Ospreys 2015/16 Season

First topic message reminder :

Never done one of these here before, yet cannot do any worse than last years idiot.
Head Coach Steve Tandy
Backs Coach Gruff Rees
Forwards Coach Chris Gibbes
Squad Alphabetically
TYLER ARDRON 24 Back Row                  Rhodri Hughes 20 Lock
Dimitri Arhip 26 Prop                              PAUL JAMES 33 Prop
Lloyd Ashley (Peers) 24 Lock                   AARON JARVIS 29 Prop
Dan Baker 23 Back Row                          Ben John 24 Centre
SCOTT BALDWIN 27 Hooker                    ALUN WYN JONES 29 Lock
Adam Beard 19 Lock                              JAMES KING 25 Back Row  
Joe Bearman 36 Back Row                      Brendon Leonard 30 S/H
Ashley Beck 25 Centre                            DAN LYDIATE 27 Back Row
Rynier Bernardo 24 Lock                         JOSH MATAVESI 24 Centre
Ryan Bevington 26 Prop                          Scott Otten 21 Hooker
DAN BIGGAR 25 OH                               Sam Parry 23 Hooker
Andrew Bishop 30 Centre                        Kristian Phillips 24 Wing
Jordan Collier 20 Back Row                     Martin Roberts 29 S/H
Olly Cracknell 21 Back Row                     Nicky Smith 21 Prop
Sam Davies 21 O/H                                Johnathon Spratt 29 Centre
Gareth Delve 32 Back Row                      De Kock Steenkamp 28 Lock
Hanno Dirksen 24 Wing                          Dan Suter 23 Prop
Mathew Dwyer 30 Hooker                       Gareth Thomas 23 Prop
Dan Evans 26 F/B                                  Marc Thomas 25 Prop
Lloyd Evans 24 Back Row                       Rory Thornton 20 Lock
Richard Fussell 31 F/B                            JUSTIN TIPURIC 26 Back Row  
Tom Grabham 24 Wing                           Eli Walker 23 Wing
Cai Griffiths 31 Prop                               RHYS WEBB 26 S/H
Tom Habberfield 23 S/H                         The following 2 are either temporary
JEFF HASSLER 24 Wing                          or with feeder clubs
Dafydd Howells 20 Wing                         Sam Underhill 19 Back Row
                                                           Oliver Tomaszczyk 28 Prop
The players in CAPITALS will not be available until after the first 3 games of the Guinness League due to WC call ups
The past 5 seasons we have finished 3, 5, 3, 3 and 4 at the end of the regular season, I envision us finishing around the same position this season.
We will also be without Bernardo and Suter for a while early season, we have recruited Tomaszczyk to cover Suter, Underhill came on as a substitute in the Saracens friendly and there were favourable reports about him. If we have injuries in a few key positions especially early season, that prophecy above could be out the window. There has been talk we have signed a T/H from NZ, who had a serious ankle ligament injury, we are still waiting on his rehab. It needs to be soon or we will have to rely on Jarvis, which is not a good thought.
Just to add we won our first 7 matches last season, against most peoples and my expectations, and it will be more of a shock to me if we win either of our first 2 matches this season. Too many missing through injury and International call ups.

He's doing three years with the Ospreys while he finishes his degree.

Qualifies for USA by birth.

I guess he is ruled out of England selection because he plays outside the PRL.

Really pleased for Ospreys tonight. Still wish they'd won away (as they probably should've done). Two great results for the regions tonight (obviously Ospreys way bigger). Just watching the highlights on S4C

I have to admit it, a few weeks ago I was complaining why we'd signed an English reject in Underhill, and since then he's played so well I feel really stupid, I simply didn't see that level of player in him before. I get the impression it's going to be like Ben Morgan, he'll go to the English league and become an international for England. I hope he doesn't play for Wales, we have Tipuric, and Warburton, as well as Cuddd and Navidi etc. Though England really do need an open side.

Tonight was great for us because we've achieved this using a team of kids from our own academy. Though this season is no different to most seasons in Europe we normally win our home games and lose all our away ones the difference this season is we have picked up losing bonus points away from home which has made all the difference. I do think Dan Baker made a difference when he came on he's great going forward with ball in hand, he's often compared to Scott Quinell.

