Recalled Wales wing Rio Dyer will line up at full-back for the Dragons in Saturday's Welsh derby, the first match at the Ospreys' redeveloped St Helen's ground.
The 26-year-old has made 100 appearances for the Dragons but has never started in the 15 jersey, although he moved there during last week's Challenge Cup win over Perpignan. Selected in Steve Tandy's autumn squad after a year out of the Test frame, Dyer will start at full-back on Saturday night with kick-off at 7pm.
Ospreys begin new era at St Helen's
The Ospreys welcome the Dragons to Swansea this weekend, having beaten their Welsh rivals at Rodney Parade two weeks ago. Saturday's derby is the first time the Ospreys play at the redeveloped St Helen's, where Swansea RFC have played twice in recent weeks.
Last Thursday's match saw the winless Whites beat the previously unbeaten Cardiff, showing the impact a new ground can have on a team. Mark Jones will hope for a similar effect after his side spent much of the past month travelling away from home.
Club co-captains Owen Watkin and Sam Parry lead the side in the first game at the Ospreys' new home.
Welsh contingent involved
Wales international Tom Rogers is handed another start in his preferred 15 jersey, having been player of the match in that role in the Ospreys' win over the Dragons a couple of weeks ago. All 10 call-ups in Tandy's Wales squad are involved this weekend, ahead of heading into camp next week.
Alongside Rogers, the Ospreys' Welsh contingent of Gareth Thomas, Reuben Morgan-Williams and Dan Edwards all start. For the Dragons, new call-up Aneurin Owen starts, as do Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Ben Carter and Dyer. Another new call-up, Che Hope, is named on the bench.
Dragons aiming to spoil the party
The Dragons will look to spoil the party on Saturday night, having been pipped by the Ospreys at home two weeks ago. Despite that loss, they remain in the top eight early in the campaign.
“If you'd said after three rounds you'll be in the top eight, we would have taken that,” said senior coach Dale MacLeod. “When you look at our league games, in all three we have put ourselves in a position to win them.
“In one, we had a kick at the post, and a try disallowed that we probably felt was a try. And then the other week (against Ospreys), we created a lot of good opportunities.
“We can't lose sight of the fact that we're doing some good stuff. We're creating some good opportunities. We’ve just got to keep believing and keep going.
“We're trying to play a different brand of footy, which is exciting, and the boys are expressing themselves,” he added. “We want to be dangerous from anywhere on the field and we're starting to see and do that.
“Matt (O’Brien) has done a great job around that with the support of Filo (Tiatia) around how we want to shift that. I think that we just got to keep believing and keep going there, and you know we'll live and die by the sword.
“We're going to back ourselves, and we weren't far off the other day. A couple of penalties put us under the pump and allowed Ospreys, who are a good side, into your 22, and as we've found, it's very hard to stop teams if they can kick to the corner and get a maul.
“We are frustrated, but we'll keep believing, and we'll get to where we need to get to.”
Ospreys: Tom Rogers; Iestyn Hopkins, Owen Watkin (co-capt), Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Sam Parry (co-capt), Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Ryan Smith, Liam Wright, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris. Replacements: Efan Daniel, Steffan Thomas, Rhys Henry, James Ratti, Ross Moriarty, Luke Davies, Lawson Creighton, Lalakai Foketi.
Dragons: Rio Dyer; Jared Rosser, Fetuli Paea, Aneurin Owen, Anzelo Tuitavuki; Tinus de Beer, Rhodri Williams; Rodrigo Martinez, Elliot Dee, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Ben Carter (capt), Barny Langton-Cryer, Harry Beddall, Shane Lewis-Hughes. Replacements: Oli Burrows, Jordan Morris, Chris Coleman, Matthew Screech, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Jac Lloyd, Fine Inisi.
