Blues v Ospreys

Blues Team

15 Leigh Halfpenny 14 Owen Williams 13 Gavin Evans (c) 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Harry Robinson 10 Rhys Patchell 9 Lloyd Williams
1 Sam Hobbs 2 Marc Breeze 3 Scott Andrews 4 Filo Paulo 5 Lou Reed 6 Michael Paterson 7 Sam Warburton 8 Luke Hamilton

16 Kristian Dacey 17 Thomas Davies 18 Taufa'ao Filise 19 Robin Copeland 20 Rory Watts-Jones 21 Lewis Jones 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Gareth Davies

Ospreys team

15 Richard Fussell
14 Tom Habberfield
13 Jonathan Spratt
12 Ashley Beck
11 Tom Isaacs
10 Dan Biggar
9 Kahn Fotuali'i
1 Ryan Bevington
2 Richard Hibbard
3 Adam Jones
4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)
5 Ian Evans
6 James King
7 Justin Tipuric
8 Jonathan Thomas

REPLACEMENTS
16 Scott Baldwin
17 Duncan Jones
18 Dmitri Arhip
19 Lloyd Peers
20 Joe Bearman
21 Rhys Webb
22 Matthew Morgan
23 Ben John

At Millennium Stadium, 5.15pm. Live on S4C Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 95th competition game) Assistant Referees: Ian Davies, Sean Brickell (both WRU) Citing Commissioner: Denis Jones (WRU) TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU)

I think the Ospreys and Scarlets will win the games!

Hopefully my boys with a TBP and the Turks without.

Blues are going to be embarrassed

Eli walker out for the rest of the season. Having a back op.

Warbs and Halfpenny are back for the Blues

Roberts is 50/50 (therefore there is no chance of him actually appearing for the Blues)

No news on Patchell

Hopefully the blues will be better then last week. Their pack/scrum was poor. Their win v Edinburgh should have them to far ahead of dargons so I think same as last year they are just going through the motions avoiding injury. Is should win by 10 but no TBP

Better conditions should help.

It really will depend on injuries/selection

1. Hobbs
2. Breeze
3. Andrews
4. Paterson (Reed)
5. Paulo
6. Navidi (Paterson)
7. Warbuton
8. Copeland
9. Williams
10. Patchell
11. Czekaj
12. Roberts
13. O.Williams
14. Robinson
15. Halfpenny

If that is the starting 15, I will be more confident

Unfortunetly, it is going to be

1. Filise
2. Dacey
3. Andrews
4. Downs
5. Paulo
6. Paterson
7. Warburton
8. Copeland
9. Williams
10. Sweeney
11. Czakaj
12. Hewitt
13. Evans
14. O.Williams
15. Halfpenny

What are your opinions on the blues season. They were meant to kick on and be back among the play off spots or aleast fighting for it yet they could finish 9th 30pts off a playoff spot.

Brendan wrote:What are your opinions on the blues season. They were meant to kick on and be back among the play off spots or aleast fighting for it yet they could finish 9th 30pts off a playoff spot.

They were not supposed to do anything this season and they havent. Not after losing most of our senior players, especially in the forwards.

I wouldnt mind losing every game if Allen and Williams were starting in the centre - Hewitt-Evans has been the biggest dissappointment this season.

The discovery of Patchell, the signing of Copeland and the coming of age of Navidi have been the big positives this season.

If we get rid of Baber and bring in a few quality players then things should improve next season.

This is the Blues team apparently

1. Filise
2. Breeze
3. Andrews
4. Reed
5. Paulo
6. Navidi
7. Warburton
8. Copeland
9. Williams
10. Patchell
11. Robinson
12. Roberts (im amazed)
13. Owen Williams (finally)
14. Tom James (back from injury)
15. Halfpenny


11 changes from last week, a far better team and I am very surprised at some of the positive selections in the backline in particular

I hope that's NOT the team because that doesn't look half bad!!!!!!! if you compare the backline to ours (apart from the half backs) the Blues one is probably stronger.

15 Richard Fussell
14 Tom Habberfield
13 Jonathan Spratt
12 Ashley Beck
11 Tom Isaacs
10 Dan Biggar
9 Kahn Fotuali'i

Lets not compare the packs though, that wouldn't be fair!

The Blues pack are going to be on one hell of a hiding on Saturday, this will not be pretty, the Blues have probably the weekest scrum in the league and the Ospreys have one of the strongest, the Ospreys will win this game with a TBP.

