Scarlets vs Ospreys - THE BIG DERBY TEAMS ANNOUNCED and live match-day thread

[Smirnoffpriest]

First topic message reminder :

RaboDirect Pro12: Scarlets v Ospreys
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, LlanelliDate: Friday, 21 September
Kick-off: 19:05 BST
TEAMS ANNOUNCED

Scarlets team v Ospreys Friday 21st September 2012, Parc y Scarlets kick-off 7.05pm:
15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Andy Fenby, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Deacon Manu, 4 George Earle, 5 Richard Kelly, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Josh Turnbull, 8 Rob McCusker (capt).
Replacements:
16 Matthew Rees, 17 Peter Edwards, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Sione Timani, 20 Johnathan Edwards, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Gareth Maule.

Ospreys15 Richard Fussell 14 Hanno Dirksen 13 Tom Isaacs 12 Andrew Bishop 11 Tom Grabham 10 Dan Biggar 9 Kahn Fotuali'i 1 Duncan Jones 2 Richard Hibbard 3 Aaron Jarvis 4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt) 5 Ian Evans 6 George Stowers 7 Justin Tipuric 8 Joe Bearman
REPLACEMENTS
16 Scott Baldwin 17 Ryan Bevington 18 Joe Rees 19 Jonathan Thomas 20 Ryan Jones 21 Rhys Webb 22 Matthew Morgan 23 Jonathan Spratt

Ospreys coach Steve Tandy is hoping his players use the occasion of Friday's Welsh derby at Scarlets to put a dismal start to the season behind them.
But Tandy hopes the 21 September clash with unbeaten west Wales rivals Scarlets will provide a turning point.
"We've always performed in derbies, we're a pretty proud bunch and I know that they'll be hurting," said Tandy.
"So there's probably no better game for us than going down to the Scarlets and hopfully prove a point... really show that we are still a decent team, and get those basic areas of our game right.

An opening defeat away at Treviso - Ospreys' first loss to an Italian side - was followed by a home loss to Ulster and then another humbling at their Liberty Stadium home by Glasgow.

Scarlets' start to the season, in contrast to Ospreys, has been impressive and the Parc y Scarlets side sit unbeaten at the top of the Pro12 table with victories over Leinster, Glasgow and Connacht.

PS - THERE MAY BE A TRIBUTE TO NEVIN, GRAHAM AND NOEL SPENCE. I am unsure of the details but have heard that the crowd and announcer may sing Stand Up for the Ulstermen before the Scarlets/Ospreys game.

Could anyone with more/definate information comment please?

[wales606]

Bring back Ricky Januarie!

Bring back Rhys Webb.

Or if the O's are not going to use him like they did last season, the Blues will take him. O's can have one of our second rows if you like

[Artful_Dodger]

Scarlets scrum isn't really looking any stronger than last season especially given that this is a pretty weak Ospreys front row with Jarvis and Duncan Jones.

[wales606]

Seriously, Scarlets need to learn to catch...its getting silly now.

[Cari]

Score update: 6-6 after 33 minutes.

[GavinDragon]

ref is having a good game imo so far

[wales606]

Bring Samson Lee on, that would be a test for him - see what he can do.

[GavinDragon]

seconded wales 606!

[gowales]

Whenever the backs get it though it's like watching a bunch of headless chickens

It was like that last year though when Webb and Beck weren't playing.

I guess it's the Ospreys style

[wales606]

Liam Williams embarrassed Dirksen there.

Agree with the commentators, Ref is doing well so far.

[LordDowlais]

Sosbans are not happy tonight.

[Cari]

Where are the O's learning all this dirty play?! STOPPIT!

[Cari]

Woah! Was the O's 11 held back there?

[wales606]

Liam Williams VERY lucky there. That pullback was a penalty or possibly a yellow.

Scarlets need to get their centres into the game more.

[Coleman]

This is buzzing. I don't want half time. Parc sounds like it bubbling over!

[gowales]

Both 9's passing have been pretty shocking tonight.

If we want an alternative option to Phillips, Knoyle isn't really it.

