**Ospreys’ and Leinster’s seasons have been polar opposites so far – Leinster have a 100 per cent record with 11 wins from 11, while Ospreys have won only two games all campaign and lie bottom of Conference A.** But last week’s victory over Ulster in Swansea may well have breathed life into Mike Ruddock’s team, who will be looking to take advantage of a depleted Leinster side as the Irish national team head to Twickenham. Beating Leinster, though, will prove to be no easy task – they possess one of the finest academies on the planet, and have both the depth and quality required to cope with international call-ups aplenty. The Dubliners have scored 400 points in the competition so far and will travel to Ospreys’ alternative ground – The Gnoll – in Neath buoyed with confidence, though the hosts lie only one point off sixth-placed Zebre and will be looking to climb the table having picked up their first win since Round 3 last weekend. **Kick-off:** 7.35pm **How to watch:** Live on eir Sport 2, Premier Sports 1, TG4, Super Sport 1, DAZN, pro14.tv **Players to watch out for:** Adam Beard v Scott Fardy Will Rowlands’ inclusion on the bench for Wales on Saturday afternoon means there’s no place for young lock Adam Beard in the international side, but fortunately for Ospreys fans, he’ll be turning out in his club shirt against Leinster on Friday night. Beard, who shone during the Rugby World Cup in Japan, is a particularly rangy presence – at 6ft 8in – and a potent set-piece threat for an Ospreys team who may have to go back to basics with rain forecast in Neath on Friday night. He’ll come up against an experienced campaigner, though, in the form of Wallaby Scott Fardy, who will captain Leinster. Since making the switch from the back row upon arriving in Dublin, Fardy has become a fearsome presence in the tight five and will have to be on top of his game to neutralise Beard’s threat at the line-out. Whichever side can control the set-piece will surely have the best chance of winning in the rain tomorrow night, and Beard and Fardy both possess the means to provide their respective teams with that precious control. **Key stat:** A Leinster victory – their fourteenth in succession – would establish a new record for the best start to a league season and would tie Munster’s record for the most successive Guinness PRO14 matches won (fourteen) from 2011. **Ospreys:** Cai Evans, Hanno Dirksen, Owen Watkin, Kieran Williams, Luke Morgan, Luke Price, Aled Davies, Nicky Smith, Scott Otten, Simon Gardiner, Adam Beard, Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate (c), Olly Cracknell, Dan Baker **Replacements:** Sam Parry, Gareth Thomas, Gheorghe Gajion, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Cross, Shaun Venter, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, James Hook **Leinster:** Hugo Keenan, Cian Kelleher, Jimmy O’Brien, Conor O’Brien, James Lowe, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Peter Dooley, James Tracy, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Scott Fardy (c), Josh Murphy, Scott Penny, Rhys Ruddock **Replacements:** Sean Cronin, Michael Milne, Jack Aungier, Jack Dunne, Ryan Baird, Rowan Osborne, Harry Byrne, Tommy O’Brien
