Guinness Pro 12 2014/15: Round 1

[DuncTheDoodle]

Ospreys: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, Andrew Bishop, Josh Matavesi, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Aaron Jarvis, Lloyd Peers (capt), Rynier Bernardo, Joe Bearman, James King, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Duncan Jones, Daniel Suter, Tyler Ardron, Morgan Allen, Martin Roberts, Sam Davies, Hanno Dirksen.


Treviso: Simone Ragusi; Ludovico Nitoglia, Luca Morisi, Sam Christie, Michele Campagnaro; Joe Carlisle, James Ambrosini; Matteo Muccignat, Davide Giazzon, Rupert Harden, Marco Fuser, Corniel Van Zyl (capt), Meyer Swanepoel, Tomas Vallejos Cinalli, Leo Auva'a.
Replacements: Giovanni Maistri, Salesi Manu, Matteo Zanusso, Marco Lazzaroni, Mat Luamanu, Marco Barbini, Angelo Esposito, Henry Seniloli.

Come on then. Treviso, first game of the season, just like every year in every competition. I'm just hoping we'll buck at least one trend win convincingly rather than be leading an extremely mediocre game for fifty minutes then watch as everything falls apart and we slip behind to lose.

 

[munstermuffin]

Three debutants in Buckley, O'Byrne and Smith.

Munster: Ronan O'Mahony; Andrew Conway, Johne Murphy, Andrew Smith, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; John Ryan, Kevin O'Byrne, BJ Botha; Donncha O'Callaghan Capt., Billy Holland, CJ Stander, Sean Dougall, Shane Buckley. Replacements: Duncan Casey, Alan Cotter, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Tommy O'Donnell, Cathal Sheridan, Johnny Holland, Ivan Dineen.

On 3 debutants.
Buckley a good unit but literally can be great or awful. Still young but only in due to Copeland taking a knock.
O'Byrne young and with Casey just getting back and rest injured it all we got.
Smith will be handy at this level.
Conway is flying it in training and has been our best back in training. I'd go as far as saying Earls and Zebo will feel heat and need to perform. As well as Jones as Zebo can go 15

 

[Bluemoon]

You feel Glasgow are going to have to play at home in the final if they are going to win it. They just can't seem to get the important wins away from home. They need this win early on if they are really thinking of winning it.

I am interested in seeing how all the Welsh regions do this week, but I am most interested to see the Ospreys. It'll be good to see what the new-ish look Ospreys have to offer, considering the changes to their squad. Must win game for the Cardiff Blues after last years back to back loss to the basement team that had never won in the league...

I'm going for Glasgow, Munster, Ospreys, Connacht, Cardiff Blues and Ulster this week.

 

[lynam1104]

Leinster team named:
15. Zane Kirchner
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Brendan Macken
12. Noel Reid
11. Darragh Fanning
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Isaac Boss
1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Ben Marshall
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Dominic Ryan
7. Shane Jennings
8. Sean O'Brien CAPTAIN

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Jack McGrath
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Tom Denton
20. Kevin McLaughlin
21. Luke McGrath
22. Ian Madigan
23. Mick McGrath

Gotta say pretty happy with that for a first game of the season. Hope to see plenty McGrath and Dom Ryan this season.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I'd much prefer to see McGrath in Boss' place, but I guess you can't have everything.

The front five looks a serious unit. That's an international starting front row, with great replacements for the two props to come off the bench. It's also nice to see Ben Marsahll given a chance in the second row after what must have been a frustrating season last year.

I want to see how that midfield goes. Reid has come on so much in the last 18 months, while this season represents something of a last chance saloon for Macken. Hopefully the boys can deliver. Anyone know what the story is with SCM? Would have thought he'd at least be in the 23.

Anyway, delighted that rugby is back. Bring it on ****as.

 

[Peat]

I am seriously pumped about this.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Scarlets, Guinness PRO12, Parc Y Scarlets, Saturday 6th September (kick off 14:40): (15-9) L Ludik, M Allen, J Payne, S Olding, C Gilroy, I Humphreys, P Marshall; (1-9); C Black, R Herring, W Herbst, D Tuohy, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Henry, R Wilson (C); Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, D Fitzpatrick, L Stevenson, N Williams, M Heaney, L Marshall, A Trimble.