We're not overly solid in the scrum or line out, in fact the scrum is iffy. We have a poor back line particularly in the centers, in comparison to most top clubs. Spratt, John and Beck are ok players for the Pro 12 but their not really top European class and not international quality. We also have problems on the wing, Dirksen can't really train properly anymore and people were whispering if he'd have to retire soon, partly due to knee injuries and partly because he smashes everything he can in games which has taken it's toll. Eli Walker is error prone and often injured, Fussell is error prone too.
Having said that when you have a spine of a team that's Paul James, Baldwin, AWJ, Lydiate, Tipuric, Baker, Webb, Biggar, then you've got a lot of talent to start with. Sam Davies also seems to be more of an impact player, he's a bit like Ceri Sweeney in that he only seems to play really well when he comes on as a sub.

Hopefully the boys can sneak through this season after so many failures.

Didn't see that result coming after 5 mins into the second half tbh. Astounding work by the forwards. AWj a beast, the backrow imense and a superb cameo from Sam Davies. The Ospreys backs tho....what does gruff rees do with them during the week? ASM are a quality side but again, no composure or moves with the ball. Still a massive result...

Breadvan wrote:Didn't see that result coming after 5 mins into the second half tbh. Astounding work by the forwards. AWj a beast, the backrow imense and a superb cameo from Sam Davies. The Ospreys backs tho....what does gruff rees do with them during the week? ASM are a quality side but again, no composure or moves with the ball. Still a massive result...

There isn't really any talent in the outside backs to exploit, their ok regional level players, we have struggled for years to score tries. Their not terrible players by any means but in Europe their often up against simply better talent.

I was at the game last night, there was quote a good atmosphere there, everybody was fuming with that Georgan player though, he could have taken Wayne Barnes's wife in front of him and he would not have done anything, for me Underhill was MOTM. AWJ was awesome again, as was Tuperic. Eli Walker was very poor, but it is in their own hands now, a losing bonus point will do it, they have gone to harder places and come away with them.

AWJ has agreed to extend his NDC after that was recently up in the air. Warburton won't play before the 6 Nations, at best I'd put him on the bench for Wales. So with him on the bench then AWJ must be Wales captain and Tips is in form so should start at 7.

Still really pleased for Ospreys getting the win. The lads worked hard and strangled the life out of each team that came to the Liberty, Exeter and Clermont failed to get the LBP. I really hope you do well against Exeter (a win would be ideal) and progress from this group, as for the latter stages of this competition you'll have more players available and probably be a much stronger team. Good luck. Wayne must still be nursing the hangover.

Well done Os.
Seems to be a feel good factor right across the board involving all 4.

Shifty wrote:

Breadvan wrote:Didn't see that result coming after 5 mins into the second half tbh. Astounding work by the forwards. AWj a beast, the backrow imense and a superb cameo from Sam Davies. The Ospreys backs tho....what does gruff rees do with them during the week? ASM are a quality side but again, no composure or moves with the ball. Still a massive result...

There isn't really any talent in the outside backs to exploit, their ok regional level players, we have struggled for years to score tries.  Their not terrible players by any means but in Europe their often up against simply better talent.  

Englebrect is a good signing. Always been a fan

maestegmafia wrote:

Shifty wrote:

Breadvan wrote:Didn't see that result coming after 5 mins into the second half tbh. Astounding work by the forwards. AWj a beast, the backrow imense and a superb cameo from Sam Davies. The Ospreys backs tho....what does gruff rees do with them during the week? ASM are a quality side but again, no composure or moves with the ball. Still a massive result...

There isn't really any talent in the outside backs to exploit, their ok regional level players, we have struggled for years to score tries.  Their not terrible players by any means but in Europe their often up against simply better talent.  

Englebrect is a good signing. Always been a fan

I'm looking forward to seeing him in action, I don't know much about him to be honest.

mikey_dragon wrote:AWJ has agreed to extend his NDC after that was recently up in the air. Warburton won't play before the 6 Nations, at best I'd put him on the bench for Wales. So with him on the bench then AWJ must be Wales captain and Tips is in form so should start at 7.

