Ospreys team to face Edinburgh

15 Richard Fussell
14 Hanno Dirksen
13 Tom Isaacs
12 Andrew Bishop
11 Eli Walker
10 Dan Biggar
9 Kahn Fotuali'i

1 Duncan Jones
2 Richard Hibbard
3 Joe Rees
4 Ian Gough
5 James King
6 Tom Smith (Capt)
7 Sam Lewis
8 Jonathan Thomas

Replacements:
16 Scott Baldwin
17 Ryan Bevington
18 Will Taylor
19 Alun Wyn Jones
20 Joe Bearman
21 Rhys Webb
22 Matthew Morgan
23 Sonny Parker

Sam Lewis makes his PRO12 debut
Joe Rees makes his first PRO12 start
Will Taylor will make his PRO12 debut if he comes off the bench

The following players were not considered because of injury:
Cai Griffiths - Arm
Aaron Jarvis - Rib
Richard Kelly - Wrist
Ben John - Groin
Gareth Owen - ACL
Nikki Walker - ACL

There are 19 players absent on international duty with Wales, Ireland, Wales U20, Wales Sevens and Scotland U20.

Forwards Coach, Jonathan Humphreys, commented:
"Edinburgh is always a tough place to go, they are a good team who like to play attacking rugby and it's never easy against them. Our record up there in recent years speaks for itself so we know we have to improve hugely on how we've performed up there in the last few seasons. It's about being focused, preparing properly, paying attention to detail, knowing our roles and being clinical. If we get those aspects right then things should fall into place.

"We targeted a home semi-final in this competition and with nine games to go we're in second place, so we are up there, with our destiny in our hands. It's an exciting challenge for these boys know. These were the ones who had such a great start to the season with six from six, and it's this group that can control where we finish with a run of four games now while the Six Nations are on.

"We've seen in recent weeks with the LV= Cup that there is a bright future for the region, with some great talent coming through the ranks, and for boys like Eli, Hanno, Joe, Sam and James in the starting line-up, with Will and Matthew on the bench, this is a great opportunity for them to make names for themselves as Ospreys.

"Friday night will be a tough test for them, then we come back home to the Liberty next weekend for the first time in the league since the win over the Blues on New Year's Day, and with the game not on TV we'd like to think that people will want to come on and support local homegrown players from Ospreylia representing their region."

Forthcoming fixtures
Fri 17 Feb - Ospreys v Aironi - Liberty Stadium - RaboDirect PRO12 - 7.30pm
Fri 24 Feb - Ulster v Ospreys - Ravenhill - RaboDirect PRO12 - 7.05pm
Fri 2 Mar - Ospreys v Glasgow - Liberty Stadium - RaboDirect PRO12 - 7.05pm
Fri 23 Mar - Leinster v Ospreys - RDS Showground - RaboDirect PRO12 - 7.05pm
Sat 31 Mar - Ospreys v Benetton Treviso - Liberty Stadium - RaboDirect PRO12 - 6.30pm