Ospreys v Dragons Thread

[mrzimmerman]

First topic message reminder :

A tad early i know but looking forward to this so thought i'd start a thread to see if i'm not alone. Ospreys start as favourites for the second east - west Welsh derby in the space of 7 days BUT i believe the Dragons will prove to be a much sterner test for the title chasing Swansea based region. Historically the Dragons have a good record against the Ospreys and i think it would mean as much to the Dragons if they win on Friday as it did for Ospreys when they won away to Leinster a couple of weeks back. The Ospreys will look to continue their strength in the strum and up front in general. Hopefully Mr Owens will police the scrum area a lot better than Clancy did last week.

I, for one, am looking forward to a good game and hoping for a home win. Saying that i don't have the confidence i did last week. The Dragons will pour men into the breakdown to slow the Ospreys and frustrate them. If they succeed and get enough posession to their dangerous backs then we could have a real game on our hands.

It looks like the biggest rugby attendance of the season so far at the Liberty which is great news. That could finally mean the Ospreys fans can do to the Dragons as the Dragons fans have so brilliantly done to the Ospreys players and that is to make it a real hostile environement where every mistake is magnified and every postive attacking home play is welcomed with deafening noise.

It's clear who i support and i'm sorry for the clear bias in my post. Please please can Dragons fans place their perspective on the thread. If a dragons fan wants to post a lenthy message on the thread i'll post it here in the openning post. The teams will be posted here when they become available.

Further info found on match preview on pro12 website;

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/13817.php

The teams

Ospreys Dragons

15 Ross Jones 15 Hallam Amos
14 Hanno Dirksen 14 Tonderai Chavhanga
13 Tom Isaacs 13 Adam Hughes
12 Andrew Bishop 12 Ashley Smith
11 Shane Williams 11 Aled Brew
10 Dan Biggar 10 Lewis Robling
9 Rhys Webb 9 Wayne Evans
1 Ryan Bevington 1 Nathan Williams
2 Richard Hibbard 2 Steve Jones
3 Adam Jones 3 Nathan Buck
4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt) 4 Luke Charteris (c)
5 Ian Evans 5 Jevon Groves
6 Ryan Jones 6 Danny Lydiate
7 Justin Tipuric 7 Lewis Evans
8 Joe Bearman 8 Toby Faletau

Replacements:

16 Scott Baldwin 16 Sam Parry
17 Paul James 17 Phil Price
18 Joe Rees 18 Dan Way
19 James King 19 Rob Sidoli
20 Tom Smith 20 Tom Brown
21 Kahn Fotuali'I 21 Joe Bedford
22 Matthew Morgan 22 Martyn Thomas
23 Ashley Beck 23 Pat Leach

[eirebilly]

Priceless

[Liam]

Biggar's poor discipline resurfacing

[Cari]

I hope we don't need our kicker soon...gulp!

Tippy involved in some off-the-ball bollix...penalty against two Dragons players. Bit of handbags followed by a headlock...

[Cari]

Ross Jones taking the penalty for us...and it goes wide.

17 - 9.

[Guest]

I have never seen this Ross Jones before, he looks like a babi!

[Cardiff Dave]

Biggar = brain fart.

Or was Brew looking for it?

[Cari]

I have never seen this Ross Jones before, he looks like a babi!

He's only 20 and mostly plays with Bridgend.

[eirebilly]

Biggar = brain fart.

Or was Brew looking for it?

Both were fools in my book. Biggar should not have had his hands there and Brew should not have reacted the way he did.

[Cari]

Another contentious tip-tackle - this time on Ianto. Tippy got sent off for the same thing in another game....could be citing somewhere?

Anyway, there's a lot of shenanigans going on now.

Dragons penalty closes the lead to 17 - 12.

[Guest]

Biggar = brain fart.

Or was Brew looking for it?

watching the replays, tis both. I'd have put them both in the bin. Or most likely, just given them a proper talking to.