Still really pleased for Ospreys getting the win. The lads worked hard and strangled the life out of each team that came to the Liberty, Exeter and Clermont failed to get the LBP. I really hope you do well against Exeter (a win would be ideal) and progress from this group, as for the latter stages of this competition you'll have more players available and probably be a much stronger team. Good luck. Wayne must still be nursing the hangover.

Mikey no hangover, the real reason I haven't been on today is that I was on TV so many times in that match that I was told I had to get a Equity ticket, as I was in for seren y gem
That has to be right up there as one of the most pleasing performances I've ever witnessed at the Liberty, apart for the rolling mauls that we were smashed in and a couple of other scrums and mauls, the courage shown was phenomenal, Tipuric was tremendous in the first half and very good in the second, Underhill the other way round, Sam Davies ran the show like a 50 cap international and personally would have been my MOTM, and AWJ is the beating heart of our organisation, if it is true, over the moon that he has extended his DC. The atmosphere there was fantastic, it was helped enormously by the number of CA supporters, must have been over 500.
A very interesting match coming up next week, Tandy reckons Dmitri will be back, but probably Lydiate won't, (would we miss him anyway the way Underhill played), will Biggar and Baldwin be fit? Have to give the last word for a very much maligned player on here and more so on our Forum, apart for the missed tackle to let them in for their try (other more prominent players also missed tackles)I thought Lloyd Ashley was also quite outstanding.

LordDowlais wrote:I was at the game last night,  there was quote a good atmosphere there, everybody was fuming with that Georgan player though, he could have taken Wayne Barnes's wife in front of him and he would not have done anything, for me Underhill was MOTM. AWJ was awesome again, as was Tuperic. Eli Walker was very poor, but it is in their own hands now, a losing bonus point will do it, they have gone to harder places and come away with them.

Forgot to put him in my last post, so I piggy backed your post Lord, what was Eli thinking when he kicked that ball through, when all he had to do was draw his man and give to Leonard who would have cantered over, and that pass to Spratt, I would have had a bollicking for giving that sort of pass and I was a hooker, he's having a good run without injury but he's cocking up his International ambitions with the number of brain farts he's doing.
Some of the posters on our board are saying Barnes had a good game, and a few are giving the opposite point of view, personally how their 7 stayed on the field is beyond me, first of all the push on Barnes, Percy Montgomery was given a 6 Month ban for pushing a touch judge over, then what he did to AWJ 2 separate punches and have his forearm on his throat, and the final misdemeanour when he was warned the next time he did anything he would be sent off, he should have already been in the bath and sitting down, I wasn't overly impressed with him 7 out of 10.

Congrats Wayne, thats a cracking win, similar to when you beat Toulouse a few years ago and Adam Jones said that was one of his finest moment in an Ospreys shirt.

Great news about Arhip. By the way i though Fia improved the scrum when he came on so he could be coming into his own.

wayne wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:AWJ has agreed to extend his NDC after that was recently up in the air. Warburton won't play before the 6 Nations, at best I'd put him on the bench for Wales. So with him on the bench then AWJ must be Wales captain and Tips is in form so should start at 7.

Still really pleased for Ospreys getting the win. The lads worked hard and strangled the life out of each team that came to the Liberty, Exeter and Clermont failed to get the LBP. I really hope you do well against Exeter (a win would be ideal) and progress from this group, as for the latter stages of this competition you'll have more players available and probably be a much stronger team. Good luck. Wayne must still be nursing the hangover.

Mikey no hangover, the real reason I haven't been on today is that I was on TV so many times in that match that I was told I had to get a Equity ticket, as I was in for seren y gem
That has to be right up there as one of the most pleasing performances I've ever witnessed at the Liberty, apart for the rolling mauls that we were smashed in and a couple of other scrums and mauls, the courage shown was phenomenal, Tipuric was tremendous in the first half and very good in the second, Underhill the other way round, Sam Davies ran the show like a 50 cap international and personally would have been my MOTM, and AWJ is the beating heart of our organisation, if it is true, over the moon that he has extended his DC. The atmosphere there was fantastic, it was helped enormously by the number of CA supporters, must have been over 500.
A very interesting match coming up next week, Tandy reckons Dmitri will be back, but probably Lydiate won't, (would we miss him anyway the way Underhill played), will Biggar and Baldwin be fit? Have to give the last word for a very much maligned player on here and more so on our Forum, apart for the missed tackle to let them in for their try (other more prominent players also missed tackles)I thought Lloyd Ashley was also quite outstanding.

