RaboDirect Pro 12 Round 3

[dullonien]

That ESPN team is laughable. Looks like they only watched the Premiership games, then realised that and randomly threw in some Pro12 players. Ferris is usually a good shout at 6, and he had an impact on the weekend, but not enough to be the form 6 of the weekend surely. Jarvis being there is the biggest joke. Not all that sure about Court either. Again he had an impact, but against a very young tighthead in Joe Rees.

Whilst there's a possibility that Bevington only looks good with Adam at 3, I don't think I believe it. He's looked more than capable in all of his other games in previous seasons, and not all of them have been with Adam at 3, especially some of his caps with Wales. Jarvis is an ok backup to have, he's not as bad a scrummager as some tightheads in the Pro12, but he's far from good, and Adam Jones will highlight that when he returns. I feel that this situation is similar to Gethin Jenkins looking bad at the end of last season, its difficult for a looshead to hold his side of the scrum when the tighthead is struggling, which in turn puts the hooker under pressure from the tightead side.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ugh, once again, Sexton is the best 10 in the Northern Hemisphere. Let's not move him out of there to a position in which he has about 80 minutes combined experience in, mostly against tiring teams shall we?

I am open to the idea of Mads at 12 though. Admittedly the argument that he doesn't have much experience there still holds, but I'd be far more in favour of putting him at 12 than moving Sexton out of his best position to accommodate him. It is somewhat similar to when Gordon D'arcy came on the scene. He was obviously a 13, but was moved to 12 so as to allow our best back, one Brian O'Driscoll, to continue to play in his favoured position. Sexton is now our best back, let's keep him there.

 

[Draggs]

Ugh, once again, Sexton is the best 10 in the Northern Hemisphere. Let's not move him out of there to a position in which he has about 80 minutes combined experience in, mostly against tiring teams shall we?

Oh no he's not!

.

 

[dullonien]

Ugh, once again, Sexton is the best 10 in the Northern Hemisphere. Let's not move him out of there to a position in which he has about 80 minutes combined experience in, mostly against tiring teams shall we?

Completely agree. Sexton has to be retained at 10. Why is there a need to force Madigan into the team, just let him develop as a backup player on the bench for the big games, and play him when Sexton needs resting.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Completely agree. Sexton has to be retained at 10. Why is there a need to force Madigan into the team, just let him develop as a backup player on the bench for the big games, and play him when Sexton needs resting.

Well yes, that'd be my preference. Madigan is just the kind of player you want to be able to bring on, very high impact. Sort of similar to Aaron Cruden in many ways. Being able to bring him on with 20 minutes left if you're a few points behind is a nice position to be in.

The fuss really stems from our lack of options at 12 (and that goes for the international team too.) If you have a serious lack of talent at 12 and two very good players at 10, it's only natural to want to try and shoehorn one of them into inside centre.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

edinburgh for the win

 

[big ginger 8]

Ulster Munster game really sparked to life there. Glad to see Payne being able to showcase his talent this season.

 

[SelimNiai]

Ospreys utter garbage so far. 15-0 down, the second try was awful. Webb, as he passes from the back of a ruck knocks it against a stray Osprey foot and loses posession, he stops to ***** to the ref and Glasgow stroll over, pick up the ball and score.

 

[big ginger 8]

Try Earls.

9-16 at half time O'Dea was quite good before being forced off and despite what Hook is saying I think Keatley has been preety good and controlling the game well. For Ulster Payne's been the stand-out.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Who needs the Heineken Cup. That was a class match.

Siting for DOC 2.0 for the punch/push in the face on Trimble during the fracas.

 

[Peat]

Some game. I'll be sitting here like the nervous wreck I am for a while. Munster boys, very unlucky, but YEEAAAH!

 

[dullonien]

Well, bloody hell, a horror show from the Ospreys yet again. Nothing is working for them out there. Until Alun-Wyn came on, none of the forwards were making ground with ball in hand, and I don't think the backline completed more than a few passes before getting confused and making a mistake. It just looks like they haven't seen each other since the end of last season.

WFT was Webb doing. For that I'd send him back to play for his prem club for a good few weeks. He's been utter garbage anyway. I thought Morgan was a problem last week, but not much improvement this week with Biggar, although Morgan was utter tosh after coming on anyway.

Glawgow had to do bugger all to get that win, nor did Ulster last week. That should be setting alarm bells ringing, because I don't see where the improvement is going to come from. Adam Jones in the scrum, and Ryan Jones' general all round game will add a lot, but there's no-one to come into the faltering backline. Problem is, even Beck joined in on the mistake spree today.

