Ospreys season thread 2014-15

[The Saint]

Will Ospreys be worst team in Wales 2014-15?

Outside of some fairly decent signings (Bernardo, Matavesi, Roberts), and their inspiring captain (AWJ) the Ospreys squad looks very average and the first team could struggle to be within the top 6 of the Guinness Pro12. Squad: http://www.ospreysrugby.com/Teams/Squad/Ospreys. Do Ospreys fans believe little was done when Ryan/Adam Jones, Hibbard declared intentions to move? I think the current squad has potential, but the current coaches will neither develop them or get the best out of them when it comes to the field of play, I think Tandy is the worst pro rugby coach in Wales and quite possibly all of Europe. The departures of the senior players will do little to help either.

Dragons have a slightly better squad this term and are lead by a good coaching panel, as are the Scarlets and Blues. The Blues also have built quite a formidable squad and look the most likely to be winning silverware this season. This is why I can see Ospreys being the worst performing team in the 2014/15 season. To go from the team most likely to win silverware for a No. of years to potentially the worst is unforgivable.

[Notch]

I'm going for Ospreys to be seventh, finishing behind Cardiff and the Scarlets. (fifth and sixth). But the thing is I could be totally wrong about that. The Welsh regions all look quite evenly matched.

I do think there is a very real chance no Welsh side will make the playoffs again and I'm calling the top four as being the same four teams as last year.

Don't you love pre-season predictions? A great chance to come back in May and laugh at how wrong you were. Someone should do a thread.

[Exiledinborders]

It could be worse. They could be Edinburgh.

[The Saint]

I'm going for Ospreys to be seventh, finishing behind Cardiff and the Scarlets. (fifth and sixth). But the thing is I could be totally wrong about that. The Welsh regions all look quite evenly matched.

I do think there is a very real chance no Welsh side will make the playoffs again and I'm calling the top four as being the same four teams as last year.

Don't you love pre-season predictions? A great chance to come back in May and laugh at how wrong you were. Someone should do a thread.

That's true, but you got to be honest, Blues will do a lot better with that squad and some new coaches who are good (they're at least better than what they had). But yes, it's highly likely to be another season of chasing Irish tails. I'm a bit more optimistic about the Dragons with their new signings, they got some firepower to compliment the heart they can sometimes show.

[bedfordwelsh]

I do think they will struggle this year something just doesnt seem right there and Tandy not up to it IMO

[Neutralee]

I have to disagree with this, I'm looking at the squad now and there aren't many weaknesses!

I get the big names aren't there any more, but you look at each of the players and they are rounded solid players who generally don't make too any mistakes..

I look at the starting lineup, and off the bench options and it's pretty decent, theyre not going to win europe, or the Guiness, but thats not what theyre in it for this year. There is a lot of youth, and a fair old amount of experience.

Ospreys will be just fine, and should be a step on the Dragons.

[The Saint]

To me they look as if they're lacking power up front and creativity in the backs. They're reliant on players like Webb, S.Davies and Fussell; 'nuff said. It'll be the same ol story for Ospreys except worse his season IMO.

[Neutralee]

To me they look as if they're lacking power up front and creativity in the backs. They're reliant on players like Webb, S.Davies and Fussell; 'nuff said. It'll be the same ol story for Ospreys except worse his season IMO.

I agree about the creativity, but in some teams it can be overrated. Biggar will control the game, and the centres don't make mistakes, there is enough outwide to worry teams.

Like I said I think this Osprey team is solid throughout, no stars but no weaknesses either, I think their deciding factor could be defence, if they work for each other, bond well and are structured they'll be hard to beat.

[maestegmafia]

I do think they will struggle this year something just doesnt seem right there and Tandy not up to it IMO

Tandy can only do what he can with the players and the funds he has available mate.

[The Saint]

As I alluded to, the team has potential neutralee, but they won't get far with the current coaching. If they had the ethos and coaching team of say....Leicester, they'd go places.

[Neutralee]

As I alluded to, the team has potential neutralee, but they won't get far with the current coaching. If they had the ethos and coaching team of say....Leicester, they'd go places.

I don't really know enough about Tandy to comment on his ability tbh, like I said if he can gel that team, make them structured and difficult to beat at home, he may have something. But your right, it wouldn't shock me too much to see that team struggle either now I really think about it.

