By URC Media
Ulster Rugby v Ospreys, 7.35pm, Friday
Ospreys coach Toby Booth has been faced with the challenging task of piecing together a team amid what he has described as a “horrific” unavailability list.
He is without no fewer than 18 players for the trip to Belfast through injuries and Wales internationals being rested. It’s resulted in him selecting a pretty unfamiliar looking match-day 23.
Hooker Lewis Lloyd is pressed into service as an emergency blindside flanker, with the back five of the scrum being the hardest hit area, as demonstrated by Will Greatbanks and Lewis Jones both making their first starts at lock.
South African backs Evardi Boshoff and Dan Kasende take their season bows, with fly-half Owen Williams slotting into the injury-hit centre as he returns to action.
Then, on the bench, you’ve got two forwards stepping up from the second-tier Super Rygbi Cymru competition, with teenage Swansea lock Dan Gemine and Aberavon back row Rhys Thomas in line to make their regional debuts.
Booth commented: “We’ve got a lot of people out in similar positions, which makes it challenging.
“We’ll do our best to find a way, like we always do, and we won’t be lacking in effort, that’s for sure.”
As for Ulster, they are boosted by the return from injury of Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey as they look to build on last weekend’s victory over Connacht.
Scarlets v Vodacom Bulls, 7.35pm, Friday
Springboks great Albert van den Berg says he would love to put one over on his former coach Jake White.
The ex-second row played under White when South Africa won the 2007 Rugby World Cup, winning 51 caps in all.
Now, in his new role as Scarlets forwards coach, he is set to lock horns with his former boss who is bringing the unbeaten Bulls to west Wales.
“From the time I spent under Jake, he brings a lot of confidence in you as a player,” said Van den Berg.
“He has got a clear game plan of what he wants from everyone in the team and he puts all of that together.
“I will never forget in 2004 when he pulled me into the squad, he said ‘If you guys do what I tell you to do, we will win the next World Cup’.
“He installed that belief in you that you were good enough to be there.
“He will get his guys fired up for this game. He has stated this is their year to perform.
“They have a lot of Springboks in their team. They are physical, they’ve got a good scrum, a good maul and they are really good on counter-attack.
“But we will be ready for them. We like to take on the big teams and the big names, so our guys will all be fired up for that.
“The spirit is up in the camp and everyone is happy after the win down in Cardiff.”
As for his reunion with his former mentor White, he added: “I would love to get one over on him. It’s a Friday night game, I think I would come back on Monday not sober! It would be great to get the win.”
For scrum-half Gareth Davies, who has scored four tries in the Scarlets’ last two games, it will be a first outing following his announcement that he is retiring from international rugby.
Hooker Akker van der Merwe captains the Bulls who are looking to make it four wins from four in the league.