Scarlets and Munster will give them right dickings if they don't start getting the basics right and playing some rugby.

So that's any new fan they might have attracted with their end of season form scared away, and a good few regulars will have gotten fed up by now. It looked like Tandy had turned them around, but the first few games have been as bad as I've seen from the Ospreys. They're frustrating to watch, clueless in attack, and make more mistakes than O'Gara in a headband. I wouldn't pay to watch this s**t! Scarlets supporters might be queuing round the street to possibly see the Ospreys smashed into next week......

 

[big ginger 8]

Think Jackson really grew into the game glad to seenthat he's obviously worked on his place kicking. Another player whos gone up in my estimation is Stevenson I'm not saying international or anything just that he's improved. Think L. Marshall thinks he's a lot bigger than he actually is.

RO'G was really poor when he came on.

 

[Tribesmen-ce-123]

ROG was terrible in his 20 minute run today. Threw two absolutely terrible passes that messed up Munster chances, and was running around like a headless chicken during the last play fo the game where he had a couple of chances at drop goal. He just looks like a man who isnt able to pull the trigger anymore.

I might be exaggerating here, its his first proper game back this year, and he probably hadn't adjusted to the tempo or the pace of the game when he came on. Still he was far poorer than you would have expected him to be.

 

[LittleGuy]

Van De Merwe back in form for Glasgow with the two tries was a shame he missed so much time last year....Zebre looking awful as expected.

 

[Feicarsinn]

ROG was terrible in his 20 minute run today. Threw two absolutely terrible passes that messed up Munster chances, and was running around like a headless chicken during the last play fo the game where he had a couple of chances at drop goal. He just looks like a man who isnt able to pull the trigger anymore.

I might be exaggerating here, its his first proper game back this year, and he probably hadn't adjusted to the tempo or the pace of the game when he came on. Still he was far poorer than you would have expected him to be.

Well, perhaps. But bear in mind that he was absolutely muck at the tail end of last season. Personally I don't see Penney having much time for him in the new Munster.

 

[Tribesmen-ce-123]

Well, perhaps. But bear in mind that he was absolutely muck at the tail end of last season. Personally I don't see Penney having much time for him in the new Munster.

If ROG keeps playing like that I cant say that ill disagree with Penney if he doesn't rely on him. Don't know what George Hook was on about in the analysis either, I thought Ian Keatley had a very good game, solid with the boot, two good drop goals and a few try saving tackle's. Think its time for him to take the reign's at No 10 right about now.

 

[coonor]

Finally a proper hard core, down to the line inter pro! Even the fight at the end Atleast showed the passion. Munster looked great in the contact area. What happened to DOC over the summer? He's come back looking much hungrier and far more professional. Keatley seems to be running things well, Laulala has given the Munster backline a greater dimension, O'Dea seems to be a serious player and with Earls coming on and looking very strong and Zebo to return, it seems like Munster have good options at wing. Varley was impressive at the breakdown especially in the first half and Kilcoyne may have some potential.

On to Ulster, they made it difficult but what a win! Will give them so much confidence. Some great play from Luke Marshal, he has a great depth of skills. Allen seems to have really come onto the scene and made a name for himself. Payne looks to be fitting back into the outfit and bringing his striking pace and power into the game. Jackson seems to have grown so much following the H-Cup final. He had an outstanding game today. He was creative and crisp in attack, kicked with precision, defended well and read the game effectively. Still much to work on, the breakdown was messy and control of line outs and scrums was poor but the signs are good!

 

[Tribesmen-ce-123]

The Ospreys were awful, one of the worst performances I have seen from them. Rhys Webb was especially rubbish (that pass and then complaining to the referee about his own error and then getting needlessly sin binned). No players can come out of this game with credit, unfortunately it seems Dan Biggar is regaining some old habits and the outside backs looked clueless.

Going to be a hard Heineken Cup campaign with both Toulouse and Leicester in the group if the Ospreys keep playing like that.

Cant see them competing for any major club honour's this year tbh, they have a really tough pool group this year as you said, and have already done their chances at making the rabo playoff's a lot of harm already by losing their first three games, and another possible loss against a on form scarlet's coming up.

 

[BZHopenside]

Maybe they're trying to pull an Edinburgh, failing miserably in the Pro12 while knocking people's socks off in H-Cup.