The Welsh regions get into pre-season action for the first time this weekend as the countdown to the big kick-off in the BKT United Rugby Championship reaches 25 days.
The first wave of friendlies sees the following fixtures:
Friday, 4 September
Coventry v Ospreys (7.30pm)Saturday, 5 September
Dragons v Hartpury (1.00pm)
Worcester Warriors v Cardiff Rugby (3.00pm)
Exeter Chiefs v Scarlets (3.00pm)
The action kicks-off with the Ospreys taking two teams to face English Premiership club Coventry on Friday night. Head coach Mark Jones has picked to two to play a half each.
Former Australian captain Liam Wright to set to appear in the second half and there will also be debuts for other new signings Lawson Creighton, Tom Rogers and Harri Wilde.
There are also a number of young Ospreys academy prospects who will make the step up to senior rugby, including Jack Hoskins, Cody-Rae David, Nick Fisk-Jones, Ethan Bolche and Lewis Edwards. Fisk-Jones is the son of former Swansea, Wales and British & Irish Lions scrum half Rob Jones.
Ospreys 1: Iestyn Hopkins; Tom Rogers, Kerian Williams, Jack Hoskins, Harri Houston; Lawson Creighton, Luke Davies (co-captain); Cam Jones, Efan Daniel, Kian Hire, Lewis Jones, Huw Sutton, James Ratti (co-captain), Ross Moriarty, Morgan Morse
Ospreys 2: Lewis Edwards; Keelan Giles, Owen Watkin (co-captain), Ethan Bolche, Luke Morgan; Harri Wilde, Nick Fisk-Jones; Steff Thomas, Lewis Lloyd, Tom Botha, Cody Rae David, TBC, Liam Wright, Gwilym Evans, Morgan Morris (co-captain)
Former Wales U20 captain Harry Beddall will captain the Dragons squad against his former club Hartpury at Rodney Parade.
New signing Anzelo Tu’itavuki is named on the wing while another newcomer Ereatara Enari is set to make his first appearance from the bench.
Beddall is part of back row that also contains Shane Lewis-Hughes and Evan Minto, another former Hartpury player.
Rhodri Jones, Sam Scarfe and Chris Coleman combine up front while Seb Davies and Barny Langton-Cryer join forces at lock.
Jac Lloyd and Morgan Lloyd play at half back while David Richards and Huw Anderson link up with Tu’itavuki in the back three. The midfield will be made up of Tonga international Fetuli Paea and Joe Westwood.
Dragons: Huw Anderson; David Richards, Joe Westwood, Fetuli Paea, Anzelo Tu’itavuki; Jac Lloyd, Morgan Lloyd; Rhodri Jones, Sam Scarfe, Chris Coleman, Seb Davies, Barny Langton-Cryer, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harry Beddall (captain), Evan Minto
Reps: Elliot Dee, Oli Burrows, Jordan Morris, Owain James, Regan Jones, Levi Douglas, Ryan Woodman, Nick Thomas, Ryan Jones, Rhodri Williams, Ereatara Enari, Harri Ford, Jared Rosser, Harry Rees-Weldon, Cai Evans, Aneurin Owen, Brogan Leary
Scarlets have named a 30-man squad containing six debutants for their trip to Sandy Park on Saturday.
New signings Gareth Anscombe, John McKee, Harvey Cuckson, George Roberts and Isaac Murray-Macgregor are all included in the travelling party heading to the west country, along with a host of young senior academy talents.
Skipper Josh Macleod, who has been confirmed as club captain for a fourth successive season, will lead the team for the first of three pre-season games ahead of the BKT United Rugby Championship opener against Cardiff on September 26.
Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas; Callum Woolley, Joe Roberts, Gabe McDonald, Macs Page; Gareth Anscombe, Dane Blacker; Josh Morse, John McKee, Gabe Hawley, Gabe Cahsay, Harvey Cuckson, Tristan Davies, Josh Macleod (captain), Dom Kossuth
Reps from: George Roberts, Sam O’Connor, Rhys Fawcett, Harri O’Connor, Sam Lousi, Jac Price, Osian Williams, Joe Denman, Dan Davis, Gareth Davies, Madoc Evans, Ioan Jones, Jac Davies, Isaac Murray-Macgregor, Iori Badham
Cardiff Rugby have named a 29-man squad for their trip to face Worcester Warriors at Sixways Stadium.
Hooker Daf Hughes captains the starting XV with Tom Manz, who has joined on loan from Leicester Tigers, and Le Roux Malan set for their first run out.
Fellow new signing Scott Sio is named among the replacements, while academy talents Sonny McCabe, Lloyd Lucas, Tom Howe, Sion Davies and Rhys Cummings are also set to step up.
“We’re in week eight of pre-season now so it’s nice to look forward to a game. The boys have put in some hard work and are itching to play so it will be a good run out in Worcester,” said Cardiff head coach Corniel van Zyl.
“They are a quality team, they obviously won the English Championship last season and they will go strong at home.”
Cardiff Rugby: Cam Winnett; Jacob Beetham, Harri Millard, Le Roux Malan, Elijah Evans, Callum Sheedy, Ellis Bevan; Danny Southworth, Daf Hughes (captain), Joe Cowell, Tom Manz, Rory Thornton, Lucas de la Rua, Dan Thomas, Taine Basham
Reps: Liam Belcher, Scott Sio, Sonny McCabe, Tom Cottle, Johan Mulder, Lloyd Lucas, Matty Young, Osian Darwin-Lewis, Rhys Barratt, Tom Howe, Sion Davies, Rhys Cummings