Ospreys V Leinster HC

First topic message reminder :

Someone had to do it.

Teams at noon tomorrow.

Not to confident traveling to this. Os have a good home record in the comp. Only going down to Sarries. They have a full team and a great record over Leinster in the Rabo.

Be a big deal if we can pull it off

Has Gopperth been eating steriods with his cornflakes each morning? He looks massive.

Gopperth putting in some good hits

Leinster just happy to play without the ball.
Nothing Biggar can do - he's played well.

No LBP for Ospreys if Gopperth nails this

Penalty Leinster. Ospreys about to kiss goodbye to their bonus point.

Mcglauglin was my motm. Superb performance.

No BP for the Ospreys either, and they don't deserve one.

Oh well not even a losing bp bad result that too many errors not clinical enough and some strange substitutions.

Has Mrs Ruddocks boy been capped by Ireland he's had a very good game.

He got a cap about 2 years ago against Australia when he was 19/20 when we had a load of injuries

9-19 final score.

Utterly clinical Leinster. Gopperth, R.Kearney, McGlaughlin, Healy all outstanding.

A team with Joe Bearman and Richard Fussell in will never amount to much, then the Italian scrum half  
All said and done though i don't see Leinster doing much better this year, most teams would have put a far bigger score on them.

Adam Jones injured?

bedfordwelsh wrote:Oh well not even a losing bp bad result that too many errors not clinical enough and some strange substitutions.

Has Mrs Ruddocks boy been capped by Ireland he's had a very good game.

yes he has 3 or 4 caps

Pathetic b!oody pathetic.... Ospreys not going to progress this year on that performance...

You can't have that amount of possession and lose a game..

Leinster definitely the better side, but without upsetting any Leinster fans, they didn't look that good themselves. Mind you, I think Leinster have more to give, not sure Ospreys have...

That's a big win! Well done Leinster  

I hope that Saints vs Ospreys is on next week, basically the loser is out of Europe.

I don't know No9- bit like ourselves in our game against the Ospreys, all they needed to do was play territory and wait for the Os to concede those penalties or make mistakes. They won the tactical kicking battle and the breakdown battle and, again like Ulster last week, that was enough.

Leinster can play much more running rugby when the situation calls from it, they can play Madigan at 10 if they want to take a less conservative approach.

Ospreys have big problems in their backline. I don't know where all this hype about how good Tebaldi is...is coming from. He is solid at best and at times tonight his service was poor and hampered the backline. Last week he boxed kicked everything...often poorly.

What is also really hampering the O's backline is two crash ball centres, inexperienced wingers an anonymous 15 and a conservative 10. In short the team they have is setup for 10 man rugby. So....beat the O's or at least gain parity with them in the forwards and they really have nothing to offer.

If Ross isnt fit for next week does that mean that Moore will start with Furlong on the bench?

As far as i know Bent is still injured.

Golden wrote:If Ross isnt fit for next week does that mean that Moore will start with Furlong on the bench?

As far as i know Bent is still injured.

Moore put in a great shift tonight, really stepped up.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Ospreys have big problems in their backline.  I don't know where all this hype about how good Tebaldi is...is coming from.  He is solid at best and at times tonight his service was poor and hampered the backline.  Last week he boxed kicked everything...often poorly.

What is also really hampering the O's backline is two crash ball centres, inexperienced wingers an anonymous 15 and a conservative 10.  In short the team they have is setup for 10 man rugby.  So....beat the O's or at least gain parity with them in the forwards and they really have nothing to offer.

Dodger,

I think you're right to a degree, they are really missing Fotuali (what side wouldn't) that coupled with Beck having a poor season and not having found a genuine replacement for Bowe means its not good.

Walker is a very good winger and can score from nothing but they need the ball first etc.

The problem for Spreys is just getting go-forward. Their tight 5 is massive but when faced with a flat defensive line just don't really know what to do. The Leinster offloading game had them working too hard in defence too.
 
If I was Biggar, I'd be battering the touchlines with every single ball because the Osprey's best chance of scoring against a well organised defence is the set piece. They're going to have lots of problems breaking down the likes of Ulster and Glasgow this season too.

George Carlin wrote:The problem for Spreys is just getting go-forward. Their tight 5 is massive but when faced with a flat defensive line just don't really know what to do. The Leinster offloading game had them working too hard in defence too.
 