The manner in which Ospreys played, the win, and Lloyd Ashley has been alluded to by me and several others in this thread.

For next week then I might consider keeping the back-row, but it might be advisable to start with two locks - Exeter will target you in the driving lineouts. I hope Biggar is okay as the game pretty much relies on him. It's the first time years, and perhaps it will be the first time ever you top your group in Europe. I really hope Ospreys can do that, and it's been such a tough group. It would mean a lot to this group of players, a group that has mostly come through the academy and plays for each other. I don't think there's been a previous Ospreys team that has this type of culture. I know I repeat myself, but Gibbes really is drilling this group of forwards very well, considering they're not exactly all-star like Clermont, etc.

VinceWLB wrote:Congrats Wayne, thats a cracking win, similar to when you beat Toulouse a few years ago and Adam Jones said that was one of his finest moment in an Ospreys shirt.

Great news about Arhip. By the way i though Fia improved the scrum when he came on so he could be coming into his own.

Yes, cheers Vince, I thought our defence apart from the try was fantastic, a sort of YOU SHALL NOT PASS, environment prevailed, there was a ruck just below me late in the 2nd half and Alun Wyn was down on hands and knees and looked totally knackered, we somehow got the ball back and it was kicked into the bottom corner and the first player there was our captain, I know some on here don't rate him that highly, but I wouldn't have another 2nd row in the world before him.
I really hope Tandy is right and Dmitri is available next week, because with him and basically the rest of last nights team, I believe and hope we can qualify, and with the amount of money available to each team in this group we thoroughly deserve to go through.

mikey_dragon wrote:

wayne wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:AWJ has agreed to extend his NDC after that was recently up in the air. Warburton won't play before the 6 Nations, at best I'd put him on the bench for Wales. So with him on the bench then AWJ must be Wales captain and Tips is in form so should start at 7.

Still really pleased for Ospreys getting the win. The lads worked hard and strangled the life out of each team that came to the Liberty, Exeter and Clermont failed to get the LBP. I really hope you do well against Exeter (a win would be ideal) and progress from this group, as for the latter stages of this competition you'll have more players available and probably be a much stronger team. Good luck. Wayne must still be nursing the hangover.

Mikey no hangover, the real reason I haven't been on today is that I was on TV so many times in that match that I was told I had to get a Equity ticket, as I was in for seren y gem
That has to be right up there as one of the most pleasing performances I've ever witnessed at the Liberty, apart for the rolling mauls that we were smashed in and a couple of other scrums and mauls, the courage shown was phenomenal, Tipuric was tremendous in the first half and very good in the second, Underhill the other way round, Sam Davies ran the show like a 50 cap international and personally would have been my MOTM, and AWJ is the beating heart of our organisation, if it is true, over the moon that he has extended his DC. The atmosphere there was fantastic, it was helped enormously by the number of CA supporters, must have been over 500.
A very interesting match coming up next week, Tandy reckons Dmitri will be back, but probably Lydiate won't, (would we miss him anyway the way Underhill played), will Biggar and Baldwin be fit? Have to give the last word for a very much maligned player on here and more so on our Forum, apart for the missed tackle to let them in for their try (other more prominent players also missed tackles)I thought Lloyd Ashley was also quite outstanding.

The manner in which Ospreys played, the win, and Lloyd Ashley has been alluded to by me and several others in this thread.

For next week then I might consider keeping the back-row, but it might be advisable to start with two locks - Exeter will target you in the driving lineouts. I hope Biggar is okay as the game pretty much relies on him. It's the first time years, and perhaps it will be the first time ever you top your group in Europe. I really hope Ospreys can do that, and it's been such a tough group. It would mean a lot to this group of players, a group that has mostly come through the academy and plays for each other. I don't think there's been a previous Ospreys team that has this type of culture. I know I repeat myself, but Gibbes really is drilling this group of forwards very well, considering they're not exactly all-star like Clermont, etc.

