Preview: Ospreys v Aironi
Aironi have announced an almost all-Italian starting line-up for their daunting trip to face the Ospreys in the Magners League this Saturday.
Aironi have announced an almost all-Italian starting line-up for their daunting trip to face the Ospreys in the Magners League this Saturday.
The coaching staff have decided to give a week off to some of their more regular players, who have featured heavily during the first three games.
Head Coach Franco Bernini has subsequently chosen a XV that includes just two non-Italian players. They are Danwel Demas, who moves from number fourteen to fifteen while Gareth Krause takes the spot of Nick Williams at eight.
In the backs Giulio Toniolatti is on the wing while Giulio Rubini and centres Gabriel Pizarro and Gilberto Pavan are all newcomers from last week's loss to the Scarlets. A new duo will take the half-back role with Riccardo Bocchino and Michael Wilson starting together for the first time.
“When Ospreys started to play Celtic League almost eight years ago I was part of the coaching staff,” said Aironi coaching member Rowland Phillips.
“There are a lot of similar circumstances at Aironi as we had at Ospreys; new team, a lot of new players and a lot of problems that we also had initially at the Ospreys. You must give an identity to the team, the players and the coaching staff that had to work as a group with a common goal. We are going through it now, but we can appreciate the hard work of everyone.
“Ospreys' Liberty Stadium is a tough place where take a result. They are an unbelievable talented squad with a huge amount of players with a lot of international experience and as a result they always come out as favourite to win the championship.
“Going to the Ospreys as a back to back away game after Scarlets is gonna test our mental strength and our attitude. With Scarlets we have a step back after two good games against Munster and Ulster, with Ospreys we must return to step forward.”
Form: Aironi Rugby are still to open their winning account in the Magners League, with their single league point so far coming courtesy of a 15-22 defeat at home to Ulster in round two. Ospreys' three games so far in the Magners League this season have all been won by the home side on the day. The Welshmen are unbeaten in their last nine encounters at Liberty Stadium in the Magners League, since Leinster won there, 18-11, on 18 September 2009. Ospreys have won all seven previous games they have played against Italian opponents.
The teams:
Ospreys: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Richard Fussell, 13 Tommy Bowe, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Jamie Nutbrown, 8 Jonathan Thomas, 7 Ben Lewis, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 4 Ian Gough, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett17 Ryan Bevington18 Craig Mitchell19 Ryan Jones20 Justin Tipuric21 Mike Phillips22 Gareth Owen23 Nikki Walker
Aironi: 15 Danwel Demas, 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Gilberto Pavan, 12 Gabriel Pizarro, 11 Giulio Rubini, 10 Riccardo Bocchino, 9 Michael Wilson, 8 Gareth Krause, 7 Josh Sole, 6 Andrea Benatti, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys (c), 4 Marco Bortolami, 3 Luca Redolfini, 2 Luigi Ferraro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ulises Gamboa, 17 Fabio Ongaro, 18 Alberto De Marchi, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Nicola Cattina, 21 Pablo Canavosio, 22 Julien Laharrague, 23 Alberto Benettin.
Date: Saturday, September 25
Kick-off: 18:30 BST
Venue: Liberty Stadium
Referee: Andy Macpherson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: David Bodilly (Wales), Huw David (Wales)
Television match official: Tony Rowlands (Wales)