start being the headline.

He will partner the incoming Rynier Bernardo in the boiler room while props Nicky Smith and Dmitri Arhip are recalled, as are back-rowers Olly Cracknell and James King.

Welsh international Dan Biggar comes in at fly-half while outside centre Owen Watkin and winger Hanno Dirksen complete the changes.

The Dragons suffered a narrow 16-15 loss to Edinburgh last weekend but director of rugby Lyn Jones makes two just two changes to his starting line-up – both in the pack – with hooker Elliot Dee coming in for T Rhys Thomas and lock Matthew Screech replacing the injured Cory Hill.

The omens aren’t good for the Dragons who have gained just one victory since round nine of the GUINNESS PRO12, a 23-12 triumph over Leinster on January 29, while being winless against fellow Welsh regions in the tournament since overcoming Cardiff Blues on Boxing Day 2014.

Against Ospreys, No.8 Taulupe Faletau will skipper the side for the first time in his career – in what could be his final game at Rodney Parade before moving to Bath at the end of the season.

And while it will be an unfamiliar feeling for Faletau to wear the armband, he is honoured to be given the role.

“There have been people before me who have led the team superbly and I'm honoured to follow behind them,” he said.

“The only time that I've captained a side has been on FIFA! I've already told the team that it will be a pretty quiet changing room but hopefully I can have a few words to get the boys up for it.

“I'm not really thinking about it being my last game (at Rodney Parade), it's just another game of rugby, but derbies are always exciting games with a bit of edge with competition for places.”

At Rodney Parade, 7.05pm.
Live on BBC Wales

Referee: John Lacey (IRFU, 52nd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans, Sean Brickell (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)
TMO: Paul Adams (WRU)