Mikey if there is one attribute that Tandy has IMO is that he is extremely loyal to the point of stubborness, he won't drop Lloyd, I think he won 3 lineouts that were directed to him and as I said he missed the tackle leading to their try, he even made a couple of yards carrying, but again IMO his close quarter tackling was superb, the part you say about Gibbes is true in some respects but as for defending a driving maul his influence is very poor, a number of teams have had the upper hand on us, it needs to be sorted, yes we are hitting above our weight and I really would like a home QF, but I can't see it happening even if we win next week.

I much prefer Dan Baker as the number 8, Lydiate is the tackler, Baker is the man to get us over the gain line, and Tipuric is the link man. It's the perfect back row, truth be told if they don't make use of Baker then plenty of other teams will.

You the fella in the blue hat Wayne? The camera did cut to you quite often lol

I have always been a big fan of Warburton's but Tipuric has been in such amazing form. He was everywhere on Friday night leading the line in defence and always getting over the gain line in attack.

Same here billy, and whilst I think Tips is a tad overrated and has been found wanting for the most part at international level he is currently uninjured and playing well so he must start for Wales. Also, Dublin is a happy hunting ground for him .

Breadvan wrote:You the fella in the blue hat Wayne? The camera did cut to you quite often lol

No Breadvan, from around the 60 minute mark, I'm on about 5 or 6 times, I'm also on twice on the highlights package on the website, I'm wearing last years beanie hat and have on my glasses, there are another old couple man and wife in front of me, she's waving a flag. I've been told I've been nominated for an Oscar

From a Forum member the Rugby Paper, has said we've signed Scarlet tight head Rhodri Jones, because both Dmitri and Fia have signed long term deals, it's been mentioned Jarvis is leaving. Not overjoyed at this signing is he a top class tight head? don't think so, at the moment he's on a DC, does it end soon, if it does will it be extended I doubt it.

Rhodri Jones is definitely an improvement on Jarvis. However does he deserve a DC? Not. Would he get more game time at the O's than Scarlet? Not, as Arhip is much better.

Jones would soon improve under Gibbes at the Ospreys (I hope). Scarlets' pack is putting in some terrible performances now and then under Hayward.

From a normally reliable poster on our Forum, Jarvis wanted far more than we were prepared to pay him, I don't think Jones will get a lot more game time than he gets at the Scarlets, I noticed Fia was better on Friday than previous week, Jones could be 2nd choice but I would think 3rd is the more realistic option. Then if Paul James goes into a more mentoring role he could be 2nd choice loose head that could play tight head in an emergency, it just seems a strange buy in my eyes.

mikey_dragon wrote:Jones would soon improve under Gibbes at the Ospreys (I hope). Scarlets' pack is putting in some terrible performances now and then under Hayward.

Heywood doesn't coach the pack, that is Cunningham, with support from Pivac and Phil John.

Wayne, I knew you were going to get Rhodri (just assumed it was the other one haha). Realistically I can not see him being too good a signing, unless he is going to have his NDC renewed as part of the move.

How long a contract is Fia on ? If he is only here until next year then it makes sense to be signing Rhodri Jones, he is better than Fia. But it all sucks @rse because from all accounts Nick Thomas is going great guns at Gloucester, perhaps Ospreys should have held onto him.

What about Tomas Francis, was under the impression one of the region would pick him up. He is a better scrummager than Rhodri Jones imo.

VinceWLB wrote:What about Tomas Francis, was under the impression one of the region would pick him up. He is a better scrummager than Rhodri Jones imo.

Hasn't he signed a contract extension with Exeter ? Anyway, he needs to shed a few pounds before he gets a contract at the regions, he is making Samson Lee look slim at the minute.

LordDowlais wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:What about Tomas Francis, was under the impression one of the region would pick him up. He is a better scrummager than Rhodri Jones imo.

Hasn't he signed a contract extension with Exeter ? Anyway, he needs to shed a few pounds before he gets a contract at the regions, he is making Samson Lee look slim at the minute.

Yep, just seen he extended his stay at Exeter until 2017 earlier this season.

LordDowlais wrote:How long a contract is Fia on ? If he is only here until next year then it makes sense to be signing Rhodri Jones, he is better than Fia. But it all sucks @rse because from all accounts Nick Thomas is going great guns at Gloucester, perhaps Ospreys should have held onto him.

