Ospreys v Leinster RP12 - Post Match debate

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OSPREYS (9) 19
Tries: Walker Cons: Morgan Pens: Morgan (3) Drop-goal: Morgan

LEINSTER (10) 10
Tries: Auva'a Cons: Madigan Pens: Madigan

Eli Walker's spectacular try gave Ospreys a hard-fought Pro12 win over European champions Leinster.
One point separated the sides at the break after three Matthew Morgan penalties followed a converted Leo Auva'a try and an Ian Madigan penalty.
Richard Fussell sliced through the Leinster defence from deep in his own half, timing his pass perfectly for lively wing Walker to score.

Morgan converted and added a drop-goal to deny Leinster a losing bonus point.
Ospreys were often on the back foot against a powerful Leinster pack, but showed tenacity in defence and a touch of flair to capitalise on a rare break.
It gave the Welsh side their sixth win from the last seven meetings with the Irish province and took them above the visitors to fifth place in the table.

Ospreys fly-half Matthew Morgan lands a late penalty to deny Leinster a losing bonus point
They rode their luck at times, and were fortunate to escape as early as the seventh minute when a try slipped through Fionn Carr's fingers when the Leinster winger failed to hold onto the ball while sliding towards the left corner.

But the visitors pounced from the resulting line-out after charging down the attempted clearance kick from Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb.

The ball spun towards the posts, evading the grasp of home centre Andrew Bishop, and Leinster number eight Auva'a gathered up with glee to score.
Video referee Nigel Whitehouse gave the try despite the suspicion of a knock-on, and Madigan converted.

Two Morgan penalties cut the deficit as Ospreys began to make inroads, but they needed Walker's intervention to deny Leinster a second try when Andrew Conway chased his own chip kick.
Another let-off soon followed when Madigan pulled a simple kick at goal wide, but Morgan's aim was true as he added a third penalty with the final kick of an even first half.

Webb was the next to save the home side early after the break, clinging on by his fingertips to Madigan's shirt with the try-line in the fly-half's sights.
Leinster were on top at this stage, benefiting from their numerical advantage following a yellow card to home prop Duncan Jones.

But a moment of magic from Fussell ripped open the Leinster defence for Walker's decisive try.

Full-back Fussell received a quickly taken line-out in his own 22 and sliced through the lethargic chasing defenders, finding a clear path into the opposition half.
Walker, the most dangerous player on show with ball in hand, was perfectly placed to receive Fussell's pass as he drew the final Leinster cover.

Morgan converted, putting Ospreys 16-10 ahead, and Jones's return from the sin bin was another boost as the game entered the final 20 minutes.
Leinster continued to enjoy forward dominance, but enterprising back play took Ospreys within drop-goal territory and Morgan made no mistake to take his side two scores clear with five minutes remaining.

TEAM DETAILS

Ospreys: Fussell; H. Dirksen, Isaacs, Bishop, Walker; Morgan, Webb; D. Jones, Dwyer, Rees, Peers, J. Thomas, Stowers, Lewis, Bearman.
Replacements: M. Thomas for Lewis (54), Fotuali'i for Webb (57), King for Peers (59), Lewis for M. Thomas (62), Allen for Bearman (77).
Not Used: Ellis, Suter, Spratt, R. Jones.
Sin Bin: D. Jones (51).
Leinster: D. Kearney; Conway, Macken, Goodman, Carr; Madigan, Boss; Van der Merwe, T. Sexton, Hagan, Browne, Toner, Ruddock, Jennings, L. Auva'a, Marshall.
Replacements: Marshall for Browne (26), Murphy for Marshall (65), Moore for Hagan (68), Tracy for Auva'a (77), J. McGrath for Van der Merwe (77)
Not Used: Cooney, Reid, Coghlan-Murray.
Att: 9,246
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
Assistant r eferees: Neil Nennessy, Wayne Davies (both WRU)
Citing c ommissioner: Dennis Jones (WRU)
TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU)
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Also related to this story

Time to voice a bugbear of mine. When a line out is uncontested, what does it matter if its not straight?

[quote="Cari"]I thought you made that spelling mistake on purpose Gibbo...

Come on O's...did well to get a bit space there, but Leinster are not away yet.[/quote]

We'll never know Cari...

Christ this is frustrating. Should be going for a TBP at this stage. If we lose this, it will be a criminal act.

Webb looking in pain there. Ospreys doing well to not concede with Duncs in the bin.

Gibson wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Gibson wrote:That's better. Now, this is the time to go for the juggler .

I thought there was a lot of juggling going on already...

Well spotted Pot. Jugular it is so.

Well I did look for three balls on the pitch first but it was all in vein....