If I was Biggar, I'd be battering the touchlines with every single ball because the Osprey's best chance of scoring against a well organised defence is the set piece. They're going to have lots of problems breaking down the likes of Ulster and Glasgow this season too.

The same thing happened to them against Ulster last week. No forward domination and they didn't look like scoring a try or creating anything in the back line. Two losses in a row at the Liberty to two big Irish rivals will really upset them and may make them go back to the drawing board with their game plan. But do they have the players to do anything else with that backline...? I'm not so sure. You are probably right the old Munster style of kicking territory and winning set piece ball might be their best option.

George Carlin wrote:Has Gopperth been eating steriods with his cornflakes each morning? He looks massive.

I have always said what ever Newcastle do whilst training bicep delts and traps i want to know!
Jamie Noon ,Tom may to name a few.

Great win away from home and if we can win next week against Castres it puts us in a good position. You'd almost hope that Ospreys win next week (cos Northampton are in the Premiership but also) because they have lost a home game where as Northampton have lost an away one.

Intriguing week coming up me thinks.

When we signed Jimmy Gopperth a few months ago, I started a thread on the lines "Jimmy who?" Well he was bleedin awesome tonight and could easily have got the MOM award if anybody other than SOB. Controlled the game brilliant, got the back line running, tackled well - a great all-round performance. Madigan will have to up his game to get the 10 shirt back.

Notch wrote:That's a big win! Well done Leinster  

I hope that Saints vs Ospreys is on next week, basically the loser is out of Europe.

Think the Ospreys are as good as out already. Don't think you can lose at home in the group they're in. There's not really a team in that group where you could be that confident of them getting a win back on the road. I know they do ok in Leinster in the Rabo, but I don't think they will do that against a Leinster team in Europe.

[quote="Risca Rev"][quote="Notch"]That's a big win! Well done Leinster  

I hope that Saints vs Ospreys is on next week, basically the loser is out of Europe.[/quote]Think the Ospreys are as good as out already. Don't think you can lose at home in the group they're in. There's not really a team in that group where you could be that confident of them getting a win back on the road. I know they do ok in Leinster in the Rabo, but I don't think they will do that against a Leinster team in Europe.[/quote]

The O's need a thinking 10

Centers who can do more than defend

A 15 who can do more than kick

There is very little depth in this squad and even less team spirit.

Its the same problem year after year

Very impressive display by Leinster, not quite the Schmidt/Nacewa/Sexto vintage but impressive non the less.

O'Brien was outstanding with Copperth and Heaslip not far behind. Ospreys really fell apart and are up against it now.

I think people are getting ahead of themselves. Ospreys were pretty rubbish. If we had played as well as everyone is saying, we would have got a 4 try BP.

Having said that, we looked like we were only in 3rd gear, and with Fitz, Madigan, BOD, Murphy, and Jennings to come back into the starting XV we'll be alot better.

SOB was the best with Heaslip, Jimmy, Cronin all putting very good shifts. Moore should be starting at 3 and Macken looked HC standard aswell.

D'Arcy made some mistakes and I'd seriously consider having Madigan at 12. I also really want to see Locky at 2nd row. We have an abundance of good backrowers but our 2nd rows aren't great.

Leinster are not the team of the last few ears on the showings made so far this season for sure

TJ wrote:Leinster are not the team of the last few ears on the showings made so far this season for sure

 
I think that's actually true - how can you lose your head coach and players like Sexton and Nacewa and for it not to show? Ulster and Glasgow management have each given interviews saying that they think it could be their club's Rabo title year for that reason.
 
But each team can be brittle. Whilst being pleased by Edinburgh, I couldn't understand why a good Munster side on paper looked so disjointed last night. Stop Leinster at the breakdown (which Glasgow did this season already) and they start to look eminently beatable. Attain par in an arm wrestling match with the Ospreys and it's not clear where the breakthrough is going to come from other than through Biggar's boot. Damn, how they miss Shane Williams.
 
League is wide open this year. I fancy Glasgow and Ulster to place 1 and 2.

I think Munster looked so disjointed because Edinburgh denied them time and space on the ball - perhpas Munster had underestimated Edinburgh as well

Depressing performance, depressing result.

gleesonisgod wrote:I think people are getting ahead of themselves. Ospreys were pretty rubbish. If we had played as well as everyone is saying, we would have got a 4 try BP.