Fia is on a 2 year contract with an extra year option, I've put this on here before, in both you tube and NZ press reports he is seen taking apart Tony Woodcock the NZ loosehead incumbent, to think Rhodri is a better tighthead is delusional, he might be worth more as a option to cover both sides of a scrum, but not as an out and out tighthead.
As for Nicky Thomas he reminds me a bit of Aled Brew, he was with us on 2 separate occasions and was found wanting, and both times he left us to join the Dragons he was shown to be much better with them, horses for courses, as for Nicky if you seen him as I did playing the Saracens in the LV a couple of years ago, when he replaced Dan Suter, he was terrible in both the tight and loose, penalised in a number of scrums and always very late to rucks and mauls, his conditioning was terrible even after a number of warnings, look how both Nicky Smith and Scott Otten have got on (Scott should be second choice IMO) and the three of them came through at the same age group and same club (Waunarllwyd) why have they buckled down and Thomas wouldn't, if he comes on good for him, but he could still be with us if he was prepared to work as the other 2 have shown.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Jones would soon improve under Gibbes at the Ospreys (I hope). Scarlets' pack is putting in some terrible performances now and then under Hayward.

Heywood doesn't coach the pack, that is Cunningham, with support from Pivac and Phil John.

Wayne, I knew you were going to get Rhodri (just assumed it was the other one haha).  Realistically I can not see him being too good a signing, unless he is going to have his NDC renewed as part of the move.

Apologies, I was pretty sure that it was. What does BH do exactly? He didn't really have a good coaching track record before joining you lot, I can't imagine Pivac making the decision to bring him in?

wayne wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:How long a contract is Fia on ? If he is only here until next year then it makes sense to be signing Rhodri Jones, he is better than Fia. But it all sucks @rse because from all accounts Nick Thomas is going great guns at Gloucester, perhaps Ospreys should have held onto him.

Fia is on a 2 year contract with an extra year option, I've put this on here before, in both you tube and NZ press reports he is seen taking apart Tony Woodcock the NZ loosehead incumbent, to think Rhodri is a better tighthead is delusional, he might be worth more as a option to cover both sides of a scrum, but not as an out and out tighthead.
As for Nicky Thomas he reminds me a bit of Aled Brew, he was with us on 2 separate occasions and was found wanting, and both times he left us to join the Dragons he was shown to be much better with them, horses for courses, as for Nicky if you seen him as I did playing the Saracens in the LV a couple of years ago, when he replaced Dan Suter, he was terrible in both the tight and loose, penalised in a number of scrums and always very late to rucks and mauls, his conditioning was terrible even after a number of warnings, look how both Nicky Smith and Scott Otten have got on (Scott should be second choice IMO) and the three of them came through at the same age group and same club (Waunarllwyd) why have they buckled down and Thomas wouldn't, if he comes on good for him, but he could still be with us if he was prepared to work as the other 2 have shown.

Didn't you mention this to shifty of LD just a couple weeks ago, why are they asking again?

mikey_dragon wrote:

wayne wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:How long a contract is Fia on ? If he is only here until next year then it makes sense to be signing Rhodri Jones, he is better than Fia. But it all sucks @rse because from all accounts Nick Thomas is going great guns at Gloucester, perhaps Ospreys should have held onto him.

Fia is on a 2 year contract with an extra year option, I've put this on here before, in both you tube and NZ press reports he is seen taking apart Tony Woodcock the NZ loosehead incumbent, to think Rhodri is a better tighthead is delusional, he might be worth more as a option to cover both sides of a scrum, but not as an out and out tighthead.
As for Nicky Thomas he reminds me a bit of Aled Brew, he was with us on 2 separate occasions and was found wanting, and both times he left us to join the Dragons he was shown to be much better with them, horses for courses, as for Nicky if you seen him as I did playing the Saracens in the LV a couple of years ago, when he replaced Dan Suter, he was terrible in both the tight and loose, penalised in a number of scrums and always very late to rucks and mauls, his conditioning was terrible even after a number of warnings, look how both Nicky Smith and Scott Otten have got on (Scott should be second choice IMO) and the three of them came through at the same age group and same club (Waunarllwyd) why have they buckled down and Thomas wouldn't, if he comes on good for him, but he could still be with us if he was prepared to work as the other 2 have shown.