[GavinDragon]

i agree coleman great atmosphere plenty of niggle, not the best skills on show (scarlets break aside) but a good watch

[Cari]

Jebus. The match officials need eyes on their arrses - so much going on. More dirty antics than the Houses of Parliament.

[wales606]

This game isn't living up to form at the moment.

If it comes down to kicks then the Ospreys could have it.

[Artful_Dodger]

Ref has missed a lot thought the O's could of had 3 yellows and the Scarlets 1.

[wales606]

Is Gareth Davies on the Scarlets bench?

[GavinDragon]

true artful but as a neutral im glad there is 30 men still on the pitch

[Morgannwg]

Both 9's passing is terrible. Surely this opens the eyes of the Scarlets fans who don't have a possitive word to say about Mike Phillips; at least his passing goes to hand.

[Coleman]

Fingers crossed for Samson at halftime. He can't do any worse then Manu. It'd be a good steep learning curve but i think he is up to it.

[gowales]

The coaching staff need to stick some of this on the O's backs before they run out for the 2nd half

[LordDowlais]

No tries yet, but what an absorbing first half.

[GavinDragon]

morg his passing may got to hand but the time it takes for him to make the pass does the ten no favours

[Morgannwg]

Is Gareth Davies on the Scarlets bench?

Yes. No idea why, best 9 in Wales. I've been wanting to see him and Phillips in the Wales match day squad since last season.

[wales606]

This should have been a game of Gareth Davies vs Rhys Webb. Unfortunately, it's been a dull 40minutes of Fotuali vs Knoyle

[gowales]

morg his passing may got to hand but the time it takes for him to make the pass does the ten no favours

Better than the pass going above the 10's head

[wales606]

Is Gareth Davies on the Scarlets bench?

Yes. No idea why, best 9 in Wales. I've been wanting to see him and Phillips in the Wales match day squad since last season.

I would say that Webb is the top SH in Wales, followed by Davies.

[Cari]

HT 6 - 9. First half dominated by the denial of Fenby's try after he was "smashed in the face" as the Beeb team dramatically put it. It certainly was a controversial decision, but there's all sorts going on from all sides.

[GavinDragon]

im not saying hes not the best nine we have at the moment, just that he is that little bit slower getting the ball away at times

[Morgannwg]

morg his passing may got to hand but the time it takes for him to make the pass does the ten no favours

Well it's not lightning quick but it's not slow enough for the opposition to capitalise or our backline to be hampered. I've yet to see it.

[gowales]

Martin Roberts at Northampton is always an option for a quick passing 9.

That seems to be the trend in international rugby.

[Morgannwg]

On form, Webb isn't the best and Williams is back to looking nowhere near good enough. Davies has continued his excellent form from last season, can't see why he is overlooked. I think out best in order are Phillips, Davies, Webb.

[gowales]

Davies would be a great alternative to Phillips to come off the bench. He's more of a classic 9 than the others.

[munkian]

Howley bigging up Tavis

[wales606]

Going back to Spala before the autumn internationals apparently.

[munkian]

Going back to Spala before the autumn internationals apparently.

[Rava]

GUYS

Sorry I didn't get here earlier but I just wanted to say thanks for the tributes to Nevin Spence and Ulster Rugby. Very much appreciated.

[wales606]

"Lloyd Williams needs to play more rugby, but the other 3 are great scrum halves" Rob Jones

Love the implication there...

[wales606]

SAMSON LEE ON!!! Yeah!

[LordDowlais]

Well you've got your wishes, Samson Lee is on for Manu.

[GavinDragon]

i like the bold decision to bring samson lee on at ht so many coahces wait until 60 mins for props nowadays

[Coleman]

HERE WE GO! Team Samson!

[GavinDragon]

and a pen given straight away haha

[LordDowlais]

And he gives a pen away in his first scrum.

[Morgannwg]

Rava, these tributes are moving. Lovely viewing. Goes to show the respect between rugby union communities.

Lee is on for Manu anyway.

[munkian]

Samson Lee on

[munkian]

And a penalty to the Ospreys. FFUUUU

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