Benetton Treviso 26 - 26 Ospreys

Draw, fair enough, treviso played really well..

Great last minute kick to Mathew Morgan to draw level...!

I know this is true for most professional clubs/regions/provinces but there's only 3 players who are under 5ft 9"in the whole 76 players from both sqauds. Thats a shocking stat and underlines just how far away from "a game for any shape, any size" we've gone.

True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

maestegmafia wrote:True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

I assume you're talking about men there? I'm 5'9 and above average for women it seems.


Bowe Tommy 27 1.91 m (6' 3") - does that include his inside leg too?

Still plenty of scrum halfs around at 5'9 or less.

What about Castres' Marc Andreu? He's only 5'5.

Cari wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

I assume you're talking about men there? I'm 5'9 and above average for women it seems.

I was talking about mens rugby yes, I don't know much about Girls rugby, though my fourteen year old niece seems to enjoy it down in the New Forrest she is apparently doing very well.

5'9 is a tall height for a women I suppose. Taller than me anyway... When I played a decent sized second row was only 6'2

I'd say any man over 6ft 1 is definately in a minority (I'm 6ft 4in and there's only a few guys bigger than me, but a lot in rugby the same size), but in rugby unless you're around that size and have more muscle than your frame naturally should then you're not going to make it in the game.

It was funny seeing Castres at PyS and they were all huge except for the 15 who looked tiny but must have been about 5ft 7" - but the size of the other players made him look like a midget. (to calls of Oi Shortie every time he had the ball)

Smirnoff - that was probably Andreu he is 5'5.

Thats impressively short. Matthew Morgan is 5'9 or 5'8 and he can look minute on the pitch. Though he is the definition of a skilled lil'un will make a mockery of a decent big'un

Cari wrote:Smirnoff - that was probably Andreu he is 5'5.

I need that facepalm icon desperately!

I didn't even notice your post! DOH

I did like when the Castres No 8 (who was a monster, seriously big) was sin binned and there was a call of "you're not so big anymore" from the crowd.

Maes - I recall Andreu playing for France in the Six Nations - he looked like a nippy little player, getting under everyone's feet

Being bigger in sport isn't just a phenomenon that is special only to rugby, in any sport bigger athletes are generating skill sets as good as those usually associated to small performers.

Look at tennis where the top 4 guys in the world don't look too big, but are all over 6"2. Football teams are packed with big players to take advantage of attacking or defending set peices. As for Usain Bolt.......

chris_501 wrote:As for Usain Bolt.......

Chris to be fair no one has technically or scientifically proven that Usain Bolt is human and not some incredibly clever cyborg that is here to push the boundaries of human speed.

Anyhow... looking to who I think will be in the match day XV...!

Duncan
Bennet
Adam
AW
Ian
Stowers
Tuperic
Ryan
Khan
Biggar
Shane
Ashley
Bishop
Bowe
Fussell

I would like to see a bit of movement though in the back line. Maybe suggestions that Bowe move to outside center and that we take a look at a different fullback. Rhys Webb deserves at least half a game if things are going well.

I guess the coaches will not want to change a winning team. The forwards did well last week with Biarritz, the backs looked a bit clumsy. Biggar kicked well at the posts and for territory but he didn't offer enough ball out wide at the right times. I feel he doesn't instinctively know when and where to apply pressure, or even how to do it in the situations where we are taking advantage in attack. His defence is also appalling.

What's up with Barry Davies these days? Is he injured?

I reckon they'll have pretty much the same squad as last weekend unless anyone's incurred any injuries. I'm surprised Tommy didn't hurt himself belly flopping a try like that

I think ickle Shane is a good example of a good little un. Certainly made Matt Banahan, 6,7 and 18 stone look foolish.

Shows that skill does still out trump size.

I would start Webb

I would have thought Stowers would more likely start at 8 and Ryan at 6 (think these days he's a better 6 or lock than 8, but still good)

Cari wrote:What's up with Barry Davies these days? Is he injured?

I reckon they'll have pretty much the same squad as last weekend unless anyone's incurred any injuries. I'm surprised Tommy didn't hurt himself belly flopping a try like that

He must have a teflon coated shirt, he slid for about twenty foot...

Na, he had a tea tray shoved up his jersey. If it had been one of those round ones, he would've gone sideways

...or maybe it was his rock hard abs

I remember going to the Llanelli/Northants semi-final years ago, and seeing that guy Richard Metcalf - 7 ft 1 or something. There were people like Tim Rodber around, 6 ft 6 and stocky, and they all looked like little boys compared with Metcalf.

And don't forget Gareth Llewelyn!

Smirnoffpriest wrote:And don't forget Gareth Llewelyn!

No one could ever forget Gareth Llewelyn...! The sole second row qualified for Wales for almost a decade.

From the BBC website:

Ospreys will put their 100% record against Italian teams on the line when they face a Benetton Treviso side that has not won in Europe for 12 games.

But the Pro 12 leaders have only won once away in Europe, thrashing Viadana 62-7 in December 2009, since the Welsh region beat Treviso in December 2008.

Ospreys will be without Wales prop Paul James (thumb), back Gareth Owen and Scottish wing Nikki Walker (both knee).

Ospreys hope to keep up the pressure on Pool Five pace-setters Saracens.

Scott Johnson's side beat Biarritz in their Heineken Cup opener and the French side will host English Premiership high-fliers Saracens in round two on Saturday.