[Cari]

That must've been an illegal challenge surely?! Nige you're having a bad day today, son.

[eirebilly]

Brilliant by Shane

[Cari]

Adam Hughes ruins Shane's chance of scoring a decent try. Tippy having a great game.

[Cari]

OK, on the replay, the challenge on Beerman was not illegal, but how he's not hurt I don't know. Looked nasty. He'll be sore after that.

[Cari]

Fotuali'i giving out to Nigel. He wants to be careful, Nige hates the players back chatting.

[Liam]

Osprey's being a bit chopsy tonight

[Cari]

Beck on. Now he can finish off a try when we need it.

[glamorganalun]

Nigel not picking up over the ball and not on their feet.

[Cari]

Looks like Nigel's having a bit of poo day at the office...a few dubious decisions made...or not.

[Guest]

Now our support is told to sit down so somebody two rows back can see. Yet the Ospreys were on our line, so why aren't the Ospreys "supporters" stood up anyway. Absolutely pathetic ground and support.

[glamorganalun]

Ospreys falling apart in the loose and lost their way.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

There's another one. Jevon Groves pulled down in mid-air in the lineout and only a penalty given.

[Cari]

Good grief Nigel, surely that was taking someone out in the air in that lineout? Does Nigel need glasses...?

[glamorganalun]

Now we have two crap scrum halves

[Cari]

There's another one. Jevon Groves pulled down in mid-air in the lineout and only a penalty given.

Yep, and he missed a tip tackle on Ianto earlier...does he normally wear contact lenses? Perhaps he's forgotten to put them in...

[Luckless Pedestrian]

He hasn't been at his best, let's put it that way!

[Guest]

but he's been bad for both sides! there's consistency for you....

[Cari]

Now our support is told to sit down so somebody two rows back can see. Yet the Ospreys were on our line, so why aren't the Ospreys "supporters" stood up anyway. Absolutely pathetic ground and support.

To be fair Risca, maybe people at the front don't like to stand up (unless a try is being scored) because they know the people behind can't see, or because the stewards tell them to remain seated? I doubt it's lack of support from them.

Dragons told off again at the scrum. Another binning for a Dragons prop.

[glamorganalun]

Rubbish decision poor reffing, he is taking an age to get the scrum going.

[Cari]

Biggar could've done with getting that penalty. Frustrating.

17 - 12.

[justified sinner]

He's just a poor ref. Along with a lot of others

[Cari]

He's just a poor ref. Along with a lot of others

I disagree. Normally Nigel is one of the more reliable and experienced referees. Every dog has its day and all that...I guess.

[Guest]

double movement. twp.

[Cari]

No try...double movement. Bollix. Could've done with that.

[glamorganalun]

No try, he got away with it last week.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Can anyone explain why Dan Way got yellow carded when he and Paul James were both binding on the arm and went down at the same time?

[Cari]

Dragons lucky there. Not easy to kick the ball away with Shane breathing down your neck. He's dying to get a try before he finishes.

[Cari]

Good man Dan! Goes for the corner. Get a fecking try in. Come on!

[Cari]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeave...good defence from the Dragons though.

[glamorganalun]

Not sure Adam wants that scrum

[Cari]

Ryan Jones gets a deserved MOTM

[Cari]

Dragons front row told off again....another penalty try?

[glamorganalun]

Dragons did much better than the blues, likely penalty try

[Cari]

Another penalty try given. Saw that coming. Bit annoyed actually we didn't score properly sooner. We've had a couple of opportunities.

24 - 12.

[glamorganalun]

Go for the push over

[Cari]

To be fair, Nigel's taking a while with his scrum calls. It would be awesome if we got a WBP.

[Cari]

There goes Shane with his try in the 83rd minute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BONUS!!!

[Guest]

OH come on who scripted that?

[eirebilly]

SHANE!!!!!!!!!!! So it was written

[Guest]

awww Shane, perfect end for him, brilliant!

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