Didn't you mention this to shifty of LD just a couple weeks ago, why are they asking again?

Yes I did Mikey, and I thought I was the one with senility issues

mikey_dragon wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Jones would soon improve under Gibbes at the Ospreys (I hope). Scarlets' pack is putting in some terrible performances now and then under Hayward.

Heywood doesn't coach the pack, that is Cunningham, with support from Pivac and Phil John.

Wayne, I knew you were going to get Rhodri (just assumed it was the other one haha).  Realistically I can not see him being too good a signing, unless he is going to have his NDC renewed as part of the move.

Apologies, I was pretty sure that it was. What does BH do exactly? He didn't really have a good coaching track record before joining you lot, I can't imagine Pivac making the decision to bring him in?

Defence coach, and it has come on leaps and bounds (when we have a full complement).

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Jones would soon improve under Gibbes at the Ospreys (I hope). Scarlets' pack is putting in some terrible performances now and then under Hayward.

Heywood doesn't coach the pack, that is Cunningham, with support from Pivac and Phil John.

Wayne, I knew you were going to get Rhodri (just assumed it was the other one haha).  Realistically I can not see him being too good a signing, unless he is going to have his NDC renewed as part of the move.

Apologies, I was pretty sure that it was. What does BH do exactly? He didn't really have a good coaching track record before joining you lot, I can't imagine Pivac making the decision to bring him in?

Defence coach, and it has come on leaps and bounds (when we have a full complement).

Are you sure about that? Defence in the European competition has been rather leaky. It's been a little better in the Pro12.

LordDowlais wrote:How long a contract is Fia on ? If he is only here until next year then it makes sense to be signing Rhodri Jones, he is better than Fia. But it all sucks @rse because from all accounts Nick Thomas is going great guns at Gloucester, perhaps Ospreys should have held onto him.

They did offer him a contract but he rejected it as they weren't offering him enough playing time. Which is fair enough considering we had a welsh international in Jarvis there and Arhip developing nicely. Also he was pretty unfit when he was with the Ospreys

Best news of the day for me Alun Wyn Jones extends his NDC for a significant period (whatever that is)

I NEARLY PUT ALL THE ABOVE IN BLOCK CAPITALS, BUT I'D BE ACCUSED OF SHOUTING

That's the signing of the season, I don't think any other player has as much impact that AWJ has on the Ospreys when he plays.

Also, in the Welsh under 20's theres 6 young Ospreys in the backs so hopefully some of these will push through as we've struggled developing some quality outside of 9 and 10 in the backs. Tipping Keelan Giles to be a star in that under 20's team

wayne wrote:Best news of the day for me Alun Wyn Jones extends his NDC for a significant period (whatever that is)

I NEARLY PUT ALL THE ABOVE IN BLOCK CAPITALS, BUT I'D BE ACCUSED OF SHOUTING

Wayne this says it all for me:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/alun-wyn-jones-staying-ospreys-10755659

LordDowlais wrote:

wayne wrote:Best news of the day for me Alun Wyn Jones extends his NDC for a significant period (whatever that is)

I NEARLY PUT ALL THE ABOVE IN BLOCK CAPITALS, BUT I'D BE ACCUSED OF SHOUTING

Wayne this says it all for me:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/alun-wyn-jones-staying-ospreys-10755659

Lord, for once the Fail has it absolutely spot on, perhaps it's because it is Parfitt doing the piece and not Andy Bowell.

True Raven wrote:That's the signing of the season, I don't think any other player has as much impact that AWJ has on the Ospreys when he plays.

Also, in the Welsh under 20's theres 6 young Ospreys in the backs so hopefully some of these will push through as we've struggled developing some quality outside of 9 and 10 in the backs.  Tipping Keelan Giles to be a star in that under 20's team

Raven, your right a talisman of the highest order, as for Giles a couple on our board have been raving (see what I did there) about him for quite a while, haven't seen him myself but reports have him as a superstar in the making.

wayne wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

wayne wrote:Best news of the day for me Alun Wyn Jones extends his NDC for a significant period (whatever that is)

I NEARLY PUT ALL THE ABOVE IN BLOCK CAPITALS, BUT I'D BE ACCUSED OF SHOUTING

Wayne this says it all for me:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/alun-wyn-jones-staying-ospreys-10755659

Lord, for once the Fail has it absolutely spot on, perhaps it's because it is Parfitt doing the piece and not Andy Bowell.

