Zebre Vs Ospreys RP12 Friday 5th October - TEAMS ANNOUNCED

First topic message reminder :

Date: Friday, October 5
Kick-off: 19:05 (18:05 BST, 17:05 GMT
Venue: Stadio XXV Aprile

Well the Ospreys make their second trip to Italy this season. It really wasn't a good result last time we were there. The Ospreys were error riddled and unable to impose anything on what was a decent Treviso side.

Now Zebre are not a patch on Treviso and the Ospreys are certainly playing much better rugby in their last two outings.

The Ospreys need to kick on from those two good performances against Scarlets and Munster. Zebre need to work out how they can impose themselves on this league, they have achieved little so far. Though there is nothing to say they won't figure out how to become a tough nut to crack. Airioni certainly had some glorious moments before.


Zebre
15 Daniel Halangahu, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Matteo Pratichetti, 12 Gonzalo Garcia (capt), 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Alberto Chiesa, 9 Alberto Chillon, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Emiliano Caffini, 5 Michael Van Vuren, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Luca Redolfini, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Matias Aguero.

REPLACEMENTS
16 Carlo Festuccia, 17 Salvatore Perugini, 18 Flavio Tripodi, 19 Filippo Ferrarini, 20 Josh Sole, 21 Luca Martinelli, 22 Alberto Benettin, 23 Leonardo Sarto.

Ospreys
15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 1 Ryan Bevington, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Adam Jones, 4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt), 5 Ian Evans, 6 Ryan Jones, 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Jonathan Thomas

REPLACEMENTS
16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Joe Bearman, 20 George Stowers, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Ross Jones, 23 Jonathan Spratt

Referee: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Stefano Pennè (Italy), Filippo Bertelli (Italy)
Television match official: Stefano Marrama (Italy)

That's it in Parma.

16-34

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Will Ospreys ever get 4 tries this season? Not with Biggar starting I bet.

He's doing his best to get four

Try biggar 73Min

16-32

Why don't we wait until the 4 tries before you open your yap. 21 points for the Spreys and Biggar is still kicking at goal, against the basement team of the Rabo. Who makes these decisions?

thanks morg, the link game me soccer?

Morgannwg wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Will Ospreys ever get 4 tries this season? Not with Biggar starting I bet.

He's doing his best to get four

Try biggar 73Min

16-32

Why don't we wait until the 4 tries before you open your yap. 21 points for the Spreys and Biggar is still kicking at goal, against the basement team of the Rabo. Who makes these decisions?

I am nearly two thousand miles away, not much I can do mate...

ZEBRE
Tries: Redolfini Cons: Halangahu Pens: Garcia, Halangahu (2)

OSPREYS
Tries: Fussell, Thomas, Biggar Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar (5)

The Ospreys beat the league's new boys Zebre in Italy to record their third straight victory in the Pro12.
The reigning champions have now beaten Zebre, the Scarlets and Munster, and put their dismal start to the campaign behind them.

Full-back Richard Fussell, number eight Jonathan Thomas and fly-half Dan Biggar all crossed for tries for the Ospreys.
Biggar also enjoyed a decent game with the boot and finished the game with a personal tally of 24 points.
The Ospreys' victory was never really in doubt and the visitors went into the break 21-6 ahead, banishing memories of their last trip to Italy.

The Welsh side suffered their first defeat to an Italian side when they were beaten 12-6 by Treviso in Italy in their season opener. But the return of Wales and British and Irish Lions tight-head prop Adam Jones, making his first start of the season, was another major boost.

Full-back Richard Fussell scored the game's first try after he finished of a simple passing move with the Zebre down to 14-men after scrum-half Alberto Chillon had been shown the yellow card. Biggar added the conversion before Thomas crashed over for the Ospreys' second try just before half-time, extending their lead to 15.

Zebre, who replaced Aironi as the second Italian side in the league for this season, gained their first point last Friday in a 19-22 defeat at Glasgow.And they did claw themselves back into the contest in the second half, when prop Luca Redolfini crossed for the Parma-based side after a well executed blindside move left the Ospreys defence flat-footed. Australian full-back Danile Halangahu kept the scoreboard ticking over before Biggar replied with the Ospreys third try, which he converted, to make sure of a victory which puts their domestic season back on track.

HERSH wrote:Then please stop trying to discredit my comments on the Zebre v Osprey game Mae!

.

Zebre 16 - 34 Ospreys
Half-time: 6 - 21

Zebre
Tries: Redolfini
Cons: Halangahu
Pens: Garcia, Halangahu 2

Ospreys
Tries: Biggar, Fussell, Thomas
Cons: Biggar 2
Pens: Biggar 5

From the Ospreys Website

The Ospreys continued their winning run with a controlled performance to secure what was, in the end, a comfortable victory in their first ever game against Italian side Zebre after surviving a third quarter fight back from the hosts to eventually pull away. Dan Biggar had a massive influence on the game, scoring 24 points including a late try - his first of the season, after first half touchdowns from Richard Fussell and Jonathan Thomas had set the Ospreys on their way.
On a gorgeous autumn evening the stage was perfect for rugby, although there was a late change on the bench for the Ospreys, Richard Hibbard pulling out and therefore missing the chance to make his 150th appearance for the region. Matthew Dwyer of Bridgend Ravens took his place on the bench.

The opening quarter was all about the boot, Biggar missing a penalty in the third minute, before slotting over three successful kicks in the first 20 minutes, a reply from Gonzalo Garcia making it 9-3 to the Ospreys.

Zebre's scrum-half Alberto Chillon found himself in the sinbin on 24 minutes after an infringement at the breakdown, and the Ospreys took full advantage with their first try just five minutes later.

It came as a result of some patient, intelligent probing by the Ospreys, working hard to stretch the Zebre defence before working the ball out wide with good hands to allow Fussell to go over in the corner for his second try in as many games.

Just after the half hour Garcia had a chance to reduce the deficit but his penalty attempt was off target, before the Ospreys responded with their second try, through Jonathan Thomas.

Ryan Bevington was the catalyst, winning turnover ball deep in Zebre territory, sparking a move that eventually left Jonathan Thomas with a simple walk-in for his first try of the season.

It went unconverted, and three points from Zebre fullback Daniel Halangahu at the death meant that the Ospreys lead at the break was 15 points.

HALF-TIME: ZEBRE 6 OSPREYS 21

The Italians came out fired up after the restart and worked themselves a try within minutes, prop Luca Redolfini going over from close range, Halangahu converting.

The Ospreys were finding themselves under increasing pressure and were grateful that Garcia was off-target for the second time 10 minutes into the second half.

Just three minutes later, Halangahu's penalty brought Zebre to within a try of their opponents for the first time of over half an hour and the Italians were fancying their chances of a shock result at this point.

However, led well by Biggar, the Ospreys upped their game in the final quarter and were able to put some daylight between themselves and their opponents.

Two Biggar penalties around the hour mark moved the scoreboard to 27-16 in his team's favour then a second Zebre yellow for a foul at the contact area, this time to centre Matteo Pratichetti, saw the hosts reduced to 14 for 10 minutes once again.

The Ospreys eventually made the game completely safe with seven minutes to go, a great break from Eli Walker up the wing causing the Zebre defence problems before he offloaded inside to the supporting Biggar who strolled home from 20 metres out, his conversion rounding off a decent night's work for the men in black.