The Ospreys take the wraps off a young player widely tipped for a big future when they face Sale Sharks in the Heineken Champions Cup encounter at the AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday (1pm).
Harri Deaves steps into Toby Booth’s side for the encounter in the north of England.
The openside flanker showed glimpses of real quality playing for Wales in last year’s U20 Six Nations.
Before he featured in the tournament, an observer of the Welsh age-grade scene had told WalesOnline: “When you see him, with his bright yellow headguard on, he will jump out at you.
“You’ll go: ‘Who the hell is that?’
“He’s like a machine.”
Deaves duly came up with a man-of-the-the-match display against Italy and backed it up in the opening half against Ireland before picking up a bump that cost him time on the sidelines. Then he was harshly sent off in the final game against Scotland.
Facing Sale on debut in the Heineken Champions Cup will be a huge test, especially with the English club the Curry brothers in their matchday 23 — Ben starts, with Tom on the bench — but Deaves is adept at peeling off turnovers and will not lack for effort.
The Ospreys make nine personnel changes and one positional switch from the side that faced Racing 92 last time out, with Booth seemingly intent on giving rugby to many of those who will be minding the fort while the internationals are away during the Six Nations.
Behind the scrum, Dan Evans, Michael Collins, Josh Thomas and Reuben Morgan-Williams come in, with Mat Protheroe moving from full-back to wing and Morgan-Willams making his 50th Ospreys appearance.
Up front, Nicky Smith, Tom Botha, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Cross and Davies are named.
Tiaan Thomas Wheeler will complete his half-century of appearance for the Ospreys if he features off the bench.
Adam Beard skippers the side, with fellow Wales squad member Dewi Lake also involved and Ethan Roots, who had his best game for the Ospreys last time out, packing down at No. 8.
Beard will be in direct opposition to South African World Cup winner Lood de Jager, a player he has huge respect for, saying: “He is a quality operator. If you look at his stuff around the set-piece and around the park, I enjoy going up against players of his calibre. You want to test yourself against the best and I am looking forward to the battle against him on the weekend.”
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth added: “Sale are big and strong, there are lots of South African accents, they enjoy the collisions and they attack the breakdown.
“It’s nothing we didn’t know already from my time in England, but Sale pride themselves on being very efficient in how they play.
"We know we need to be very good in our set-piece and at the breakdown.”
Sale Sharks: Hammersley; Thomas Roebuck, Robrt du Preez, JV Rensburg, Aaron Reed, AJ McGinty, Raffi Quirke; Bevan Rodd, Ewan Ashman, Nik Schonert, Jean-Luc du Preez, De Jager, Jono Ross, Ben Curry, Dam du Preez.
Replacements: Curtis Langdon, Ross Harrison, Coenie Oosthuizen, JP du Preez, Tom Curry, Will Cliff, Sam James, Jack Metcalf.
Ospreys : Dan Evans; Mat Protheroe, Michael Collins, Keiran Wiliams, Luke Morgan; Josh Thomas, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, Lloyd Ashley, . Adam Beard (capt), Sam Cross, Harri Deaves, Ethan Roots.
Replacements: Elvis Taione, Rhodri Jones, Rhys Henry, Huw Sutton, Morgan Morris, Matthew Aubrey, Tiaan Thomas Wheeler, Joe Hawkins.
Sale Sharks: Simon Hammersley, Tom Roebuck, Robert du Preez, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Arron Reed, AJ Macginty, Raffi Quirke, Bevan Rodd, Ewan Ashman, Nick Schonert, Jean-Luc du Preez, Lood de Jager, Jono Ross (capt), Ben Curry, Daniel du Preez.
Replacements: Curtis Langdon, Ross Harrison, Coenie Oosthuizen, JP du Preez, Tom Curry, Will Cliff, Sam James, Jack Metcalf.
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