Ospreys - Saracens (16/12/2011, 20:00)

[TRF_Olyy]

Liberty Stadium (16/12/2011, 20:00)

Live on Sky Sports​

 

[dullonien]

Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Tommy Bowe, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Shane Williams; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Paul James, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Ian Evans, Ryan Jones, Justin Tipuric (capt), Jonathan Thomas.
Replacements: Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Aaron Jarvis, Joe Bearman, George Stowers, Kahn Fotuali'i, Matthew Morgan, Hanno Dirksen.


Much better balance to the pack with genuine locks in their correct positions. I still don't understand why Ryan Jones is plyed at 6 with Jon Thomas at 8 instead of the other way round. It really makes no sense when they've played most of their careers the other way round! Finally, I feel Bennett should be starting ahead of Hibbard. I quite like Hibbard as a player, but his lineout throwing hasn't been very good of late. I've really started to notice the twitch he maked before throwing the ball, which must make it very easy for opposition jumpers to time their jumps. A genuine lock pairing will hopefully help with the lineout this week though.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Some farcical refereeing once again.

 

[SelimNiai]

He doesnt seem to have a clue, what makes it worse is that his English isn't great so the captains who are trying to find out whats been given and why can't 100% understand. The forwards have been *****ing at each other all game making for a very scrappy and ****ly game.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

This refereee is an idiot.

I'm quite concerned by how **** Stevens is.

 

[SelimNiai]

Think it's the first time I've seen a sinbinning for an early engagement.

I mean the missus wasn't happy but....

:huh:

Speaking of missus's being unhappy, Gough just got punched in the Jehovahs

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Don't you mean ... the cauliflower beanbag?

 

[SelimNiai]

Yeah, them

Cheers for the merger, really dont know why I didn't just add the latter to the first post. Oops

 

[TRF_Cymro]

3rd yellow card ... it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

 

[SelimNiai]

Wont get any from any players or coaches this year based on the last 2 games

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Kelly Brown's yellow card was a shocking decision, think even Biggar said it was not even a trip.

Turning into a little cracking game. Pity Biggar has missed two crucial kicks for the Ospreys.

 

[psychic duck]

the Ospreys could still qualify for the Amlin Cup if that's worth playing for,

I'm starting to think Matthew Morgan deserves to play in the last 2 matches ... Fotuali'i made a good impact ... will the IRB please sort out this scrum mess and make props ditch the slippery shirts

He doesnt seem to have a clue, what makes it worse is that his English isn't great so the captains who are trying to find out whats been given and why can't 100% understand. The forwards have been *****ing at each other all game making for a very scrappy and ****ly game.

at least he's making an effort, that happens all the time to French/Italian teams and the vast majority of referees don't even bother trying

 

[Seaton]

Kelly Brown is in good company, Allan Jacobsen got penalised for taking a blow to the head and thus being unresponsive when the ref old him to roll away :lol:

But it is sad though

 

[TVH11]

Well an extremely powerful defensive effort from the Sarries!!! We didn't have the cutting edge to cause many problems for the Saracens European matches have been poor for us, as usual its been so close, so far. Agree with Mathew Morgan statement, would like to see him actually start games against quality opposition (rather than anglo/welsh games against the "second string" XV's of english sides). Time will tell i guess!

 

[dullonien]

Ospreys were disapointing once again. Some of the forwards had strong games, with Ryan Jones having his best game in years (really should have got motm). Unfortunately I don't think Paul James, Jon Thomas or Tipuric had very strong games atall, whilst Stowers was fairly innefective when he came on (as he has been every time I've seen him in an O's shirt so far). The lineout was a big positive, and goes to show that the management really did get the selection wrong last week.

It was the Ospreys backs that really let them down this week. Webb wasn't great at 9, and this was really hilighted when FFotuali'i came on in the second half. Biggar probably cost the O's the match with two butchered kicks and his charge-down that led to the try. One good pass for Gough's try and a good conversion doesn't change the fact that he had a shocker! Beck was the standout back, and was unlucky not to score at least once. He's shaping-up to be a great all round centre, showing a bit of everything today. He was unlucky when his long kick trickled over the dead-ball line, and that was his only real blemish today. Bishop was again fairly annonumous. I remember him giving one good pass to Beck, and that's it. I feel that Beck could be even more prominent alongside a centre that complimented him a little better. The back three were all a little off, with Bowe making more mistakes than he normally would in an entire season, and Shane not managing to get any real space. Don't think Shanes last pass was forward though.

In the first half I was getting really annoyed by the ref, but he evened things out in the second by giving them two harsh yellows. He really didn't help matters atall, and I feel both sets of fans have reason to be angry with his shocking display.

Sarries came with a simple gameplan, and it worked well. Over the course of both games, they showed that they had done their homework on the Ospreys, as their defense didn't allow the O's to gain any rythm, and we all know that the O's struggle in stop-start games.

Ultimately, it's the same old problems for the Ospreys. When the going get's tough, they end up just short. Very disapointing way for their 6 year, 17 game home record in Europe to come to an end.

 

[gingergenius]

Garces had an absolutely appalling game, ruined the match as a spectator. The only thing going for it was that it was one of the most gnarly games I've ever seen, incredibly physical and a lot of nastiness from the two packs. Adam Jones will be lucky to get away without a citing, I saw him doing numerous cheapshots all game.

Ospreys should be kicking themselves. It's not often you're able to see a rugby team sit back and absorb for an entire match and still win. Incredible performance defensively from Saracens - on the whole disciplined and the work-rate was phenomenal. Brown or Borthwick man of the match today, both put in an obscene amount of work.

Ospreys don't look like they've got many more ideas in attack than 'give it to Shane' or 'inside ball to Bowe'... still, some good young players to look forward to.

 

[coonor]

I really want to see Bowe get away from the Ospreys now, he isn't playing up to his level and like the Ospreys he is starting to stagnate and lose form. I would like to see him come back to Ireland and sign for Munster or Ulster and I think a move to Scarlets wouldn't be a bad move Either if he wants to stay in Wales as they seem the team of the future in Wales.