Connacht 6 - 17 Ospreys

First topic message reminder :

The Ospreys moved back to the top of the PRO12 as their understrength side still proved too strong for Connacht in a windy Galway.

Miah Nikora and Matthew Morgan swapped early penalties before scrum-half Rhys Webb's break set up Morgan to score under the posts on 32 minutes.

Nikora kicked another penalty before the break but with the wind advantage to follow, the Ospreys were in control.

Sonny Parker's try made the game safe as Connacht lacked a cutting edge.

The Ospreys were without 18 squad members because of Wales and Wales Sevens duty and injuries but Tommy Bowe was in action for the Welsh outfit in his native country.

Connacht had the gale force wind at their backs in their first half but kicking was still difficult and Nikora was off target with the game's opening penalty chance in the 11th minute.

As Connacht pressed, Paul O'Donohue sniped towards the Ospreys line in the 13th minute before being bundled into touch.

Connacht's early pressure did yield a penalty for Nikora in the 16th minute but Morgan quickly levelled for the Ospreys after a George Naoupu infringement in a ruck.

The conditions suggested that Connacht would need a healthy lead going into the second half so the game was going to plan for the Ospreys.

It got even better for the visitors in the 32nd minute as scrum-half Webb's midfield break set up Morgan to score under the posts and the fly-half added the conversion for good measure to increase the Ospreys lead to 10-3.

Nikora replied with a Connacht penalty but Richard Hibbard wasted a chance to score a second Ospreys try before the break as the visitors had numbers out wide.

However given the conditions, the Ospreys' 10-6 interval lead appeared a dominant position.

Connacht summoned up a big effort after the break and pressure in the Ospreys 22 resulted in Ian Gough being yellow carded in the 45th minute.

But after opting for the line-out, Connacht failed to control the possession and the chance was lost - something that happened on several occasions during the 80 minutes.

Replacement scrum-half Murphy attemped to generate quicker Connacht possession but the visitors held firm and invariably punted the ball, wind-assisted, back into home territory.

After the Connacht huff and puff had come to nothing, Duncan Jones, making his 150th appearance for the Ospreys, produced a run which helped set up the decisive second try on the hour.

After Jones had charged to the edge of the Connacht 22, slick handling in the Ospreys backs culminated in Richard Fussell setting up replacement Parker to score under the posts.

Morgan added the conversion and with almost 20 minutes left, the game was already over.

The defeat leaves Connacht without a win since 23 September.



Connacht: Gavin Duffy (c); Brian Tuohy, Dave McSharry, Henry Fa'afili, Tiernan O'Halloran; Miah Nikora, Paul O'Donohoe; Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Rodney Ah You; Dave Gannon, George Naoupu; TJ Anderson, John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa.

Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Ronan Loughney, Stewart Maguire, Mike Kearney, Eoghan Grace, Frank Murphy, Niall O'Connor, Mark McCrea.

Ospreys: Barry Davies; Tommy Bowe, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Richard Fussell; Matthew Morgan, Rhys Webb; Duncan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Aaron Jarvis, Ian Gough, James King, Tom Smith (capt), Chauncey O'Toole, Joe Bearman.

Replacements: Mefin Davies, Cai Griffiths, Joe Rees, James Goode, George Stowers, Tom Isaacs, Sonny Parker, Hanno Dirksen.

Maes - I haven't seen that film. I like Davies at FB. Good to see him back.

Didn't Beerman knock on there? Maybe not...

Morgan under the sticks with a try!!!!!!!!!!

He did well to get an easy conversion position too.

3 - 10.

Lovely try by th halfbacks there. Morgans side step is absolute magic

Brilliant by Webb, how he didn't start in the HC I don't know and excellent 7s finishing by Morgan.

Connacht 3 - 10 Ospreys

Good try. Fantastic step

Cari wrote:Maes - I haven't seen that film. I like Davies at FB. Good to see him back.

Didn't Beerman knock on there? Maybe not...

Hi Cari

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangs_of_New_York

Dan Day lewis in the picture on the left with a huge moustache. in the film he wears a kind of scrum cap too.


great to see BD playing well. I like to see him there too...

6-10

..and Morgan's just 19. Just think how good he could be in five years...

Connacht penalty. Nikora kicks for the posts against the wind again. It just gets in.

6 - 10.

Maes - I think Barry looks like The Edge from U2 with the handlebar taache going on.

http://s.wsj.net/media/theedgepix_E_20100303133936.jpg

ooh Hibbard unlucky there.

Ospreys should have scored that - poor pass from Bishop.

yes. bishop used to be a measure of consistent brilliance but he is far too often dropping and giving poor passes this year

Great Scrum by Duncan, Hibbs and Jarvis, only to concede a penalty for hands in the ruck once they had shoved Connacht over their own try line...!

