Ospreys v Sale Sharks Matchday Programme

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12.12.21 K.O 13:00

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MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

CONTENTS EPCR WELCOME MESSAGE

TOBY BOOTH’S WELCOME

BOIS IFANC: CANRAN Y GARFAN

Q&A: HARRI DEAVES PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JAC MORGAN

WIN! PLAY THE OSPREYS ACCUMULATOR

THE OPPOSITION: SALE SHARKS

OSPREYS IN THE COMMUNITY

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: OWEN WATKIN

STARTING XV’S

OSPREYS SUPPORTERS CLUB

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A warm welcome to this match in the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup season as we look forward once again to elite clubs and top players producing the brilliance and drama which have for long been the trademarks of our truly world-class tournament.

Following the new EPCR agreement which was concluded last April, we are now entering an exciting era for Heineken Champions Cup rugby and with stadiums across Europe opening up to fans once again, we will see a return to the traditional passion and colour which have characterised the competition since its inception in 1995.

The 24-club format with two pools of 12 has been retained, and following two rounds of matches this month, and two in January, the eight highest-ranked clubs in each pool will qualify for the knockout stage.

An innovative Round of 16 with home and away legs, and then traditional quarter-finals and semi-finals, will guarantee a further series of compelling fixtures culminating in the 2022 final at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille on Saturday, 28 May. In addition, three clubs from each pool will qualify for the Round of 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup. A special mention must go to Stade Toulousain who made history last season when they lifted the trophy in such fine style for a record fifth time, and to the supremely-talented Antoine Dupont who

became the first French player to be awarded the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy as EPCR European Player of the Year.

We are delighted to be joined on the journey to the Marseille finals by our long-standing title partner, Heineken, and we also extend the hand of welcome to our newest official partner, DHL, who will provide customised logistics solutions for both the Heineken Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup. We would also like to thank Tissot, the Financial Times, Gilbert and Kappa for their continuing support.

We recognise the superb coverage provided by our TV partners BT Sport, beIN SPORTS, France Télévisions, Channel 4 and Virgin Media whose output is complemented by the wide range of linear and OTT platforms which broadcast the Heineken Champions Cup globally.

The elite clubs in this season’s tournament have a total of 38 European titles between them so we are certain of top-quality entertainment from the kick-off to the final whistle.

On behalf of everyone at EPCR, enjoy the match and best wishes to you, the fans, as well as to your club’s players and staff for what promises to be another memorable Heineken Champions Cup season.

Yours in rugby, Dominic McKay, EPCR Chairman (interim)

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7 WELCOME

“We welcome Sale Sharks to the Swansea.com Liberty, this afternoon, as we mark our return to Europe and to kick-off our Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

“Sale will provide us with a massive physical challenge, very similar to what we have experienced in the recent wins against Munster and Ulster in the United Rugby Championship.”

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11 CANRAN Y GARFAN

Yn erbyn Ulster penwythnos diwethaf roedd pedwar o’r pum ôl yn y pac yn 23 neu’n iau (Rhys Davies 23; Will Griffiths 22; Jac Morgan 21; Morgan Morris 23). O’r pedwar yna, mae dau wedi cael eu galw i ymuno â charfan Cymru, cafodd un wobr Seren y Gêm yn erbyn Munster, a’r llall Seren y Gêm yn erbyn Ulster.

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13 HARRI DEAVES “I went to Bridgend College and that was where the Ospreys saw me and picked me up. Literally, if I hadn’t gone there, I don’t think I would have got picked up. I went there to do Civil Engineering and after two days switched to rugby.”

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WHO WILL BE NEXT?

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JAC MORGAN JAC MORGAN "As cliché as it is, for me, it's about playing as well as I can for the Ospreys and buying into Toby and Brock James’ systems. If I fit in and doors open and I am good enough to go through them, then we will cross that bridge when we get to it."

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Cheslin Kolbe last season, Juan Imhoff in 2019/20 and Maxime Médard in 2018/19.

Consider the star quality of the last three overall winners of the Champions Try of the Round and you know that the competition to find the best try of this Heineken Champions Cup season will feature some of the biggest names in the world game.

Kolbe’s was awarded the accolade in 2020/21 for a breathtaking score against Ulster Rugby in Round 1. Taking a pass from Thomas Ramos, the former Stade Toulousain wing beat two Ulster defenders, kicked over another and collected after two bounces to slide over the whitewash in remarkable fashion.

