Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy admits it’s win or bust for his side as they travel to Parma to take on Zebre in the RaboDirect PRO12 on Thursday. Tandy’s side currently sit in fifth place, five points behind fourth-placed Ulster, ensuring maximum points against Zebre would bring them level on points. Defeat however, and a failure to pick up any bonus points, would end their hopes of reaching the top four. It’s a similar position to the one they found themselves in last season and ultimately they fell just short – and Tandy is determined to ensure it does not happen again. "This is a crucial game for us. If we want to extend our season beyond next weekend we know that we have to go to Parma and win, there are no ifs or buts about it,” he said. “We've had a good week preparing for it, there is a positive mood in the group and everybody knows what's at stake over the next ten days. "Our fate isn't in our own hands, but we have to concentrate on doing what we need to do first and foremost, to ensure that if results elsewhere go our way we are able to take advantage. “That didn't happen last season, where it turned out that just one win in the final two games would have been enough to take us through in the end. We have to make sure that isn't the case this season. "We want to make sure we go into the final game, against Connacht at the Liberty, with everything still to play for. “It'll be great to end the regular season at home in such a big game, but we know that if we let ourselves down on Thursday night that won't be the case, so we know what we have to do.” Tandy has shuffled his backline with Sam Davies coming in at full-back, Hanno Dirksen switching to the right wing and Aisea Natoga getting the nod on the left. In two changes to the pack, Nicky Smith gets the nod at loosehead prop for his first ever RaboDirect PRO12 start while Ian Evans replaces Ryan Jones in the second row, joining forces with skipper Alun Wyn Jones. Zebre currently sit bottom of the RaboDirect PRO12 table but just four points below Treviso, ensuring the battle for the Italian berth in next year’s European Champions Rugby Cup remains alive. Zebre have made two changes to their backline with Dion Berryman coming onto the right wing and Kameli Ratuvou getting the nod at outside centre. Up front, there are three changes with the return of experience Italy duo Mauro Bergamasco and Marco Bortolami at flanker and second row respectively while Salvatore Perugini wears the No.1 jersey. At Stadio XXV Aprile, 6pm local time (5pm UK & Ireland) Live on S4C/Mediaset Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU, 56th competition game) Assistant Referees: Elia Rizzo, Filippo Bertelli (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Albeto Recaldini (FIR) TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)