[profitius]

I'm not an expert on the Ospreys but what I have noticed is they've traditionally been very good at bringing through talent. Dan Baker last season looked very good. So I wouldn't underestimate them too much. No doubt though that losing so much experience and talent is starting to show.

I think the gap between the Welsh has definitely closed but I think the Ospreys will still end up top. Cardiff Blues will be the most interesting to watch and I think Dragons looked to have strengthened also.

[Breadvan]

One of the reasons I haven't done a Ospreys 2014/15 season thread! Difficult one to judge tbh Saint. Our pre season has been pretty dire results wise but haven't reflected the performances. We've some decent talent in the squad and if it's a year or two of the dreaded transistion phase then so be it. I rate Tandy and Gibbes as coaches but not Gruff Rees as backs guru. Ospreys have always been lacking in that dept.
Going to be interesting...

[ScarletSpiderman]

I think that the Ospreys are still on the slide, however I am not sure they are the worst region as such. The Dragons have definitely addressed the issues in their pack, and have a few decent backs now too, however they look to have a first XV, but may struggle if/when injuries are picked up.

The Blues too have really added well over the off season, but have to adjust to a new coaching set up. On top of that they look likely to have the most dual contract players, so may find getting their first team out on the pitch pretty awkward too. Most likely they will only be together for the European games, reaching the ko stages, and the very later pro12, stages too. That will most likely hamper them in the league

The Scarlets are IMO the most settled of the squads, although they too have a new coaching set up in place, and new systems to learn. Personally, and hopefully not too one-eyed, I think they edge the others a bit, providing they can adjust to Pivac's systems.

Then the Ospreys. They have lost even more big names from their squad, and replaced them with less exciting names. However, there used to be a real team attitude at the Ospreys, and IMO when they were at their best (03-06 ish) their team was not laced with big name out of Towner's, but players that worked really well together. Their front row is pretty much the same as the one that played most of last season. And to be honest, so is mist their pack. They haven't lost any back line fire power either. So they theoretically shouldn't be too much weaker.

I'd say, gut instinct, it will be Scarlets, then Ospreys/Dragons and finally Blues in the regional pecking order come the end of the pro12.

[maestegmafia]

That's pretty harsh on the blues SS...

[Neutralee]

That is one risky call, the Blues fixture list is really beneficial to them.

I think the Blue or Ospreys will top the Welsh regions, followed by the Scarlets then Dragons.

[wayne]

I waited a day for the dust to settle over this topic before replying, as one of the very few on this forum who is an Os ST holder, I think the OP was absolutely ridiculous, so Biggar, Webb, Walker and Tipuric are not outstanding players in their own right, Baker obviously is also very close to being of that standard, if he has an injury free season Dirksen will again come into that standard, we have some very good honest hardworking individuals, like Hassler, King, Ardron, Baldwin, and what could be some really interesting new signings, we obviously will not be as strong scrum wise, thanks to Adam and the WRU INTERFERENCE, to the OP again we have already had the Joker as our head coach and after getting to a certain point very well, at the top end he has been found to be wanting.
Tell me what is Tandy's record against ALL the other Welsh Regions since he took over, you can have the Joker we are reasonably happy with Steve, considering the players we have lost over the past few years we have done very well, as I said earlier we will not be as potent scrum wise, if we can sign this South African as described in the Rugby Paper and another decent or better TH, I'll be reasonably happy.
As for this season we will not be top Welsh Region, neither will we be bottom, by the end of this season and allowing for injuries we will hopefully have a team of Evans, Walker, Beck, Matavesi, Dirksen, or Howells, Biggar, Webb, Smith, Baldwin, Thomas, AWJ Bernardo or Steenkamp, Ardron or King, Tipuric and Baker, with players like Sam Davies, Natoga, Hassler, John, Bishop,Habberfield, Jarvis, Arhip, Parry and Otten, Lewis and Morgan Allen plus numerous others coming through, as I said we could really do with another hardened second row and decent 2 year signing Tight head which will allow Jarvis to go to loosehead, that will not be a top end team now, but with a decent settlement from this dispute, in a year or two it will be.

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

I think the Ospreys might surprise a few in the League.

How many players will they lose to Wales? Wayne? You will probably know. Probably a fair bit less than normal.

That will be an advantage to them during the AIs and 6N.

Leinster have them at home the week Wales play their 4th AI and are away to them when Ireland play England.

So not as big an advantage as it would have been in the Autumn and a big disadvantage in March.