Well it's the strongest Blues lineup I have seen for months (if only Cuthbert was fit :/)

This is their chance to at least make a statement before next season

Fair play that looks like one of the best backlines I have seen the Blues feild in a long long time (maybe back to their HEC run).

It is pretty fair to guess the Ospreys will do a job on them in the scrum and line, but I think the Blues may edge it at the breakdown with Warbs and Josh there. Could be closer than people think (i hope it is).

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Fair play that looks like one of the best backlines I have seen the Blues feild in a long long time (maybe back to their HEC run).

It is pretty fair to guess the Ospreys will do a job on them in the scrum and line, but I think the Blues may edge it at the breakdown with Warbs and Josh there. Could be closer than people think (i hope it is).

It's not a bad Blues backrow on paper, Copeland and Navidi have been phenominal this year

We need Reed and Paulo to really step it up and get us some front foot ball (Paulo is looking a decent signing hopefully he will front up to the Os)

Then it is just a matter of our front row doing something - In fairness, if there are not too many scrum, Breeze and Filise are good carriers and Andrews is a lot stronger in the loose than Adam.


Still the the O's will win by 20

Team was wrong

15 Leigh Halfpenny 14 Owen Williams 13 Gavin Evans (c) 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Harry Robinson 10 Rhys Patchell 9 Lloyd Williams
1 Sam Hobbs 2 Marc Breeze 3 Scott Andrews 4 Filo Paulo 5 Lou Reed 6 Michael Paterson 7 Sam Warburton 8 Luke Hamilton
16 Kristian Dacey 17 Thomas Davies 18 Taufa'ao Filise 19 Robin Copeland 20 Rory Watts-Jones 21 Lewis Jones 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Gareth Davies


Awful, awful awful, we are going to get stuffed.

Copeland on the bench? Seriously!

2 flyhalves on the bench?

Hewitt - Evans again!

Evans captain

Owen Williams stuck on the wing


...........

Ospreys by 30+

This team selection is baffling, Hobbs is beyond awful and will get literally creamed by Adam Jones, Copeland on the bench is a waste.

VinceWLB wrote:This team selection is baffling, Hobbs is beyond awful and will get literally creamed by Adam Jones, Copeland on the bench is a waste.

Unfortunetely Hobbs is our best LHP

How did Rory Watts Jones deputise during the 6 Nations? There's some stiff competition in the Blues backrow.

bluestonevedder wrote:How did Rory Watts Jones deputise during the 6 Nations? There's some stiff competition in the Blues backrow.

Cant really help you there, I dont live in Cardiff and the last televised Blues game before last weekend was their lose to Toulon in the first match of the last HC round in January :/

Ah, no worries Wales606, cheers anyway.

Not sure why Owen Williams is shifted onto the wing? And the front row is going to have its work cut out, for sure!

Williams has been stuck on the wing for weeks, partly because we have run out of wingers, and partly because the coaches have a love affair with Gavin Evans.

Hopefully he will take the Shanklin route sooner rather than later. He made our only clean break (bar L.williams snipe) in the game last week when he was sneaking about in the 13 channel

Copeland is 2nd to Navidi in our player of the year poll at the moment, that he is on the bench is laughable

Didn't realise Navidi had been so influential. So much competition for the Welsh backrow spot now. He's a 7 realistically though isn't he?

bluestonevedder wrote:Didn't realise Navidi had been so influential. So much competition for the Welsh backrow spot now. He's a 7 realistically though isn't he?

When you see us lose four international locks prior to the six nations we need to know we have players of Nalvidi's ability pushing to make it into the Wales team. Great player and an asset to any side.

That Blues team are going to get the rear ends shown to them, this aint going to be pretty, I should have some decent banter with my old man though, he still thinks brand Cardiff is the biggest in the world, the Ospreys forwards are going to splatter the Blues forwards into the MS fragile turf. Although, this does sadden me as I want to see strong competitive regions across the board, but at the moment we just have one decent one and three jokes.

LordDowlais wrote:That Blues team are going to get the rear ends shown to them, this aint going to be pretty, I should have some decent banter with my old man though, he still thinks brand Cardiff is the biggest in the world, the Ospreys forwards are going to splatter the Blues forwards into the MS fragile turf. Although, this does sadden me as I want to see strong competitive regions across the board, but at the moment we just have one decent one and three jokes.

