When Ospreys last came to Bridgend n New Year's Day it was an absolute mud bath... but they still managed to win!

Same again?

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Ospreys captain Justin Tipuric says he will continue playing as long as he is enjoying his rugby.

Tipuric, 34, will lead his side against Sale in the European Challenge Cup last-16 match in Bridgend on Saturday evening.

The flanker retired from international rugby in May 2023 after winning 93 Wales caps.

"When the enjoyment goes, I won't be hanging around for the sake of it," said Tipuric.

"It takes a little bit longer to recover sometimes, but the mind still feels like a young boy.

"The main thing I've always said is I want to enjoy it, that's the one thing with the group of players and the staff here, they make it fun.

"The youngsters make sure to tell me how old I am. They're good kids and there is quality coming through.

"Funnily enough, I was shown a picture of one of the boys, he was attending a Wales game which I played in, he was 10 years old. That felt weird."

Gareth Griffiths
BBC Sport Wales at the Brewery Field

It was hammering down a while ago but it is drying up now. There is a howling wind driving down the pitch that will affect the game.

It is quite raucous here at the moment as we wait to see how many pack into this old ground.

The Sale squad have had a few huddles as they aim to silence the crown when the game starts.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth insists they have not moved the game to disrupt Sale.

"They will be fine with it, this has nothing to do with Sale," said Booth.

"It's more to do with the experiences we have had with the group. There could be an argument it suits them more.

"We want to focus on ourselves and I appreciate other coaches and teams thinking we have done it for some master tactical reasoning, but we haven't.

"We have done it because we have a good memory of playing well there, fighting and competing, and in cup rugby that is what you need."

But Sale head coach Alex Sanderson is wary of the venue.

"Taking it back there (to Bridgend) is a smart move for the local fans and they will have everybody behind them," said Sanderson.

"Part of me is apprehensive, those feelings you get before you step into an unknown, not for me but the boys, because it's different down there in Bridgend.

"It's a bit of a cauldron from going from nice stadiums, big changing rooms and good surfaces to something that is going to be quite inhospitable, partisan, dogged, like a proper battle. I am conscious they need to be aware of that."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Ospreys have chosen to stage the game at the smaller Brewery Field, in the first European match to be held in Bridgend since the long defunct Celtic Warriors beat Perpignan 16-15 in January 2004.

The Ospreys' usual home, the Swansea.com Stadium, has a 20,500 capacity and was available to host Sale with football landlords Swansea City playing away this weekend.

Ospreys beat Cardiff 27-21 at the 8,000-capacity Bridgend ground in the URC on 1 January in horrendous conditions.

Chief executive Lance Bradley says the region are looking to move away from the Swansea.com Stadium on a permanent basis, with Bridgend one of three options alongside St Helen's in Swansea and the Gnoll in Neath.

Bradley, who says this game will have no bearing on where the new permanent home stadium will be, indicated Booth and the squad had a say in switching this fixture.

Image source, Getty Images

Only Tom Flaherty, Rob du Preez, Ben Curry and JL du Preez retain their Sale starting places from last Sunday's victory against Exeter.

Elite England players are limited to playing a maximum amount of minutes in a season under an agreement between the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association (RPA) with fly-half Ford being left out of this game.

The absence of Ford, who has established himself as England's first-choice number 10, sees Rob du Preez switched from centre to fly-half for Sale in Bridgend. Manu Tuilagi and England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie have also been left out for the trip to south Wales.

"We have to rest George [Ford] and there is some tactical rotation that is going in place," said Sanderson.

"We believe we have a strong enough team to compete and give ourselves a shot at going through."

Sale: Telusa Veainu; Arron Reed, Sam James, Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, Tom O'Flaherty; Rob du Preez, Raffi Quirke; Ross Harrison, Agustin Creevy, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Ben Bamber, Hyron Andrews, Ben Curry (capt), Sam Dugdale, JL du Preez. 

Replacements:  Tommy Taylor, Simon McIntyre, James Harper, Tom Ellis, Cam Neild, Nye Thomas, Connor Doherty, Alex Wills.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Lock Rhys Davies and Sam Parry are the notable injury absentee for Ospreys as they join fellow Wales internationals Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, George North and Alex Cuthbert on the sidelines.

Hooker Parry was named in the initial side but pulled out with a hamstring injury with Lewis Lloyd starting and new signing from Munster Chris Moore slotting in on the replacements bench.

Flanker Harri Deaves starts with James Ratti moving from the back row to the second row, while centre Keiran Williams replaces the cup-tied Evardi Boshoff and Wales prop Nicky Smith is named as a replacement after recovering from a rib problem.

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Luke Morgan, Keiran Williams, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles; Owen Williams, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Lewis Lloyd, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Harri Deaves, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris.

Replacements: Chris Moore, Nicky Smith, Rhys Henry, Huw Sutton, Morgan Morse, Luke Davies, Dan Edwards, Max Nagy.

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to our coverage of Wales' only remaining side in the European two tournaments as Ospreys host Sale at Bridgend.

It is a windswept Brewery Field that will host the European Challenge Cup last-16 tie as Toby Booth's side hope to make this new home advantage tell.

The winners tonight will be away to Gloucester in the quarter-finals next weekend.

So first, let's have a look at the teams.