They will perhaps be disadvantaged when other teams are at full strength though.

[wayne]

Jen, in the initial squad for the 2013 Autumn Internationals there were 11 Ospreys, Adam, Jarvis, Bevington, Hibbard, AWJ, Ianto, Ryan, Tipuric, Biggar, Beck and Walker, it is all according how the injury situation is within Wales, if everybody is fit I can see only AWJ, Tips,Webb, Biggar, Baker and possibly Walker missing, if there are a number of injuries, Bevigton, Jarvis, Baldwin and Beck could squeeze in, so yes we could have a much better squad during these times, we really NEED a decent tighthead, we have an absolutely outstanding front row unit, who all played for Wales U20s last season coming through, the problem is we might have to play them in some important matches, the tighthead has already played a few games for us.

[The Saint]

I waited a day for the dust to settle over this topic before replying, as one of the very few on this forum who is an Os ST holder, I think the OP was absolutely ridiculous, so Biggar, Webb, Walker and Tipuric are not outstanding players in their own right, Baker obviously is also very close to being of that standard, if he has an injury free season Dirksen will again come into that standard, we have some very good honest hardworking individuals, like Hassler, King, Ardron, Baldwin, and what could be some really interesting new signings, we obviously will not be as strong scrum wise, thanks to Adam and the WRU INTERFERENCE, to the OP again we have already had the Joker as our head coach and after getting to a certain point very well, at the top end he has been found to be wanting.
Tell me what is Tandy's record against ALL the other Welsh Regions since he took over, you can have the Joker we are reasonably happy with Steve, considering the players we have lost over the past few years we have done very well, as I said earlier we will not be as potent scrum wise, if we can sign this South African as described in the Rugby Paper and another decent or better TH, I'll be reasonably happy.
As for this season we will not be top Welsh Region, neither will we be bottom, by the end of this season and allowing for injuries we will hopefully have a team of Evans, Walker, Beck, Matavesi, Dirksen, or Howells, Biggar, Webb, Smith, Baldwin, Thomas, AWJ Bernardo or Steenkamp, Ardron or King, Tipuric and Baker, with players like Sam Davies,  Natoga, Hassler, John, Bishop,Habberfield, Jarvis, Arhip, Parry and Otten, Lewis and Morgan Allen plus numerous others coming through, as I said we could really do with another hardened second row and decent 2 year signing Tight head which will allow Jarvis to go to loosehead, that will not be a top end team now, but with a decent settlement from this dispute, in a year or two it will be.

I find the opening lines of this post hilarious. Biggar, Webb, Walker and Tipuric are most certainly not outstanding. Walker and Tips still have a lot of weaknesses in their game, Tips last season especially was well off the boil and we now have better No.7s to back up WRUburton. Webb has been highly erratic throughout his career, having one MOTM game to looking like a total amateur in the next few. I don't rate him at all. He should be nowhere near Wales squad with the other options we now have. Biggar is good, and improving I'll give you that. He is probably Wales' best 10 right now. However his first instinct to kick and drop-goal remains, and it's a very negative approach that never pays off.
I'm not sure who the joker is, but if your teams ambition is to just beat all their Welsh neighbours then it's a bit of a loser mentality. The rest of Europe would see it that way as well. Jones and Bevington can't scrum. Jarvis has shown up well occasionally. Baldwin is a player with potential, but he's no Hibbard yet, and his back-up is rookie. Smith, Otten and Thomas look pretty good but they may not make it at this level. That remains to be seen. 15 and 10 are very weak positions. I think Dan Evans is good, though can be inconsistent, Fussell is one of the worst pro players in Wales as is Sam Davies who is the next Arwel Thomas. I rate your No.8s Baker and Allen, though Lewis and Tips don't seem to work that well together if the Saracens game is anything to go by. Hasler, Beck are honest workers but they aren't helped with some of the players around them, and I hope Dirksen can pick up where he left off, but you probably know he is going to have to do a lot to get international recognition with Cuthbert, North, J.Williams and possibly Morgan in front of him. That's the way I see it.
Again, it's a team with potential. But the money men and coaches seem to have zero ambition. Who is the South African TH rumoured to be coming over?

[bedfordwelsh]

I do think they will struggle this year something just doesnt seem right there and Tandy not up to it IMO

Tandy can only do what he can with the players and the funds he has available mate.

I agree but I think a better coach could do better with what's available.

