Ospreys team to face Leinster

15 Richard Fussell
14 Hanno Dirksen
13 Tom Isaacs
12 Andrew Bishop
11 Eli Walker
10 Matthew Morgan
9 Rhys Webb

1 Duncan Jones
2 Matthew Dwyer
3 Joe Rees
4 Lloyd Peers
5 Jonathan Thomas (Capt)
6 George Stowers
7 Sam Lewis
8 Joe Bearman

REPLACEMENTS
16 Arthur Ellis
17 Marc Thomas
18 Daniel Suter
19 James King
20 Morgan Allen
21 Kahn Fotuali'i
22 Jonathan Spratt
23 Ross Jones

Matthew Dwyer makes his first Ospreys start
Lloyd Peers makes his first RaboDirect PRO12 start
Arthur Ellis, Marc Thomas and Daniel Suter will all make their Ospreys debuts if they come off the bench

Nine players are away on international duty

The following players were not considered because of injury:
Adam Jones - Knee
Scott Baldwin - Shoulder
Tom Smith - Groin
Tom Habberfield - Ankle

Ian Gough has been unavailable to play whilst undergoing tests and treatment for an ongoing medical problem. The latest discussion with specialists has been positive and suggests Ian could potentially be available to play again in the next few weeks, pending further tests and consultation next week.

Backs Coach, Gruff Rees, said:

"November is going to be a big month for us, as is always the case. With international players away, it's always a challenge, and a great opportunity for some of our younger players to stand up and show what they are capable of.

"As someone who has done a lot of work with the younger players in my previous time with the Ospreys, I'm looking forward to the games this month. With two LV= Cup games to follow then two more PRO12 matches, it's a crucial time of the season and it's important that the work we've done in preparing for this period bears fruit.

"Last season's title success was driven by the core group of players who were around in the international periods, who got that great six game winning start to the season to put us in a great position, beat a full strength Munster in November and kept things going in February. We need these players to step up to the mark in the same way.

"It's a great opportunity for guys coming in and show that they are good enough to be Ospreys. It's at times like this that players such as Justin Tipuric, Ryan Bevington and Ashley Beck have excelled in recent seasons and they've used it to kick on and establish themselves with both their region and their country. We'll be expecting some of the players involved this month to have a similar impact so it's exciting as coaches and players, and I'd expect our supporters to feel the same.

"We know that Leinster may have an unfamiliar look to their team this weekend but we also know that as European champions they have real strength in depth and whatever players wear their shirt we will be in for a real test. As with any match, our preparation is all about focusing on our own game and ensuring that we are ready, are precise and accurate in what we do, and we know that if we get that right, we should get the kind of performance we want."

Forthcoming Fixtures
Fri 9 Nov - 19.45KO - Ospreys v Gloucester - LV= Cup
Sat 17 Nov - 17.00KO - Exeter v Ospreys - LV= Cup
Fri 23 Nov - 19.05KO - Edinburgh v Ospreys - RaboDirect PRO12
Fri 30 Nov - 19.05KO - Ospreys v Cardiff Blues - RaboDirect PRO12
Sat 8 Dec - 14.35KO - Toulouse v Ospreys - Heineken Cup
Sat 15 Dec - 13.35KO - Ospreys v Toulouse - Heineken Cup
Wed 26 Dec - 17.30KO - Ospreys v Scarlets - RaboDirect PRO12