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]

Jeebus, that was close

[Cari]

Argh!!! Ospreys had a good chance to score there, ball knocked on. Exhausting start so far. I hope the O's can keep this pace up. It's classic O's stuff.

[eirebilly]

Ominous signs there for the Dragons scrum

[Cari]

PASS MUN! FFS!!! Get that ball out, and AGAIN we lose the opportunity to score. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[eirebilly]

How the hell have The O's not scored??

[Guest]

Have that Hibbard! A Tongan tickle, via Ebbw Vale!

[Cari]

How the hell have The O's not scored??

Not passing soon enough. They need to keep the pace, and stop hogging the fecking ball!

[Cari]

Coooo, this is bold from the Dragons. Attempting a penalty from the halfway line...and he's nailed it! What a belter!

0 - 3.

[eirebilly]

Cracking kick

[Cari]

COME ON O's FFS!! Slowing down now...they're within ten metres...third time lucky, they HAVE to score here.

OK, so they get a penalty. Do you know the O's have had 91% possession so far.

3 - 3. Biggar over 200 points now for this season.

[eirebilly]

This is a great match so far. 3-3

[Cari]

Dragons needn't worry about Tovey going. Roblin's not a bad little kicker. Dragons get another penalty.

3 - 6.

[eirebilly]

Ryan Jones, Try

[Cari]

Jebus christie!! Have the O's been to the Scotland International School of not finishing?!

R-Jo in with the try...eventually! 10 - 6.

[eirebilly]

Its all coming together Cari

[eirebilly]

Stupid from the Dragons, back chat gets you marched 10.

[Cari]

It aint over until The Little Man is dancing...Dragons making good headway, then they concede a penalty kick.

Some bizarre slow-mo shots by BBC Wales there accompanied by silence...

[eirebilly]

Superb turnover by Tips

[Cari]

Woah! Gwaaaaaan Blondie!!!!! Great break from the halfway line by the O's, but Brew does a massive tackle on Dirksen....well, not even a tackle, more like a shoulder charge into his legs.

[Guest]

Absolute shambles by the Library stewards telling us to sit down as we are blocking a sponsors sign. 12450 fans of the Ospreys are a joke as well. Not called a Library for nothing. We can all sing near a tryline.

[Cari]

ooh Nige's is getting arsey with the Dragons scrum No binnings...yet but there could be if the front row don't behave.

[Cari]

Here's the binning...Nathan Buck off for ten.

[Cari]

Nigel's patience runs out and a penalty try is awarded after trying for six minutes to get a scrum going.

17 - 6 after conversion.

Ianto injured, hope that's just a bit of a bang he's taken, and nothing serious.

[eirebilly]

Aled Brew has to be careful, thats twice he hasnt wrapped in the tackle. Thats dangerous when going for the legs.

[SGD prop]

How the feck can you give a penalty try when the ball is not put it

[Cari]

Aled Brew has to be careful, thats twice he hasnt wrapped in the tackle. Thats dangerous when going for the legs.

He's lucky he doesn't do himself an injury like that. It was a big hit.

[Cari]

How the feck can you give a penalty try when the ball is not put it

They weren't engaging, that's why Nige lost his patience.

[Cardiff Dave]

Ospreys looking good enough to win the league especially with their total dominance at scrum time.

[SGD prop]

no push till the ball is in NO

[Cari]

no push till the ball is in NO

Buck was sent off because he wasn't taking the hit to start with, and things didn't improve after he was off.

HT 17 - 6.

[eirebilly]

Actually SGD, you have a point but in all fairness it was coming and the Dragons were not engaging which kills the scrum.

[SGD prop]

I know that and fully believe that they may deserve it but the rules are your not allowed to push till
the ball is in

[Guest]

Ospreys looking good enough to win the league especially with their total dominance at scrum time.

You wont play poor scrummagers like the Blouse or us every week mind. Let's not get carried away.

[SGD prop]

as far as I am concerned you can't give a penalty try when the ball is still in the scrum half's hands

[Cari]

Ospreys looking good enough to win the league especially with their total dominance at scrum time.

You wont play poor scrummagers like the Blouse or us every week mind. Let's not get carried away.

Indeed, I'm not getting carried away. We've got a good scrum, but our backs are frustrating when they get the ball!

[Cari]

as far as I am concerned you can't give a penalty try when the ball is still in the scrum half's hands

Well Nigel has, so what can you do...?

[eirebilly]

as far as I am concerned you can't give a penalty try when the ball is still in the scrum half's hands

Totally agree but its hard for the scrum half to get the ball in when there is no proper binding. I think that it was more down to frustration and annoyance than anything but you are correct.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

How the feck can you give a penalty try when the ball is not put it

It's a joke, and no mention at all of it on Scrum V.

[Cardiff Dave]

Ospreys looking good enough to win the league especially with their total dominance at scrum time.

You wont play poor scrummagers like the Smashing Blouses or us every week mind. Let's not get carried away.

I realise that and was actually thinking of the Irish sides in the play offs. I don't think they'll be able to match the Sprays at scrum time. Also they seem to be playing with more confidence and with smiles on their faces, for a change.

[glamorganalun]

Great play by the Ospreys but well done Dragons so far great defence, need to hold on to get 15 back on the park. I suspect there will be more penalty tries. I Shane playing, I bet he is glad to be on the other wing.

[SGD prop]

I know exactly where you are coming from but if you are going to bang on about other rules like not straight at line out of forward passes then you have the acknowledge that you can' give a penalty try when the balls not even in

[Cari]

Oh bugger, has Webb been replaced by Fotuali'i? He's too slow getting the ball out.

[Cari]

Ospreys concede two penalties in four minutes FFS...both for the same offence too....and now the Dragons are back up to 15 men.

Roblin goes for another penalty.

17 - 9.

[glamorganalun]

Why take Webb off when he is playing well unless he is injured.

[Cari]

Dunno Glam, but it's not good for us. Maybe Webb took a knock or something, and he had to come off at HT.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

From a Dragons perspective, I'm glad Rhys Webb's gone off. He's a quality player.

[Cari]

Good to see Martyn Thomas back. He's replaced Chivanga (or however his name is spelt...)

Great pressure from the O's....come on boys!

[Luckless Pedestrian]

On your way, Biggar!

[Cari]

BIGGAR YOU BELLEND!!! (where's the bloody facepalm smiley when you need it). He's binned for tripping up Brew. Deserved. What a pillock!

[Guest]

Biggar = brain fart.

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