| Venue: Brewery Field, Bridgend Date: Monday, 1 January Kick off: 15:00 GMT |
| Coverage: Scrum V Live – BBC Two Wales, iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app. Match report on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Wales wing Josh Adams will miss Cardiff’s trip to face Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (URC) match on Monday because of a leg injury.
Owen Lane replaces Adams in Bridgend as one of five changes from the side that beat Dragons on Boxing Day.
Ospreys back row James Ratti returns to face his former Cardiff side.
Wing Iestyn Hopkins, scrum-half Luke Davies and hooker Sam Parry also start, while centre Owen Watkin will play his 100th Ospreys game.
Ratti, who signed for Ospreys from Cardiff in the summer of 2023, returns after being forced off injured during the defeat against Dragons in mid-November.
Ospreys won 25-11 at Scarlets on Boxing Day but see flanker Rhys Davies, scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams and wing Mat Protheroe drop out of the squad, while number eight Morgan Morris and centre Keiran Williams are still absent.
For Cardiff, Lane comes in to replace Adams, who has been struggling with the leg injury he suffered against Bath in the Champions Cup, although the problem is described as a short-term issue.
Prop Corey Domachowski, lock Seb Davies and back-row duo Lopeti Timani and Ellis Jenkins return in the forwards.
Timani and Jenkins are coming back from injury and suspension respectively, to join James Botham, who makes his 50th first-team appearance, in the back row.
Number eight Mackenzie Martin is named as one of six forward replacements, with flanker Alex Mann dropping out of the squad.
Ospreys have switched the fixture to Bridgend’s Brewery Field because it clashes with Swansea City’s Championship football fixture against West Bromwich Albion.
The rugby side are tenants of the football club in the west Wales city. It is Ospreys’ second home venue switch in 2023-24, after beating Sharks at The Stoop in Twickenham in early November.
Ospreys and Cardiff are the top two Welsh sides in the URC as they aim to break into the top half of the 16-team table. Ospreys start the ninth round of league matches in ninth place, while Cardiff are 11th.
Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Iestyn Hopkins, George North, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles; Owen Williams, Luke Davies; Gareth Thomas, Sam Parry, Tom Botha, James Fender, Adam Beard (capt), James Ratti, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morse.
Replacements: Dewi Lake, Garyn Phillips, Rhys Henry, Lewis Jones, Tristan Davies, Cameron Jones, Dan Edwards. Luke Morgan
Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Mason Grady; Tinus de Beer, Tomos Williams; Corey Domachowski, Liam Belcher (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Seb Davies, Teddy Williams, James Botham, Ellis Jenkins, Lopeti Timani.
Replacements: Efan Daniel, Rhys Carre, Rhys Litterick, Rory Thornton, Josh Turnbull, Mackenzie Martin, Ellis Bevan, Jacob Beetham
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse & Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