Gibson wrote:Christ this is frustrating. Should be going for a TBP at this stage. If we lose this, it will be a criminal act.

Both teams dropping ball, evenly matched by the look of it. Weather had been awful in Wales this week.

Good grief....the conditions are dogpoo. O's doing well not to concede with the binning, mind.

Apologies Wales, I'm not the one who put it up, Rabo streams are always worse I would imagine (I've added every channel bar the Italian one that carries Rabo games to my sattellite box so have few issues!)

Jeez Madigan is a tough little bugger. Like his tackling.

GOOOOOO ELIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Super run from Fussell, passes to Eli walker and he scores!

14 - 10 before conversion.

Who says you can't play good rugby in shoite conditions? Leinster take note

But not that tackling. Dreadful defending by Leinster. Ospreys take the lead despite the run of play.

FACK

Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

Walker has been playing well this season. A big improvement from last season.

Gee stream crashed now too...I give up! Enjoy the game lads and lady(boy)s! .....

$hit myself when fussel was given the ball. But fair play he did well there

Great counter.

Being an absolute goon but the guy who threw the quick lineout was infield

16 - 10 after conversion approaching the 63rd minute. Hold on now O's, Leinster won't back off.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

You're not but it was marginal.

Pete: spotted too

Ospreys much better at the breakdown all match. Ruddock gives away an easy penalty getting isolated and lack of support.

Ospreys have their tails up.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

Welsh touch judge didnt see it...! Bit like the Irish ref at the scrums

Mickado wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

You're not but it was marginal.

No marginal would be if it was on the whitewash this was well infield,in fairness though this is let go a lot and both the ref and touch judge were a long way away from it.We should also have been well able to defend it anyway but great counter from the O's.

maestegmafia wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

Welsh touch judge didnt see it...! Bit like the Irish ref at the scrums

You think the O's are hard done by?

Uh-oh Leinster on the attack now. You've got to watch that Jennings fella...

asoreleftshoulder wrote:

Mickado wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

You're not but it was marginal.

No marginal would be if it was on the whitewash this was well infield,in fairness though this is let go a lot and both the ref and touch judge were a long way away from it.We should also have been well able to defend it anyway but great counter from the O's.

It wasn't Morgan's throw that made the try it was fussells speed and angles...! And him not dropping the ball for once when getting the pass away to Eli.

Fussell makes a break, but appears to trip or be tripped, not sure. A lot of booing from the locals, but play goes on.

Booing from Ospreys fans? Well I never.....

16-10 with just under ten minutes left.

Mon Leinster FFS!

maestegmafia wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:

Mickado wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Foot in field when taking that quick throw or am I imagining it?

You're not but it was marginal.

No marginal would be if it was on the whitewash this was well infield,in fairness though this is let go a lot and both the ref and touch judge were a long way away from it.We should also have been well able to defend it anyway but great counter from the O's.

It wasn't Morgan's throw that made the try it was fussells speed and angles...! And him not dropping the ball for once when getting the pass away to Eli.

No disputes on that was a great counter but poor defending from a Leinster point of view,they were lining up to score it.

S4C is back online, just letting you know as the other streams were pretty poor.

Ref is blind at scrums. Leinster generally murdering Ospreys but getting nothing.

Get in their half

Big scrum here now....Leinster driving forward, but O's turn over. Box kick...away from the dodgy area for now.

Well plate king in the line out.

Youngsters doing well.

Morgannwg wrote:S4C is back online, just letting you know as the other streams were pretty poor.

Thank You

Fussell and Walker working well together again, but don't quite finish it. That was another try opportunity...

DG Mat Morgan

YAY! Morgs drop goal!!!

19-10 six minutes left.

Pot Hale wrote:Ref is blind at scrums. Leinster generally murdering Ospreys but getting nothing.

Does that remind you of a certain final?

That DG probably wins it for the O's.

Leinster havent scored since the 7th minute.

Morgannwg wrote:S4C is back online, just letting you know as the other streams were pretty poor.

There weren't many going around for it to be honest but good to see S4C back on.

Leinster have only themselves to blame here. Threw it away.

Leinster players just seem to have very greasey hands at the moment.

A lot shorter advantage from the ref this half

And that's game over as Ospreys get a deserved DG.

Poor, poor play by Leinster. Ospreys by far the better side in the second half.

Lads, there's just under five minutes to go...that's a long time in rugby. The heavens have just opened again there, mind.

I think Leinster are in crisis. They have played shoite today.

Gibson wrote:Leinster have only themselves to blame here. Threw it away.

Gibson mate you could say that if Leinster had played well at the start but to be fair both teams have struggled. In a scrappy match with a very wet pitch and persistent rain.

Madigan has gone very quiet in the 2nd half.

Missed the first as I was at LW beating Bath