Chris William Smith gets us under way and for a glorious two hours or so, we can all focus on Ospreys playing rugby and not off-field matters.

Well, mostly anyway.

Ospreys head coach, Mark Jones speaking to S4C - "We've prepped as well as we can be under the circumstances, but once we got back on the field the atmosphere was good.

'It’s pretty open with everyone with what’s been going on, there’s going to be an update in the coming weeks which will help with some of the confusion around the statements.

'There’s been some voids in statements but we need to put it one side and wait to see what develops."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

For his part, Ivan van Rooyen didn't even pretend to be oblivious to the current noise around the game in Wales, but did warn his side to be braced for both Ospreys passion and the weather.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in Welsh rugby at the moment,” he said.

“I think everybody wants to fight and put their best foot forward. They’ll be an absolutely hungry side and will want to make a statement.

”The Ospreys understand the weather and are playing at home. It’s colder, wet and windy. We haven’t played on the pitch before, so conditions are obviously more difficult and different. But they are a quality side.”

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

There hasn't been much opportunity for Mark Jones to talk about actual on-field rugby this week, but he has vowed his side will give everything to lift fans amid a harrowing few days.

Ahead of what promises to be an emotionally charged occasion, he said this week: "I'm confident that on Friday night, the Ospreys supporters will see a group of men and women working on behalf of the Ospreys trying to get a result.

"Hopefully they'll be proud of the effort they're seeing from the group."

Given the stormy week we've had in Welsh rugby, it's perhaps apt we have strong winds and rain in full flow here ahead of kick-off.

When Ivan van Rooyen warned it would be "wet and windy" here tonight, he'd clearly checked the forecast. This could be one for the purists.

Image source, Getty Images

A big week in the Edogbo household gets even bigger tonight. After Edwin was called into Ireland's Six Nations squad by Andy Farrell, younger brother Sean makes his senior debut for Munster against Dragons at Musgrave Park.

The southern province come into the game off four straight losses with boss Clayton McMillan making eight changes from the side that were beaten by Castres to fall into the Challenge Cup last weekend.

The visitors to Musgrave Park arrive in Cork at full strength with Wales pair Aaron Wainwright and lock Ben Carter both included after their own Six Nations call-ups.

Munster: Haley; Abrahams, Kelly, Nankivell, Daly; Hanrahan, Coughlan; Loughman, D Barron (C), Ala'alatoa, Kleyn, F Wycherley, S Edogbo, Quinn, Gleeson.

Replacements: L Barron, J Wycherley, Jager, O'Connell, Coombes, Patterson, Butler, Kilgallen.

Dragons: O'Brien; Richards, Inisi, Owen, Dyer; de Beer, Hope; Martinez, Coghlan, Hunt, Douglas, Carter, Keddie, Beddall, Wainwright.

Replacements: Burrows, Morris, Dlamini, S Davies, Lewis-Hughes, R Williams, Ackerman, C Evans.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Away from the Y11 saga, another significant announcement was made today with Liam Williams confirming he was retiring from international rugby.

The 34-year-old, who won 91 caps for Wales and played in five Test matches for the British and Irish Lions, said: "I step away from international rugby with no regrets, only pride and gratitude for the opportunity given to me. Diolch."

One of his country's best ever? Surely has to be up there.

Gareth Griffiths
BBC Sport Wales at the Brewery Field, Bridgend

What a week the Ospreys players, coaches, staff and and supporters have had.

We wait to see the reaction of the squad and the fans to the events of the past few days.

This feels like more than just a URC league game for the hosts. This is a chance to prove themselves to the rugby public.

Whether they are in the right frame of mind, with preparations affected this week, remains to be seen.

Look out for the protest of the Ospreys' fans putting their phone lights on at 11 minutes to aim their ire against owners Y11 Sport and Media and the Welsh Rugby Union.

The outcome in Bridgend tonight won't exactly be affecting the title race, but it could pivotal to the ambitions of both sides to secure a top-eight finish.

The Lions lie seventh on 21 points, with their hosts two places - and three points - behind them. Ospreys however, have played a game more so really need a win tonight to keep pace with the South Africans.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Keiran Williams won't be the only player reaching a milestone tonight. Opposite him in midfield, Lions centre Henco van Wyk will reach 50 appearances.

Head coach Ivan van Rooyen has also mirrored Mark Jones in making wholesale changes from the side that drew 20-20 with Perpignan last Saturday.

The entire front row is altered with SJ Kotze, PJ Botha and Springbok Asenathi Ntlabakanye combining.

Another South African international, Morne van den Berg, starts at scrum-half alongside fly-half Chris William Smith.

Johannesburg Lions: Horn; Davids, van Wyk, Mills, R Kriel; M van den Berg, Smith; Kotze, PJ Botha, Ntlabakanye, Schoeman, Nothnagel, R du Plessis, Hlekani, F Horn (capt).

Replacements: Brandon, RF Schoeman, C van Vuuren, E Oosthuizen, Landsberg, Cairns, Pead, E Cronje.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Mark Jones clearly opted to rotate his squad for the defeat to Montpellier last week, but there is no hint of resting his big guns tonight.

Wales captain Dewi Lake is back in the starting XV as one of 10 changes, with fellow internationals Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy, James Ratti and Harri Deaves also returning alongside Australian lock Ryan Smith.

It's also set to be a landmark game for centre Keiran Williams who becomes Ospreys' latest centurion.

Only wing Daniel Kasende, centre Owen Watkin, prop Steffan Thomas, lock Rhys Davies and number eight Morgan Morris keep their starting spots.

Ospreys: Hopkins; Kasende, Watkin, K Williams, Giles; Edwards, Hardy; S Thomas, Lake (capt), Botha, R Davies, R Smith, Ratti, Deaves, Morgan.

Replacements: L Lewis, C Jones, Hire, L Jones, Moriarty, Morse, Morgan-Williams, Cokanasiga.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Welcome to round 10 of the United Rugby Championship (URC) where tonight's action features Edinburgh v Bulls, Munster v Dragons, and Ospreys v Lions.

We'll be live from the Brewery Field, with regular updates from elsewhere, after a week where Welsh rugby has been plagued by turbulence, division, and anger.

For those on another planet, the WRU confirmed that Ospreys owners, Y11 Sport and Media, have been chosen as the preferred option to buy Cardiff - a deal that threatens the very existence of the west Walian side.

To say the fallout has been heated would be a ludicrous understatement. Ospreys players broke rank to release a joint statement, and reports of walk-outs in meetings and cancelled training sessions followed. Swansea council have threatened legal action, while rival fans have united in savagely criticising the WRU on social media.

Amid it all, head coach Mark Jones has had to negotiate a six-day turnaround and name a side for a crucial home fixture.

So let's take a breath and look at the teams.