Having said that, we looked like we were only in 3rd gear, and with Fitz, Madigan, BOD, Murphy, and Jennings to come back into the starting XV we'll be alot better.

SOB was the best with Heaslip, Jimmy, Cronin all putting very good shifts. Moore should be starting at 3 and Macken looked HC standard aswell.

D'Arcy made some mistakes and I'd seriously consider having Madigan at 12. I also really want to see Locky at 2nd row. We have an abundance of good backrowers but our 2nd rows aren't great.

Could not disagree more with nearly all thats said here.

1. That was a fantastic performance from this Leinster side. We have an awful record against the Ospreys and the Ospreys had only lost 1 out of 20 at home before that match. To expect a BP is rediculous.

2. Darcy had one of his best games in years. He is absolutely vital to our midfield defence and managed to break the gainline numerous times. Mads has been ordinary at best, when played at 12.

3. Locky's best position is 6 and he was outstanding last night. Great for away games and he gives us an extra lineout option by being in the 6 position. He has already been tried at 2nd row and it didnt work and he didn't like playing there.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Ospreys have big problems in their backline.  I don't know where all this hype about how good Tebaldi is...is coming from.  He is solid at best and at times tonight his service was poor and hampered the backline.  Last week he boxed kicked everything...often poorly.

What is also really hampering the O's backline is two crash ball centres, inexperienced wingers an anonymous 15 and a conservative 10.  In short the team they have is setup for 10 man rugby.  So....beat the O's or at least gain parity with them in the forwards and they really have nothing to offer.

Dodger,

I think you're right to a degree, they are really missing Fotuali (what side wouldn't) that coupled with Beck having a poor season and not having found a genuine replacement for Bowe means its not good.

Walker is a very good winger and can score from nothing but they need the ball first etc.

When has Beck ever had a good season though? Dodger is correct here.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

gleesonisgod wrote:I think people are getting ahead of themselves. Ospreys were pretty rubbish. If we had played as well as everyone is saying, we would have got a 4 try BP.

Having said that, we looked like we were only in 3rd gear, and with Fitz, Madigan, BOD, Murphy, and Jennings to come back into the starting XV we'll be alot better.

SOB was the best with Heaslip, Jimmy, Cronin all putting very good shifts. Moore should be starting at 3 and Macken looked HC standard aswell.

D'Arcy made some mistakes and I'd seriously consider having Madigan at 12. I also really want to see Locky at 2nd row. We have an abundance of good backrowers but our 2nd rows aren't great.

Could not disagree more with nearly all thats said here.

1. That was a fantastic performance from this Leinster side. We have an awful record against the Ospreys and the Ospreys had only lost 1 out of 20 at home before that match. To expect a BP is rediculous.

2. Darcy had one of his best games in years. He is absolutely vital to our midfield defence and managed to break the gainline numerous times. Mads has been ordinary at best, when played at 12.

3. Locky's best position is 6 and he was outstanding last night. Great for away games and he gives us an extra lineout option by being in the 6 position. He has already been tried at 2nd row and it didnt work and he didn't like playing there.

Maybe I have higher expectations. i just don't think that that team and that performance is good enough to challenge for the HC.

gleesonisgod wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

gleesonisgod wrote:I think people are getting ahead of themselves. Ospreys were pretty rubbish. If we had played as well as everyone is saying, we would have got a 4 try BP.

Having said that, we looked like we were only in 3rd gear, and with Fitz, Madigan, BOD, Murphy, and Jennings to come back into the starting XV we'll be alot better.

SOB was the best with Heaslip, Jimmy, Cronin all putting very good shifts. Moore should be starting at 3 and Macken looked HC standard aswell.

D'Arcy made some mistakes and I'd seriously consider having Madigan at 12. I also really want to see Locky at 2nd row. We have an abundance of good backrowers but our 2nd rows aren't great.

Could not disagree more with nearly all thats said here.

1. That was a fantastic performance from this Leinster side. We have an awful record against the Ospreys and the Ospreys had only lost 1 out of 20 at home before that match. To expect a BP is rediculous.