Balls. Penalty to Connacht gets them out of danger.

Muldoon's got a beard that puts Gough's to shame as well.

Connacht scrum completely disintegrates and they get the penalty...interesting refereeing.

Wales - yeah strange that. I thought the O's scrum was very good that time.

HT 6 - 10.

maestegmafia wrote:yes. bishop used to be a measure of consistent brilliance but he is far too often dropping and giving poor passes this year

Not sure about consistent brilliance, but certainly consistency.

Hopefully the O's can get some good scores in the second half. They'll be playing with their backs to the wind, but they'll have to go for tries. the wind's too strong to keep taking shots at the posts.

W606, hands in was the call that the ref gave against them mate...!

Need to get on to the S4C website and practice your welsh....! ha ha ha. Only joking mate.

Though if you are interested any of you they do a great podcast actually. My wife is Irish and she has been doing both Gaelic and Welsh... Her Welsh is good, she managed her first conversation with a friend the other day...

wales606 wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:yes. bishop used to be a measure of consistent brilliance but he is far too often dropping and giving poor passes this year

Not sure about consistent brilliance, but certainly consistency.

Maybe Brilliantly Consistent...?

Anyhow, he is not the same this year. I think he may get demoted when our SA friend arrives.

maestegmafia wrote:W606, hands in was the call that the ref gave against them mate...!

Need to get on to the S4C website and practice your welsh....! ha ha ha. Only joking mate.

Though if you are interested any of you they do a great podcast actually. My wife is Irish and she has been doing both Gaelic and Welsh... Her Welsh is good, she managed her first conversation with a friend the other day...

Well, the hands in the ruck shouldn't have mattered as the ref should have been playing advantage to the O's for demolishing the Connacht scrum

maestegmafia wrote:

wales606 wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:yes. bishop used to be a measure of consistent brilliance but he is far too often dropping and giving poor passes this year

Not sure about consistent brilliance, but certainly consistency.

Maybe Brilliantly Consistent...?

Anyhow, he is not the same this year. I think he may get demoted when our SA friend arrives.

SA friend?

Stefan Watermeyer

Connacht Blindside Anderson is off for Kearney in the second half

Dont know how I missed this story - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15758081.stm

Good start for Connacht. They've got a line out at five metres. O's really need to take advantage of the wind being behind them.

ooh bum kick Barry.

Ospreys kicking game is not working, they should keep the ball in hand a bit more.

Yes they should. I'm guessing they think that the wind being behind them is an advantage, but it isn't, because it sends the ball sideways not forwards.

Another bollocking for the O's...the forwards again giving the penalty away. Connacht go for the corner.

...and there it is. Good night Ian Gough, off to the bin go thee...

Os pullled down the maul from that line out by hitting from the side, silly mistake and gives Connacht a penalty...

They go for touch.

With their current good line out work this might well put a lot of pressure on the Ospreys.

Yes goughie is in the bin...!

Bishop covers for Gough at blindside in the ospreys scrum...

Interesting to hear the crowd singing Fields of Athenry, I thought that was just a Munster thing?

Os under pressure here now. If they come out of this without conceding anything it'll be a bloody miracle.

Morgan does well to keep Muldoon back, he looks about a foot taller than him!

Connacht on the attack again though. Come on O's, keep your defence up.

Some changes: Peers on for Smith, Stowers on for O'Toole. O'Connor on for Mikora. I love NOC

O's get a penalty. Morgan going for the sticks, but it just goes wide.

O'conner on for flyhalf nekora

Tom smith off too...?

Athenry is in Galway Cari, so they're entitled to sing it. I think they sing it frequently enough.

Piers Lloyd on

Thomond - I wasn't suggesting they shouldn't sing it, I just didn't realise it was associated with Galway. Pardon my ignorance.

Parker on for Beck too...!

Not a call I would have made, I like Beck, good player.

Oh top pass from Hibbard, fairdo's!

One of the Connacht players has a mo like Ned Flanders!

Connacht struggling to get over the gain line without kicking

Rhys Webb not having his best game tonight...!

New Halfbacks have added a lot to Conachts attack now...!

Webb did all right to set up Morgan's try.

Connacht on the attack again...it would be a shame for the O's to concede anything now, they've managed to hold off during the binning so far.

Apologies for the way that came across Cari.

Tom Smith back on, it was only a blood replacement

No worries Thom I'm genuinely embarrassed by my ignorance there.

Smith back on for Peers...must've been a blood sub or something?

Gough coming back. Well done O's for holding out.

O's need to get to ball out to the backs more. Not sure why Morgan tried the chip and chase there...

Go Duncan Jones!!!

Parker in with the try under the sticks.

6 - 17 after conversion.

Nicely worked try for Sonny Parker

6 - 15

Conversion to come.