Benetton Treviso coach Franco Smith says his side were disappointed by the defeat at Saracens, but they will be a different proposition at home to the Ospreys next in the Heineken Cup.

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/matchdaytv/play/media/id/9875

I hope that they don't take Treviso lightly at all. BT have a good track record in the Rabo so far.

Flanker Justin Tipuric is an injury doubt for the Ospreys Heineken Cup clash in Treviso on Saturday.

The openside came off at half-time during the region's 28-21 victory over Biarritz last weekend.

Who's the homophobic tweeter that they are referring to on the ospreys website? Anybody know what was said by this person also???

therealdeal0_5 wrote:Who's the homophobic tweeter that they are referring to on the ospreys website? Anybody know what was said by this person also???

Allegedly Kristian Phillips called the winner of Big Brother a f***ot although I understand that this has not yet been substantiated

Not good. Thank god it wasnt Adam Jones

I don't think anyone would call Adam Jones a f***ot unless they want a slap. But people may call him fat (or beefy)!

maestegmafia wrote:True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

In 2008 the average height of UK males aged 25-34 was 5'10"

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I don't think anyone would call Adam Jones a f***ot unless they want a slap. But people may call him fat (or beefy)!

Actually having met Adam a few times through a friends son who has played with him since his Neath days if you called Adam anything he would probably have a quick and much funnier comeback than using any kind of violence.

I remember hearing that when during a Neath match Shane Williams had been told he was "like a man but smaller" Adam inferred that the accusing players appendage was allegedly like a Winkle (edited by mod) but smaller.

Cari wrote:

therealdeal0_5 wrote:Who's the homophobic tweeter that they are referring to on the ospreys website? Anybody know what was said by this person also???

Allegedly Kristian Phillips called the winner of Big Brother a f***ot although I understand that this has not yet been substantiated

I think it is beyond alledged as there is solid evidence showing that he did tweet such a comment

Any news on when the teams are announced...?

radelven wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

In 2008 the average height of UK males aged 25-34 was 5'10"

I am sure if you included men of 25 to 75 it would be shorter...

It always used to be 5'8"

Alun Wyn Jones is out of Ospreys' Heineken Cup clash in Treviso and Wales' 3 December Test with Australia in Cardiff because of a dislocated toe.

The 26-year-old second-rower will undergo surgery on the toe he injured in training this week and Ospreys hope Jones will return before Christmas.

Head Physio Chris Towers commented:
"Alun Wyn suffered a foot injury in training this week. As a result he is going to require surgery to repair soft tissue damage, which will carried out over the weekend. Once he starts his post-op rehab work we will be in a better position to predict recovery timelines.

"Huw unfortunately didn't recover in time from a neck spasm that developed after last weekend's game to be considered to play against Benetton Treviso."

Ospreys Director of Coach, Scott Johnson, commented:

"It's going to be a tough outing, it really is. The days of just rolling up in Italy and expecting five points are long gone. Leicester found that out in Aironi last weekend, the Dragons recently had a 50 pointer against Treviso, and we were extremely fortunate to get a win out there earlier in the season.

"We got off to a winning start against Biarritz, and a result against them is never to be underestimated. But, that hard work will be wasted if we aren't able to back it up on Saturday. The guys have worked hard, they know what they've got to do and they know the areas that we have to improve in from last week.

"In any game, the first challenge is to do the basics right, be clinical, be accurate, and know your roles. If we get those aspects rights, then the performance will follow. We're going into the game with our eyes wide open, we know what we need to do, which is to make sure we are still well and truly alive by the time the Saracens double header comes around next month."

The following players were not considered because of injury:

Huw Bennett - Neck

Alun Wyn Jones - Foot

Eli Walker - Shoulder

Gareth Owen - ACL

Nikki Walker - ACL

Paul James - Thumb

maestegmafia wrote:

radelven wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

In 2008 the average height of UK males aged 25-34 was 5'10"

I am sure if you included men of 25 to 75 it would be shorter...

It always used to be 5'8"

That's not really relevant to professional rugby players though, which is what it was mentioned in relation to.

The average height for all males in the same government data was 5'9.5".

radelven wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

radelven wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:True, 5ft 9 is hardly small by any comparison, I think the UK average height is 5ft 8.

In 2008 the average height of UK males aged 25-34 was 5'10"

I am sure if you included men of 25 to 75 it would be shorter...

It always used to be 5'8"

That's not really relevant to professional rugby players though, which is what it was mentioned in relation to.

The average height for all males in the same government data was 5'9.5".

What you mean you cheeky little bugger...! I played well into my fifties, not often but...! Only joking mate...!


I am amazed that the Height average is now 5'10" though... my haven't we grown..

It's always nice for official statistics to confirm i'm well above average

I would have opted to start with Jarvis than Jones, who still has a calf niggle. If it was also up to me I'd pick a different full-back.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:It's always nice for official statistics to confirm i'm well above average

And no matter how History pans out, I am just below.

Lets be honest, 5'9 is tiny. Luckily for me, I'm tall(ish) and very handsome.

Morgannwg wrote:Lets be honest, 5'9 is tiny. Luckily for me, I'm tall(ish) and very handsome.

Immodest too

Gutted that AWJ is injured AND has to have an op Benny missing too. Hopefully he won't be off too long.