While slightly disappointed that the rumour about Warwick starting isn't true, it's a tidy team, and stronger than I was expecting. If the chuckle brothers can keep their sheeeeit together, we'll make a game of it at least I think. That backline has some pretty pimp swagger (even the Chuckle brothers if in form). Slight danger than babysitting iHumph might keep the back row too busy to really hit the breakdown.

Leinster team named:
17. Jack McGrath
21. Luke McGrath
23. Mick McGrath

Gotta say pretty happy with that for a first game of the season. Hope to see plenty McGrath and Dom Ryan this season.

Which one?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Glasgow Warriors team for tomorrow
15. Peter Murchie
14. Tommy Seymour
13. Mark Bennett
12. Alex Dunbar
11. Lee Jones
10. Peter Horne
9. Henry Pyrgos
1. Alex Allan
2. Fraser Brown
3. Euan Murray
4. Leone Nakarawa
5. Jonny Gray
6. Rob Harley
7. Chris Fusaro
8. Josh Strauss (Captain)
Replacements
16. Pat MacArthur
17. Gordon Reid
18. Rossouw de Klerk
19. Tim Swinson
20. Adam Ashe
21. Niko Matawalu
22. Stuart Hogg
23. Sean Lamont

i'm really surprised that glasgow have decided to play no natural 10's against a team which beat them in the final last year

 

[lynam1104]

Which one?

Ha fair enough, I meant Luke. Never even heard of McGrath.

Also Scotty I understood that all of Glasgow's 10's are injured.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

are you sure, ?

 

[big ginger 8]

Delighted people were fretting about Olding going off for nothing. Hopefully he can return to tearing **** up. Apparently he's bulked up a lot and tbh I'm not sure how happy I am about that.

Ha fair enough, I meant Luke. Never even heard of McGrath.

Also Scotty I understood that all of Glasgow's 10's are injured.

Mick McGrath is a 23 year old winger who plays for Clontarf and was the top scorer in the AIL last season. He's only 5'11" but 110kg so definitely brings physicality. Haven't seen too much of him but from what I understand he's a real threat with ball in hand but defense and hands may not be up to it.

 

[Peat]

Delighted people were fretting about Olding going off for nothing. Hopefully he can return to tearing **** up. Apparently he's bulked up a lot and tbh I'm not sure how happy I am about that.

So far people saying it's not affected his agility. Will believe it when I see it, but if its true, happy days. Tbh he was never really staying in the centres at his current weight in the modern age.

Disappointed that Scholes hasn't got a place now I think about it, but he might be injured as well.

 

[munstermuffin]

Delighted people were fretting about Olding going off for nothing. Hopefully he can return to tearing **** up. Apparently he's bulked up a lot and tbh I'm not sure how happy I am about that.



Mick McGrath is a 23 year old winger who plays for Clontarf and was the top scorer in the AIL last season. He's only 5'11" but 110kg so definitely brings physicality. Haven't seen too much of him but from what I understand he's a real threat with ball in hand but defense and hands may not be up to it.

Saw him in few AIL games last year. He is a player who will really fancy breaking in to 23 by Jan/Feb.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

What a shoite match, real season opener stuff here!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

great win for edinburgh, looking good hope that we continue this winning streak

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Munster's half backs were awful and their game aimless. Shameful to lose to Embra at home really.

 

[Thingimubob]

great win for edinburgh, looking good hope that we continue this winning streak

Is it a streak if it's just the first game? Excellent win anyway!

Ospreys won convincingly, but not so sure if their performance was all that convincing. Just didn't seem to be able to straighten up and draw the defenders in, which meant they wasted the majority of overlaps they created. Their pack was pretty powerful, so their tries came mostly via them/their work.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

kinda predicted to be honest i was expecting the ospreys to win and strongly too

 

[Thingimubob]

kinda predicted to be honest i was expecting the ospreys to win and strongly too

Treviso are pretty all over the place at the moment, with practically a completely new squad, so definitely not a surprising result. A better performance would've put a few more tries on them, so could get much much worse for Treviso in the coming weeks.

 

[munstermuffin]

A lot were found wanting in Munster game. Deserved to loose but our attitude and the decision making on the field and up in the stands was desperate. Could be a shaky season.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Treviso are pretty all over the place at the moment, with practically a completely new squad, so definitely not a surprising result. A better performance would've put a few more tries on them, so could get much much worse for Treviso in the coming weeks.

yeah they sold alot off players for this season especially they're only good players like Di Bernardo, Berquist, De Marchi, McLean etc. and bought no-one who has the spark they dont look good at all atm i can only see them go down atm