Ospreys v Scarlets

[TRF_Cymro]

Venue: Liberty Stadium
Date: Sunday, 26 December
Kick-off: 1610 GMT
TV: Live on S4C

The Ospreys will be without Wales pair Lee Byrne and Shane Williams for their west Wales Magners league derby against the Scarlets on Boxing Day.

Wing Williams (shoulder) and full-back Byrne (thumb) and out for the sell-out Liberty Stadium showdown.

The Scarlets hope captain Matthew Rees, Wales team-mate Jonathan Davies and Aussie back-rower David Lyons are fit.

Centre Davies is back in training after an ankle injury while Rees (groin) and Lyons (shoulder) face fitness tests.

The Ospreys are confident the festive fixture will be a sell-out as Scott Johnson's team bid to extend their winning run against their closest rivals to six games.

The Welsh regions prepare for their Boxing Day bonanza following positive results in the Heineken Cup as both are hopeful of qualifying for the knock-out stages in Europe.

The Scarlets are second in the Magners League and have won four of their last five away games while the fourth-placed Ospreys have lost just once at home this term - also against Welsh rivals in a 21-16 defeat by the Dragons.

So as the Magners League top two try-scorers collide, Ospreys coach Sean Holley admits the Scarlets are the "form team."

"They are on fire in terms of their attacking game," said Holley.

"They have young talent full of exuberance and they are going to come up against a pretty physical and determined Ospreys outfit who have a very proud home record.

"It will be a clash of two form Welsh team and it will be a real cracker and this time of year brings out the best in both the fans and players alike so we can expect a good contest.

"I know we have enjoyed the upper hand in recent games against them but the Scarlets are playing well, with a lot of confidence, bringing some players through are in a rich vein of form and scoring a lot of tries.

"The Scarlets always challenge us at the Liberty Stadium and raise their game to play us so with a 20,000 full house it should be a great occasion."

The Magners League champions, who have lost just one of their last seven league games, have only lost twice at the Liberty Stadium to the Scarlets.

But the Llanelli region are without Wales internationals fly-half Stephen Jones (knee) and wing George North (shoulder) as well as their three frontline tight-head props.

Peter Edwards, Deacon Manu (both broken arms) and Rhys Thomas (broken leg) are out as is wing Andy Fenby (groin), second row Lou Reed (leg) and flanker Dafydd Jones (shoulder).

"With the current number of internationals in their squad and the fact they are playing at home will make them firm favourites," said Scarlets coach Nigel Davies.

"But I think that is irrelevant in a local derby."

The sub-plot to this local derby is the personal duels between international rivals as Wales' number one hooker Rees is set to go toe-to-toe with his Welsh deputy Richard Hibbard.

And Dan Biggar and Rhys Priestland will go head-to-head in the battle of number tens that are next in line to Wales regular Stephen Jones.

Ospreys: tbc

Scarlets: tbc

Referee: James Jones (WRU). :lol:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9308965.stm​

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Game Off: The Ospreys say that the under-soil heating in Swansea has kept the pitch in a suitable condition.

But health and safety issues regarding the lack of running water in the stands means the game was postponed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9308965.stm

 

[TVH11]

extremely disappointed with this postponement Don't get how lack of running water can call a game of rugby.... "health and safety is destroying the workforce" (in the wise words of my grandad ). Not sure when this will actually get played, but theres defo gonna be a few p'd off people in swansea today. Ah well, Saracens vs Wasps it is then

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sonny Toi Parker said theyre trying to get it on for tomorrow
No running water = no toilets etc.
Guess they dont want people pooing in the stands

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Apparently that's unlikely as Swansea City have a game and there has to be at least 28 hours between matches at the Liberty (No clue why). The Ospreys managment are supposedly hoping to get the Swans' game pushed back a few hours, but it looks unlikely.

 

[TVH11]

yer there will be enough s!it in the stadium with all those turks so i guess it was for the best
anyways hope that'll go ahead 2morro I need my fix of rugby

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I had a look at the Scarlet Fever forums earlier. They where mad. They're loving it, as they take any excuse to slag off the Ospreys. They couldn't shut up about their Christmas Party that saw one in hospital and a punch up.

 

[TVH11]

Haven't been on the O's forum in a while, but i'm sure its exactly the same on their about the turks. Gonna have it, gotta Love local rivalry Lets hope for a re schedule match 2morro (if thats all true)

 

[Draggs]

Shame that. Forced me to watch the full Wasps match.
At least the fallout will be entertaining.

Llanelli RFC are playing Neath at the Parc tomorrow, imagine that for a double header if they decided to do it.

 

[cyRil]

Game is on tomorrow at 16.10.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Frozen pipes at the Liberty Stadium caused the last-minute postponement of the Ospreys' derby against the Scarlets from Sunday to Monday (1610 GMT).

The Ospreys say that the under-soil heating in Swansea has kept the pitch in a suitable condition.

But health and safety issues regarding the lack of running water in the stands meant that the game was delayed a day.

All tickets for the original fixture remain valid and the Magners League clash will be shown on S4C.

But the Scarlets have expressed their disappointment on behalf of their supporters for the way the issue has played out and that - at the time they issued their statement - there was not a refund policy in place.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9308965.stm

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Load of the Scarlets players well peed off on twitter (G Maule especially)
Know a guy who works in the liberty who aint too happy, tomorrow was supposed to be his only day off (except christmas day) since term ended

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

http://www.scarlets.co.uk/eng/news/3399.php

Ouch.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Good compromise at least the game is going ahead. More shambolic dealings for the Hairsprays tho!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hope the Scarlets give them a kicking

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Hope the Scarlets give them a kicking

Today is the day I only support the Turks ... :lol:

 

[cyRil]

******* pricks!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

******* pricks!!

That's why we want Scarlets to hammer them, the ****s

 

[cyRil]

I'm glad Sale got dicked!!!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Hahaha defensive are we cyRil