Ospreys kick off their Guinness PRO14 campaign at Liberty Stadium against Italian side Zebre at 2.30pm on Saturday afternoon. The Welsh side will be hoping to go one better than last year after coming up short at the semi-final stage, while Zebre will look to improve on their feeble last-place finish last time out. What’s at stake? This is the first Guinness PRO14 game Zebre enter into after their takeover by the Italian Rugby Federation in July, and the Parma-based club will want to start well to improve on their three victories last year under new coach Michael Bradley. Ospreys will be looking to get their PRO14 campaign off to a strong start at home to the Italian minnows in Swansea and reach this year’s final after losing 23-3 to Munster last year. Team news (Ospreys): Canadian winger Jeff Hassler has recovered from a 10-month layoff caused by Achilles and knee injuries and makes the starting XV. Sam Davies, however, can only make the bench after battling with a groin problem. Team news (Zebre): There are fresh faces in the Zebre forward pack as number eight Giovanni Licata and second row David Sisi make their debuts. This will also be fullback Matteo Minozzi’s first PRO14 match. Gabriele de Giulio replaces Giovanbattista Venditti on the wing as the latter recovers from a concussion problem. Talking points: Irishman Michael Bradley will take up the reins of Zebre to try and turn around the fortunes of the side who have finished bottom in all but one of their campaigns to date. Tommaso Castello will captain the Italian side from inside centre. Meanwhile for Ospreys Keelan Giles will have a spring in his step after the 19-year-old winger signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him at Liberty Stadium until 2020 following an impressive breakthrough season which featured no less than 14 tries in 19 games. Key Battle: Welsh hooker Sam Parry scored a hat-trick of tries – two of which came from mauls – as Ospreys ran away 59-5 winners in this fixture last year, so the (mix)match-up between the Ospreys and Zebre front rows will be important in deciding the dynamics of the game. Andrea Lovotti and co therefore may have their work cut out among the Zebre forwards. Key stat: Zebre conceded by far the highest number of points – 773, including 105 tries – in last year’s PRO12, something that must be remedied drastically this season. The next highest was fellow Italian side Benetton Treviso’s 664 points conceded. Did you know? Loosehead prop Paul James is on the cusp of equalling Duncan Jones’s Ospreys record of 223 appearances for the Swansea side. Ospreys: D Evans; K Giles, B John, C Allen, J Hassler; J Hook, T Habberfield; P James, S Parry, M Fia; B Davies, R Thornton; O Cracknell, J Tipuric, D Baker. Replacements: S Otten, N Smith, R Jones, L Ashley, J King, R Morgan-Williams, S Davies, K Fonotia. Zebre: M Minozzi; G Bisegni, M Bellini, T Castello, G Di Giulio; C Canna, M Violi; A Lovotti, O Fabiani, D Chistolini; D Sisi, G Biagi; D Minnie, R Giammarioli, G Licata. Replacements: T D’Apice, A De Marchi, R Tenga, L Krumov, J Sarto, G Palazzani, T Boni, C Garrney. Match officials – Referee: Quinton Immelman (SARU). Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Berry (SARU). AR2: Robert Price. (WRU) TMO: Non-televised game. Guinness PRO14 Final 2018 Ticket Information: Fans can save up to 20% on selected tickets, and prices start at just €30 for adults and €5 for children, and be booked via www.ticketmaster.ie