Fans were given the opportunity to vote for the best tries selected from Rounds 1 and 2, the Round of 16, the quarter-finals, as well as Juan Cruz Mallia’s score during the final at Twickenham, before Kolbe emerged as the overall winner.

Last season, the Champions Try of the Round competition was largely dominated by players from TOP 14 clubs. What will happen this season? Which outstanding players will make the difference? Which tries will get the fans’ vote along with the verdict of a panel of renowned rugby experts.

EPCRUGBY.COM/TOTR

Each Monday following match weekends, a shortlist of five tries will be selected by EPCR and opened to public vote with fans having the chance to win some great prizes.

This will be the perfect opportunity to watch the best Heineken Champions Cup tries over and over again and to vote for The One to Win. CHAMPIONS TRY OF THE ROUND WINNERS 2020/21 Round 1/Champions Try of the Season: Cheslin Kolbe Stade Toulousain v Ulster Rugby Round 2: Alivereti Raka ASM Clermont Auvergne v Munster Rugby Round of 16: Antoine Dupont Stade Toulousain v Munster Rugby Quarter-Final: Grégory Alldritt Stade Rochelais v Sale Sharks

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SALE SHARKS Sale adopted the Sharks moniker in 1999 and have had degrees of success in both the English Premiership and the European competition since then. In 2002, they were runners up in the league before finally claiming the title in 2006, defeating Leicester Tigers in the final. This followed on from two Challenge Cup titles in 2002 and 2005. The Salford based team are no strangers to the pressures of European rugby.

However, Sale haven’t been their usual competitive selves thus far this season, having won just three of their 9 English Premiership fixtures, losing five and drawing one; all of their victories came at home.

RADAR

TOM CURRY You’d be forgiven for thinking Curry had been around forever, having won 36 caps for England and a becoming a British and Irish Lion over the summer. But the flanker is only 23 years old and made his debut for Sale Sharks just five years ago in this very same competition, becoming the youngest Shark to play in the competition.

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Capable of playing across the back row, Curry is known for his physical ball-carrying, ferocious defence, and strength over the ball at the breakdown. There’s no doubt that while he is on the field, the Ospreys will need to be switched on at each ruck.

AJ MACGINTY The Dublin born, USA international outside-half is a steady hand at the helm for the Sharks. He’s no stranger to the Ospreys, as the 31-year-old played for Connacht up until 2016 before making the switch to the English Premiership side.

He’s since made 94 appearances for the club, amassing 805 points, and therefore averaging 8.56 points per game.

JP DU PREEZ It won’t be difficult to spot this South African lock on the field.

A towering figure at nearly 6ft 11in and over 19 stone, Du Preez is a physical presence around the park and a dominant lineout operator. Du Preez is just one member of a physical pack that will look to challenge the Ospreys up front, who’s forwards and set piece have been a constant source of pride for the boys in black this season.

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30

IN THE COMMUNITY

Swansea City AFC Foundation and the Ospreys have teamed up with Carolyn Harris MP and Julie James MS, to help deliver the Everyone Deserves a Christmas 2021 campaign.

Now in its fifth year, the annual campaign aims to provide festive cheer to those who require an extra helping hand in the local community.

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SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

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STARTING G. THOMAS S. PARRY T. FRANCIS R. DAVIES A. BEARD W. GRIFFITHS J. MORGAN M. MORRIS R. WEBB (C) G. ANSCOMBE L. MORGAN O. WATKIN M. COLLINS A. CUTHBERT M. PROTHEROE

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B. RODD E. ASHMAN N. SCHONERT J.L. DU PREEZ L. DE JAGER T. CURRY (C) B. CURRY D. DU PREEZ R. QUIRKE A. MACGINTY M. YARDE R. J. VAN RENSBURG R. DU PREEZ T. ROEBUCK S. HAMMERSLEY

The Shr li

SUBSTITUTES E. TAIONE

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T. TAYLOR

N. SMITH

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R. HARRISON

T. BOTHA

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J. REGAN

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38 SUPPORTERS CLUB I hope that we have recovered from the thrills and spills that last week’s game provided! A truly inspirational team performance, delivered a notable victory over a very much, in form Ulster side.

We are all justly proud of last week’s performance and hope for more of the same against tonight’s visitors.

Gêm i’w chofio oedd gêm yr wythnos diwethaf! Rydyn ni i gyd yn falch iawn o berfformiaid y tîm ac yn gobeithio am fwy o’r un heddiw.

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