Conference B leaders Connacht make the trip to South Wales tomorrow buoyed by their Round 4 toppling of Toyota Cheetahs and hoping to build on their growing Guinness PRO14 momentum. Ospreys, meanwhile, come into the fixture with just a solitary win this season, lying sixth in Conference A after what has been a stop-start opening to their campaign. Bonus-point victories have been the order of the day for the Irish side since their first round defeat to Scarlets, and head coach Andy Friend has now given five players their maiden start of the Guinness PRO14 season including in-form centre Tom Farrell and tighthead prop Dominic Robertson-McCoy. But Ospreys boss Allen Clarke has largely opted for continuity over change despite his side’s slow start to the season, naming an unchanged backline as they seek to pick up their first win over an Irish province in seven attempts. Kick-off: Liberty Stadium, Swansea | KO 17:15 UK time, Saturday 2 November How to watch: Live on S4C TV, DAZN, TG4 and Premier Sports 1 Players to watch out for: Marvin Orie (Ospreys), Niyi Adeolokun (Connacht) While Clarke has retained faith in the crop of players who succumbed to a 28-12 defeat in Munster last weekend, second-row Marvin Orie makes his debut for the Welsh region to inject some South African experience into the pack. The arrival of Orie this week – on a loan deal until December 26 – will surely rejuvenate a depleted Ospreys side who have lost a raft of players to the World Cup, with the Springbok international eager to make an immediate impact. Connacht wing Niyi Adeolokun, meanwhile, was in scintillating form in Round 4 as the Irishmen toppled Cheetahs, providing an effective combination of attacking potency and defensive stability. The wide man was clinical in taking his first half try and proved a continual menace for the Cheetahs to deal with, arriving in Round 5 with plenty of momentum he will be hoping to build upon in Swansea. Key stat: The last five fixtures between the two sides have all been won by the home side on the day, whilst Connacht’s only victory in thirteen previous visits to Liberty Stadium was in October 2015. Ospreys: Cai Evans, Hanno Dirksen, Scott Williams, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, Tom Williams, Luke Price, Matthew Aubrey, Rhodri Jones, Sam Parry, Tom Botha, Marvin Orie, Lloyd Ashley, Dan Lydiate ©, Olly Cracknell, Dan Baker Replacements : Scott Otten, Gareth Thomas, Ma’afu Fia, Sam Cross, Morgan Morris, Reuben Morgan-Williams, James Hook, Lesley Klim Connacht Rugby: Darragh Leader, Niyi Adeolokun, Tom Farrell, Peter Robb, John Porch, Conor Fitzgerald, Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ultan Dillane, Joe Maksymiw, Eoghan Masterson, Jarrad Butler ©, Paul Boyle Replacements: Jonny Murphy, Matthew Burke, Conor Kenny, Cillian Gallagher, Robin Copeland, Caolin Blade, Tom Daly, Stephen Fitzgerald Cardiff City Stadium will play host to the 2020 Guinness PRO14 Final on June 20 as one of the most exciting days in the club rugby calendar comes to Wales! General sale tickets are available from http://bit.ly/PRO14Cardiff2020 and prices start at just £13 for concessions and £26 for adults (subject to booking fees), that’s a 15% early bird discount. Family ticket (2 adults / 2 children) prices begin at £64 and fans are encouraged to buy early to get the best value tickets.
