Connacht vs Ospreys 28th September at the Sportsground.

CONNACHT VS OSPREYS


Venue: Sportsground, Galway Date: Saturday, 28 September Kick-off: 17:00 BST
Coverage: Score updates on BBC Radio & BBC Sport website; highlights on Sunday's Scrum V


Referee: Andrew McMenemy (SRU,23rd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, David O'Flynn (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John West (IRFU)




TEAMs

Connacht: G Duffy; D Poolman, R Henshaw, E Griffin, M Healy, C Ronaldson, K Marmion; B Wilkinson, S Henry, N White, M Swift (Cpt), C Clarke, A Browne, J Heenan, J Muldoon.

Replacements: J Rael, R Ah You, R Loughney, A Muldowney, G Naoupu, P O'Donohoe, D Parks, F Carr.

Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Jeff Hassler, Ben John, Ashley Beck, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Tito Tebaldi; Duncan Jones, Scott Baldwin, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Ian Evans, James King, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Allen.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Ryan Bevington, Aaron Jarvis, Tyler Ardron, Joe Bearman, Tom Habberfield, Matthew Morgan, Jonathan Spratt.

Nice early thread Maes but did you write it just before you fell asleep or something? Not the best is it?

What I can see Ospreys doing this year that they haven't before is rotate players. For example I can see John, Bearman and King coming into the team this week and Bevington starting. I always thought you should have a settled side and play that side week in week out but I think a little rotation is better as it always freshens up the team and keeps everybody on their toes. Ryan Jones should be back too. Looking forward to a back row of Ryan, Tips and Bearman.

I think the Ospreys are going to be a formidable team in the league this year. Confident of a win on Saturday BUT not a comfortable TBP one.

I thought young number eight Morgan Allen had a good game. I hope that we do have some rotation and that he gets plenty of game time in what is becoming a very competitive league.

I can see him becoming our first choice 8 by the end of the season. Should work pretty well with Bearman coming to the end of his playing career. Nice when things work out. It's the total opposite at 10 though isn't it? MM is a talent BUT can't see him having much meaningful game time without an injury to Biggar. Saying that Biggar should now play more of a part in the international setup so maybe I'm wrong? How do you see his future development?

Dan Baker has progressed well at youth level and even toured in Japan. could well be a very decent rival to Morgan at Number Eight for the Ospreys soon. The Japan tour was maybe a bit early for him but the experience will have been very beneficial i am sure.

Re Flyhalf, morgan has a hell of a job trying to oust Biggar in Dans current form. Jees he looks very good. That said Morgan showed exactly why they gave him a contract when he deputised last saturday. Small bloke but a hell of a player in attack. It can often out weigh his lack of physicality.

As a few people pointed out, Arron Cruden is a similar size and now regularly starting for the All Blacks.

Cruden is about 1.5 stone heavier than Morgan. Hardly similar size when you're talking about that position.

“The coaches have spoken about us needing to turn four point wins into five” said Eli Walker.
“That’s something we didn’t do enough last season so it’s pleasing that we didn’t let up at any stage today. When they had a spell early in the second half we dug in and got our reward.
“It’s great to be able to get a win like that home. I always enjoy playing at the Liberty and it was a great crowd, so it was nice to be able to reward them with a big win.
“I missed the first couple of games last season and then missed the last few months, so I want to make up for that and get a full season under my belt. I think started slowly but I’ve felt better game after game and it was good to get the ball in hand and be able to have a go out there. The more of that I get, the quicker I’ll get right up to speed.”

Preview: Connacht v Ospreys
Connacht's only victory in their last half a dozen RaboDirect PRO12 games was 25-16 at home to Zebre in round 1.
The Irishmen have won their last two home games against Welsh Regions.

Ospreys are one of only two undefeated sides in the PRO12 after three rounds. The Welshmen have not beaten an Irish Province in their last four fixtures, a sequence which includes two draws, with all games being played away from home.

Connacht won this equivalent fixture in Galway last season, 22-10, their first victory over Ospreys since 2008.

FAloon out for 5 months.

Bad bad news for the Westies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24247165?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Tandy holds the Pre Connacht Press Conference..

He pays respect to the Connacht scrum that is a big challenge. Tandy is concerned that the ospreys have been turned over too easily when the ball goes wide, they have been working hard on that this week.

High praise goes to Sam Lewis who has been starting at 7 ahead of Tipuric recently. Both are great players and Sam has proudly taken his opportunity well over the last three games. Hopefully Sam will be pushing for a full time place this season.

As well as the former academy players Tandy says that he is very happy with the lads who were signed this summer. Tito is praised in the way he has settled in well and played to a higher level than previously expected. Tom Habberfield is on the recovery and is back this week, not sure whether he will make selection but he has recovered well.

Good news on Arran Jarvis who is still in need of conditioning but has been playing and is in and around the Squad now...



