Lloyd Peers has warned the Ospreys galaxy of international stars currently absent on Six Nations international duty that they won’t walk straight back into the side come March.

The Ospreys may have only won once in their last six matches in all competitions, a 16-12 victory away to table-topping Ulster in the RaboDirect PRO12, but Peers insists the current young crop are more than justifying their selection at present.

The young Ospreys have performed well in the absence of more established stars, but stumbled in Connacht last week, a result that saw them slip out of the top four.

The Welshmen have home form to fall back on though, having won their last six home fixtures in the PRO12, but have not beaten a Scottish side this season.

"The boys who have come in haven't just done it to fill spaces, they want to get in the team," said second row Peers.

"They don't just want to fill the shirt until someone else comes back; they want to keep the shirt.

"At the moment the youngsters coming in are doing really well and we want to keep that going.

"As youngsters we're not just happy playing, we want that top-four finish.

"We want to be there at the end of the season — that's a really big thing for us.

"It's definitely a big game for us and it's nice to be going back to the Liberty because we haven't played there for a while.

"It's very important after a result didn't go our way, but we know there are a lot of other games going on this weekend.”

Edinburgh have not won since a trip to Connacht in the PRO12 on December 1, but have at least managed a victory in Wales this season, beating Cardiff Blues 21-19 at the Arms Park in September.

Edinburgh beat Ospreys 23-13 when the two sides met at Murrayfield in round nine, but have not completed a league double over the Welshmen since season 2009.

Forwards coach Neil Back is insisting the team will ultimately emerge stronger for a difficult season in which only four of their 21 games so far have been won.

Back said: “A lot of young players have got European experience, but the execution isn’t quite there. That sort of thing comes with experience so, while this season has been difficult, they will have learned a lot.

“Dougie Fife has been the standout player for us. He’s having a fantastic season, and it’s been a real breakthrough for him.

“If you look at our Heineken Cup team, we had a 19-year-old (Robin Hislop) starting at loosehead.”

At Liberty Stadium, 8pm.
Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU, 19th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Gwyn Morris, Alan Jenkins (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)
TMO: Paul Adams (WRU)