I guess we will have to wait and see what the pitch condition is like after the first game. It could be cut up a bit, which may reduce the effectiveness of the Ospreys pack.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:That Blues team are going to get the rear ends shown to them, this aint going to be pretty, I should have some decent banter with my old man though, he still thinks brand Cardiff is the biggest in the world, the Ospreys forwards are going to splatter the Blues forwards into the MS fragile turf. Although, this does sadden me as I want to see strong competitive regions across the board, but at the moment we just have one decent one and three jokes.

I guess we will have to wait and see what the pitch condition is like after the first game. It could be cut up a bit, which may reduce the effectiveness of the Ospreys pack.

Like in Paris a few months ago.

bluestonevedder wrote:Didn't realise Navidi had been so influential. So much competition for the Welsh backrow spot now. He's a 7 realistically though isn't he?

Navidi has outshone Warburton in all of the Blues games I've watched this season. But Sam was in a hole for the most part.

Ospreys team added. No surprises really.

Interesting fact. If ospreys win this game they would've won every game against Welsh opposition this year. Impressive.

This is the 2nd week in a row Copeland is on the bench. He simply must be carrying a knock. There is no logical answer as to why he is not starting this game.

georgestowersbiceps wrote:Interesting fact. If ospreys win this game they would've won every game against Welsh opposition this year. Impressive.

They managed to beat all the Irish regions last year. It'll be the scots next...! Maybe the Italians too...

Anyone mind if we envoke the mercy rule tomorrow please...

50 points or if Fillise has to join the game the ref stops it

thebluesmancometh wrote:Anyone mind if we envoke the mercy rule tomorrow please...

50 points or if Fillise has to join the game the ref stops it

Or if Luke Hamilton starts crying

wales606 wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Anyone mind if we envoke the mercy rule tomorrow please...

50 points or if Fillise has to join the game the ref stops it

Or if Luke Hamilton starts crying

Bit harsh mate. I think he's come on leaps and bounds this year, and definately looks better at 8 than 6. Although how Copelands not starting there I do not know!

Tough calls for the backrow now there is a number of players fit... Pretorious has to be leaving soon, he seems completely surplus.

Agree Hamilton is a good lad, Copeland is one of the best forwards the blues have played all year.

Pretorious is the club captain and signed a contract extension this year (for 2/3? years)

wales606 wrote:Pretorious is the club captain and signed a contract extension this year (for 2/3? years)

Sounds like a mistake to me.

Where the hell is Roberts again? Just doesn't give a flying duck about the Blues and i'm happy he's leaving at the end of the season as a Blues supporter.

I'm assuming it was too much to ask of Allen to play although he doesn't even get a look in. Absolute disgrace that. A center pairing of Williams/Allen is 1000x better than an Evans/Hewitt partnership which brings literally zilch to the table. Add to that a terrible pack which will get decimated by the O's on saturday. It could be a 40 mauling unless 1/2p kicks all of his kicks and somehow we can score maybe 3 tries at least.

Nice to see Hamilton playing, always like the look of him whenever i've seen him play. Plenty of enthusiasm and always looks to take the ball up the middle. Amazed Copeland is on the bench after his performances this season and like others have said I can only think the reason for this is because he's carrying a knock.

Allen is away with the 7s

Liam

Isn't Allen still away with the 7's?

Roberts has never been a Blues club player in reality, Warburton isn't far behind him, never came face to face with Tipuric? Well Tipuric barely misses a game so...

Evans has always been a waste of time, I liked Hewitt, he is good at what he does but doesn't work with Evans at all, they nullify each other and there is little quality, they are clubmen at best.

The best result of the day won't be the score it'll be 1/2p not getting seriously hurt in any way, that would be a disaster for everyone!!

Getting pretty excited at the double bill weekend rugby extravaganza. Watching from home unfortunately.

I'm hoping the Ospreys will go to town here, we played well last week against the Dragons and should blow this weak Blues team off the park.

didn't expect that start from the Blues

Looks like it's going to be a lazy start for the Ospreys.

I like the aggression from the Blues though.

Im watching the texter, videoing the game at home, we had to go see friends for easter and they have BT not SKy so no S4C... BARSTERDZZZZZ

Please keep us updated lads and lassies

Why has evans gone off?

Looks like its a good game even scores after 25 ?

Spratt Try...!

maestegmafia wrote:Im watching the texter, videoing the game at home, we had to go see friends for easter and they have BT not SKy so no S4C... BARSTERDZZZZZ

Please keep us updated lads and lassies

Why has evans gone off?

http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_live.shtml

any help?
Can you watch it on a desk top computer?