http://www.ospreysrugby.com/TV

British and Irish Lions flanker Justin Tipuric will make his first Ospreys start of the season in their Pro12 clash in Connacht on Saturday.
Tipuric will be the last of the Ospreys' five Lions from the tour of Australia to start a match this season.
The open-side did come on in the 44-10 win over Edinburgh but was sin-binned for a tip tackle after 14 minutes.
"It's really important to get him up and running," said Ospreys coach Steve Tandy.
"He is a world-class player and always adds value."
Tandy, a former open-side flanker himself, added: "He can play in the centre, that's how good a footballer he is. He is destructive in defence. He reads the game - he is a smart guy. He has had an amazing year.
"He is desperate to play for the Ospreys which is huge for us.
"Sam Lewis has put a marker in the sand. He has been outstanding in the first three games. With somebody like Sam you don't feel in a rush to bring Justin back."
Tandy admitted it was a massive boost to have five Lions in the Ospreys pack.
Four of them - Alun Wyn Jones, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones and Ian Evans - all started in the six-try victory over Edinburgh at the Liberty Stadium.
It was a win that put the Ospreys into second place in the Pro12 table a point behind leaders Glasgow, following on from a win and a draw in Treviso and Leinster respectively.
"It's great for us to have five Lions," insisted Tandy.
"The thing I like is the energy they have brought back. It would have been easy for them to come off an almighty high winning the series in Australia and take their time.
"They have all worked their socks off. It could have been a sticky game against Edinburgh. I thought the guys who came in put in real shifts and some of them will go again this weekend in Connacht."
The Ospreys will be hoping to gain revenge for a 22-10 Pro12 defeat in Connacht last season.
"You never see any team go there and win comfortably," said Tandy.
"We have to have real discipline. We know how tough it is going to Connacht. It's going to be a physical challenge."
Aaron Jarvis and scrum-half Tom Habberfield are both fit and available after injury, with prop Jarvis having played for Bridgend in a Welsh Premiership game last week after being out since November.

Interesting updates. Good to see the team realises they need more bonus point wins. They had what, like one last season? They should be aiming for another 5 points in this game with the team they'll be taking up.

RE Morgan, has great attributes. But as we all know his defence can be suspect, so he can often requite a baby-sitter both at 7 and 12. Beck isn't the answer to that, but Bishop is.

Bishop has been in great form so far. An unspectacular player, reminds me of Dr Jack, but he does so much good for your side.

Connacht: G Duffy; D Poolman, R Henshaw, E Griffin, M Healy, C Ronaldson, K Marmion; B Wilkinson, S Henry, N White, M Swift (Cpt), C Clarke, A Browne, J Heenan, J Muldoon.

Replacements: J Rael, R Ah You, R Loughney, A Muldowney, G Naoupu, P O'Donohoe, D Parks, F Carr.


Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Jeff Hassler, Ben John, Ashley Beck, Eli Walker; Dan Biggar, Tito Tebaldi; Duncan Jones, Scott Baldwin, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Ian Evans, James King, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Allen.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Ryan Bevington, Aaron Jarvis, Tyler Ardron, Joe Bearman, Tom Habberfield, Matthew Morgan, Jonathan Spratt.

Ryan Jones? Not even listed as injured!

Cyril wrote:Cruden is about 1.5 stone heavier than Morgan...........

And about 6 inches taller!

Interesting (well, sort of) game this one. Ospreys look strong 'on paper' and will be a good test of their ability to 'front up' (as Roger Lewis likes to say).

Always a potential banana skin of a fixture.

Connacht not playing well and have 11 players out injured. I can't see past the Ospreys winning this.


Good to see Ronaldson get a start for Connacht. He was playing AIL rugby last season and made a big impact there.

Casartelli wrote:

Cyril wrote:Cruden is about 1.5 stone heavier than Morgan...........

And about 6 inches taller!

Only an inch or two (unless Morgan is only 5 foot 3 (which would make him the smallest player ever pretty much).

Ospreys 7 -3 up after 10 minutes. Biggar try.

The huge difference for the Ospreys this season has been Tebaldi at scrum half. No faffing around at the base of the ruck like we normally have off Webb. If the ball is there to be played then Tabaldi gets it away and you can see the difference in the Ospreys. We have an awesome pack with power and now a backline thats going with quick ball.

Tebaldi has made an amazing difference. Fantastic signing.  

Thought this was meant to be on S4c?

14 - 6 up. Fussell try.

Dragons v Munster is on S4C

19 - 6. Eli walker try.

It's going very well for the Ospreys. Happy Tandy.

Half time. Ospreys up 22-12.

Ospreys winning 22 - 19. Try for Poolman.

29 - 19. Tibaldi!

29 - 26. Try for Griffin.

Good game.

Ospreys 36 - 26 up. Hassler try. About 10 minutes left.

Big game for Dan Biggar this.  He's become the second only player ever to  pass 1000 points in the league.

43-26

Oi Cari! That's my job this evening. Haha.

AWJ try.

Full time

Ospreys win 46 - 26.

They score 6 tries for the second game running. Excellent!

Correction 43 - 26. Sorry.

Whoohoo - Ospreys on a roll. Bucketload of tries.
 
Welcome to 16 points.
 
And I'm glad Glasgow doesn't play you until November.

Last year the Ospreys were criticised for their lack of try bonus points, look at them now.

Ospreys have already equaled the amount of TBP's they had for the entire of last season in the league.

IronMike wrote:Last year the Ospreys were criticised for their lack of try bonus points, look at them now.

Two games running. Unusually good for a region but still a bit soon to be lauding them imo. Once O's do the double with TBP's aplenty is when I'll be raising my glass to an exceptional season and not just another 'good not great' one.

A date with Ulster next to further test their mettle.

Knowsit17 wrote:

IronMike wrote:Last year the Ospreys were criticised for their lack of try bonus points, look at them now.

Two games running. Unusually good for a region but still a bit soon to be lauding them imo. Once O's do the double with TBP's aplenty is when I'll be raising my glass to an exceptional season and not just another 'good not great' one.

 
I think that Glasgow's new Rabo record for consecutive bonus point wins is 6 or 7 on the bounce. ()
 
I recall that the old Dragons record was five in a row. If Eli Walker keeps playing like that, you may well do it.

Wow. Great win. Galway's usually a difficult place to go but superb game for the Os. Two bp games shocker!

Not to be sniffed at. O's always hated going to the Sportsground. Very good result for them.

Cari wrote:Big game for Dan Biggar this.  He's become the second only player ever to  pass 1000 points in the league.

43-26

At his age, that is absolutely incredible.

Can anyone tell me how Robbie Henshaw did for Connacht?