2. Darcy had one of his best games in years. He is absolutely vital to our midfield defence and managed to break the gainline numerous times. Mads has been ordinary at best, when played at 12.

3. Locky's best position is 6 and he was outstanding last night. Great for away games and he gives us an extra lineout option by being in the 6 position. He has already been tried at 2nd row and it didnt work and he didn't like playing there.

Maybe I have higher expectations. i just don't think that that team and that performance is good enough to challenge for the HC.

When have we ever peaked at the start of the season? We were terrible at this stage last season (we beat Exeter by 3 points in the RDS!) its usually around christmas that we start to play to our potential. I've been impressed with our start this year considering some players have only played their 2nd game.

SOB, Cronin, D'Arcy, Healy and Gopperth all played very well and probably made the difference. I don't think it was a good performance from Leinster, they didn't have to do much but they did enough. Ospreys season in europe looks to be over, again. It was such a stupid decision not to recruit a backline and keep putting crashball centre's and scrum-halves everywhere. Leinster should get better as the season goes on and are still good enough to make the KO stages. They're such a class outfit, they've only lost to Clermont in the past 3 years in this competition which is some record.

That was a totally inept performance from the Os, the 2 brainfarts of decisions by AWJ for not going for the 3 points, and Tebaldi for running the tap penalty cost us, Beck is having a terrible season, he has bulked up tremendously and slowed down just as much, playing 2 crash ball centres just isn't working, I said before the game that Ryan Jones being selected would help our game, but he is clearly not match fit and we surely missed the extra bulk of Ian Evans at scrum time he is 2 stone heavier than King.Then again the better team won, they are just more savvy on how to win these games, that's why the only team to beat them in the last 3 seasons is CA.
We had plenty of ball Tebaldi's service to Biggar was average to say the least, it was much improved when Habberfield came on, and Dan's incessant passing on to those 2 centres was so predictable, why wasn't little chips over the top employed as Kearney was very deep apart from kick off and drop out times, was this coach set or was it Dan's decision.
Anyway well done Leinster, hopefully we'll do you a favour next weekend.

Does anyone know why Ianto wasn't playing? He wasn't named in injury list.

sheephead wrote:Does anyone know why Ianto wasn't playing? He wasn't named in injury list.

He was dropped, James King was picked on merit

Cheers Wayne, I was a bit surprised when he wasn't included on the bench.

sheephead wrote:Cheers Wayne, I was a bit surprised when he wasn't included on the bench.

Sheephead, I think the coaches wanted a faster more open type of game and thought JK suited that plan more than Ianto, whereas Iantos extra 2 stones of weight would have suited our scrum more, as well as the 3 or 4 inches of height, could have been very useful in the lineout. A lot on the Os website questioned that decision BEFORE the game.

I don't use the ospreys website forum. After last season I though the might be thinking of JK as a 6.

Another poor showing from a Welsh side.

sheephead wrote:I don't use the ospreys website forum. After last season I though the might be thinking of JK as a 6.

He has been playing both and with Tom out we might need him at blindside.

Dropping Evans seemed a very strange move and there were also some strange substitutions during the 2nd half.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Dropping Evans seemed a very strange move and there were also some strange substitutions during the 2nd half.

I only caught the highlights on S4C, but did notice from reading a report on the game there were a lot of subs considering Leinster weren't out of sight

Well done Leinster. O's lost this game when they lost the first big scrum on the five metre line early on. Leinster really showed their strength - physically and psychologically. After Leinster won that first scrum, the O's were rattled and just couldn't break the defence and had limited chances to do that. I'd like to think O's could go further, but I doubt it. If they do, it will be by the skin of their teeth and not for long if last night is to go by. I'd like to see one of the Welsh regions go far...please?

sheep,

Listened to it on Beeb Wales and they just seemed at strange times as well.

Cari wrote:Well done Leinster. O's lost this game when they lost the first big scrum on the five metre line early on.  Leinster really showed their strength - physically and psychologically.  After Leinster won that first scrum, the O's were rattled and just couldn't break the defence and had limited chances to do that.   I'd like to think O's could go further, but I doubt it.  If they do, it will be by the skin of their teeth and not for long if last night is to go by.  I'd like to see one of the Welsh regions go far...please?

They should make sure to try get 2nd place even to just get into the Amlin. Winning the Amlin would even be a great achievement.