Dodger's boy?

With all these NDCs, at this rate the Os'll be 50% owned by the WRU!

Cardiff Dave wrote:With all these NDCs, at this rate the Os'll be 50% owned by the WRU!

Absurd isn't it? They'll have to rename Ospreys RFC the Gatamites

Love to see someone argue the case for NDCs after this latest fiasco.

Stone Motif wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:With all these NDCs, at this rate the Os'll be 50% owned by the WRU!

Absurd isn't it? They'll have to rename Ospreys RFC the Gatamites

Love to see someone argue the case for NDCs after this latest fiasco.

Andrew Hore shouts the loudest about being done over for providing international players and struggling because of it.

Also an interesting side note, well maybe, I read elsewhere a list of NWQs registered to each region. And as it stands the Ospreys have the most NWQ players.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:I read elsewhere a list of NWQs registered to each region. And as it stands the Ospreys have the most NWQ players.

It stinks of shoite, and some of them that they have are either injured all the time or nothing to write home about, yet Andrew Hore is still spouting his bollox off about wanting more. That man is all about his own ego and not about the rugby, every time I listen to him I just want to nut him.

Lord, to be honest it is business. We are all competing for the same trophies, and the same NDCs etc. The Ospreys have done some very smart business really. The 'offer' for Scott Williams ensured that he would not be on an NDC, which freed up around £200k NDC money which meant there was a better chance of a deal being offered to retain the likes of AWJ. And with the NWQs I think the Ospreys have a good mix really.

Also I have heard that Rhodri is all signed up to be at the Liberty next season.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Lord, to be honest it is business.  We are all competing for the same trophies, and the same NDCs etc.  The Ospreys have done some very smart business really.  The 'offer' for Scott Williams ensured that he would not be on an NDC, which freed up around £200k NDC money which meant there was a better chance of a deal being offered to retain the likes of AWJ.  And with the NWQs I think the Ospreys have a good mix really.

Also I have heard that Rhodri is all signed up to be at the Liberty next season.

Good post SS, it is one worth replying to, can I ask you, which Rhodri? Now a bit of information, according to a normally reliable poster on our forum, part of the difference between the original RSA and the one negotiated with the dodger, is that the foreign numbers in the first agreement was in the MATCH DAY SQUAD, whereas the new agreement is in the total overall numbers in the FULL SQUAD.
These are under active discussion at the moment with the new regime, this was part of the reason for the Andrew Hore interview, and it was significant in the new CEOs question and answer interview with the Fail last week that he said by far the greatest amount of time recently was in discussions with the Regions.
Something could be announced in the not too distant future.

Ah yeah, Rhodri Jones is apparently just awaiting public announcement now. From what I can gather Pivac was meant to have told him that he does not feature to prominently in our plans going forward, and that it would be in his best interest to find another side where he would be utilised more. Where as Rhodri Williams has been offered a renewal, but is meant to be looking for somewhere where he will get more game time to try and push back into the welsh setup.

Your right, the original participation agreement limited the regions to (I believe) six non-welsh qualified players in the match day squads. Where as now it is a case of only six capped non-welsh qualified and two time serving, which need to be in a certain age bracket (I think under 26 for a forward, and under 24 for a back), in the full squad. However there are some loopholes around that regarding players playing on permit, or being in academies etc. So theoretically the regions could utilise more NWQ players if they are crafty and register them to the prem sides.

Hore is doing a good job of making noise, which whilst it may annoy most of us, seems to be making a difference. A bit like a good captain on the field that bleats in the refs ear all game long. And seeing as it is his job to try and get the best possible deal for the Ospreys fair play to him, the other three regions could do with doing the same (I guess Pies does a bit too really).

Fingers crossed what ever the Union/Regions have been talking about will turn out to be good new for all of them and not some silly PR stunt that doesn't really gain anything (like rotating games around different stadia etc).