Tonight's rugby news as Wales star to say goodbye and skipper to make first start in five months

Here are your rugby evening headlines for Friday, March 17.

Wales star makes first start in five months

Wales' Rugby World Cup co-captain Jac Morgan will make his first start for five months as the Ospreys host the Dragons in a crucial United Rugby Championship clash tomorrow.

The 24-year-old missed the Six Nations after undergoing knee surgery but his return will come as a big boost to Warren Gatland ahead of Wales' summer internationals against South Africa and Australia (twice).

Wales loosehead Nicky Smith will also sign off at home for the Ospreys ahead of his move to Leicester Tigers, but there's little room for sentimentality as Toby Booth's side seek to keep their play-off hopes alive.

With just two regular season fixtures remaining the Ospreys must win both and hope other results go their way if they are to reach the URC play-offs, while they will win the Welsh Shield if they beat the Dragons.

The Dragons welcome back second-row Ben Carter from suspension following his red card against Connacht while Wales backrower Taine Basham returns to the starting XV. Wales U20s flanker Ryan Woodman also returns from a long-term thumb injury and takes his place on the replacements bench.

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“We have been competitive in our effort and performances this season and we’ll be striving for that level in this game," said Ospreys head coach Booth. “Not only is this week a Welsh derby, it’s an opportunity to put ourselves in the best position we can to qualify for the play-offs.

“I think it would be a huge achievement for us to make the play-offs and we are still in with an opportunity to do that with two games to go. We are still alive."

Elsewhere, Josh Adams returns from injury to start for Cardiff against a much changed Sharks side in Durban. The Sharks have sent their strongest side to London early to prepare for next Friday's Challenge Cup final against Gloucester at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Adams is one of nine changes to the Cardiff side which lost to the Lions last weekend with centres Rey Lee-Lo and Willis Halaholo returning, along with scrum-half Ellis Bevan. Corey Domachowski, Liam Belcher, Rhys Litterick, Shane Lewis-Hughes and Alun Lawrence have also been elevated to the starting XV.

Ben Thomas has been moved to outside-half from the centre with Tinus de Beer dropping to the replacements bench. "We have changed things up a bit this week to re-energise the group," said Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt.

"It’s always a big physical challenge in South Africa, so we have rotated some of the pack, while Willis, Rey and Josh Adams provide real experience to the back line. It is a big challenge for us but we are determined to finish our season in positive fashion.

"We have two games left where we can give a good last impression and I have no doubt the boys will give their everything come kick-off.”

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Luke Morgan, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Huw Sutton, Jac Morgan, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris. Replacements: Sam Parry, Gareth Thomas, Rhys Henry, Victor Sekekete, Harri Deaves, Luke Davies, Max Nagy, Tom Florence.

Dragons: Ewan Rosser; Rio Dyer, Steff Hughes (capt), Aneurin Owen, Chris Hollis; Will Reed, Dane Blacker; Rhodri Jones, Elliot Dee, Chris Coleman, Ben Carter, Matthew Screech, Harri Keddie, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright. Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Rodrigo Martinez, Dmitri Arhip, Sean Lonsdale, Ryan Woodman, Morgan Lloyd, Joe Westwood, Sio Tomkinson.

Cardiff: Cameron Winnett; Josh Adams, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Gabriel Hamer-Webb; Ben Thomas, Ellis Bevan; Corey Domachowski, Liam Belcher (capt), Rhys Litterick, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Rory Thornton, Ben Donnell, James Botham, Alun Lawrence. Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Rhys Carre, Keiron Assiratti, Seb Davies, Mackenzie Martin, Tinus de Beer, Jacob Beetham, Mason Grady.

Defining weekend in the English Premiership

This weekend is the final regular round of Gallagher Premiership fixtures when the play-off places will be decided.

Bath host Northampton Saints at the Rec tomorrow needing only a single point to secure a place in the play-offs for the first time in four years. But they face a formidable Northampton side who thrashed Gloucester 90-0 last weekend and have already secured a home semi-final.

Wales internationals Dillon Lewis and Jarrod Evans have to make do with a place on the replacements bench as Harlequins face Bristol Bears at the Twickenham Stoop. Harlequins are in sixth position but a win would give them a decent chance of reaching the play-offs.

Seventh-placed Bristol also retain a mathematical chance of reaching the last four but they need to beat Harlequins by at least seven points while they also need both Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs to lose, although Pat Lam's side do have a superior points difference.

Wales international Callum Sheedy starts at outside-half for Bristol in what could be his final appearance for the English club before he returns home to Cardiff. There is also a strong Welsh contingent in the Exeter Chiefs side who must beat at the very least beat Leicester Tigers, if not with a bonus point, to jump into the top four.

Exeter are captained by Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins while Dan John starts at full-back with Christ Tshiunza on the replacements bench. Second placed Saracens against Sale Sharks who are fourth is also a huge match with Wales centre Nick Tompkins starting for the champions and Aled Davies on the bench.

All Blacks fly-half saves Chiefs

All Blacks superstar Damian McKenzie saved the Chiefs as he nailed a last-gasp penalty to secure a 26-23 victory over Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby Pacific. McKenzie kicked 16 points for the third placed Chiefs and appears to be the clear front runner to wear the All Blacks number 10 shirt in the Rugby Championship following Richie Mo'unga's move to Japan.

Tupou Vaa’i and Samisoni Taukei’aho scored tries for the Chiefs while Lachie Anderson (twice) and Glen Vaihu touched down for the Rebels. The Hurricanes cemented their place at the top of the table with a 32-24 victory over Stephen Jones' Moana Pasifika in Wellington.

Raymon Tuputupu, Siale Lauaki, Richard Judd and Peter Lakai scored the Hurricanes' tries in a keenly contested affair while Sione Mafileo, Abraham Pole, Fine Inisi and Alamanda Motuga touched down for Moana Pasifika.

Long-serving centre leaves Saracens after Welsh spell

Experienced centre Dom Morris, who is currently on loan at the Ospreys, will leave Saracens at the end of the season.

The 26-year-old is one of seven players leaving the English champions at the end of the season with the likes of Owen Farrell, Billy and Mako Vunipola, Alex Lewington, Ben Harris and Ollie Stonham also heading for the exit door. It is unclear whether the Ospreys would be interested in retaining Morris beyond this current season given he is no longer a Saracens player.

"I’ve made lifelong friends, memories and genuinely feel like I’ve grown from a boy to a man at this club having played here since the age of 15," Morris told the Saracens website. "Never in a million years did I think I’d put on the Saracens jersey, the team I grew up supporting, once, let alone be apart of this team for the last nine years."