[Breadvan]

A bit harsh on Webb Saint. He hit top form last season until he was injured.

[The Saint]

No, he was on erratic form until injured. Same old story. Our coaches have a knack for picking crap 9s though (Knoyle,Williams).

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I've been thinking the same thing as the OP, but didn't want to say anything. Where we (Dragons) have come unstuck against the Os in the past has been a) their pack being stronger than ours, and b) Matthew Morgan running rings around us. (All this is away from home - we have a good record against them at Rodney Parade.) Now I don't see their pack being as strong this season, plus ours surely won't be as weak, and they don't have Matthew Morgan any more. I'll eat humble pie happily enough of they finish top of the regions again, but I reckon they're there to be shot at. (And for what it's worth, I don't see the Blues being the all-conquering powerhouse some people seem to think they'll be this coming season.)

[The Saint]

I agree with that LP, there's a chance I could be feasting on pie too... Blues or Scarlets will be best placed region. Blues have the best chance of silverware (ECC).

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Scarlets for me - and I'll be happy with that. I suppose the unknown with them is how the new coach will bed in. Easterby was a Scarlet and knew the ethos of the region; Pivac has a great record but there's no knowing how he'll go in charge at Parc y Scarlets. Same with Mark Hammett at the Blues: great record in New Zealand, but no offence to the Blues players, he was coaching New Zealanders then.

[The Saint]

LP, have you seen Scarlets group in Europe? It's not pretty!

[Notch]

Well, they weren't going to win it if they got an easy group anyway. It's hard not to conclude that the regions will be targeting the Pro12 over Europe. You need to build into being able to compete in Europe.

I don't hold out much hope for most of the Pro12 sides in Europe, even my own Ulster are going to be extremely hard up against it to progress with the group we're in. Leinster should do well, other than that...

[wayne]

Tell me Saint, on what criteria do you judge whether a player is outstanding ?, and while you are about it, who playing within Wales do you consider to be outstanding ?

[LordDowlais]

Scarlets for me - and I'll be happy with that. I suppose the unknown with them is how the new coach will bed in. Easterby was a Scarlet and knew the ethos of the region; Pivac has a great record but there's no knowing how he'll go in charge at Parc y Scarlets. Same with Mark Hammett at the Blues: great record in New Zealand, but no offence to the Blues players, he was coaching New Zealanders then.

Anybody will be better than the last one they had in charge, if they decided to give me or you a go instead of Phill Davis we would have got better results than losing at home to the likes of Zebra and then trying to tell everybody that it was a decent performance, the Blues will comfortably be in the playoffs this season.

[Welsh Magician]

I can see a lot of humble pie being eaten.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Sorry Saint, I didn't mean winning silverware, I meant finishing best-placed region.

[The Saint]

Tell me Saint, on what criteria do you judge whether a player is outstanding ?, and while you are about it, who playing within Wales do you consider to be outstanding ?

My eyes. Obviously it's different to your criteria because those 4 players are not outstanding. Gareth Davies is one that springs to mind, outstanding all-round performance every match.

[wales606]

I think it will be a season of transition for the regions,

The Ospreys will slide while the Blues & Dragons will make gains (not sure to what degree),

I think it is the season after that we will see real changes if the O's fail to bring in anyone and the Blues coaches settle and are likely to bring in more players while the Dragons younger players mature.

As for the Scarlets, I have no idea whether they will improve or decline this season - I think they will probably stay around the same without JD2 - although a lot depends on the new coaches.

[wayne]

Tell me Saint, on what criteria do you judge whether a player is outstanding ?, and while you are about it, who playing within Wales do you consider to be outstanding ?

My eyes. Obviously it's different to your criteria because those 4 players are not outstanding. Gareth Davies is one that springs to mind, outstanding all-round performance every match.

So in your opinion Gareth Davies is the ONLY outstanding player playing in Wales at the moment.

[Stone Motif]

Tell me Saint, on what criteria do you judge whether a player is outstanding ?, and while you are about it, who playing within Wales do you consider to be outstanding ?

My eyes. Obviously it's different to your criteria because those 4 players are not outstanding. Gareth Davies is one that springs to mind, outstanding all-round performance every match.

So in your opinion Gareth Davies is the ONLY outstanding player playing in Wales at the moment.

Who cares? Scarlets (possibly) and Blues (even less possibly) aside, the regional front fives are there for the taking, so arguing how good the players behind them may be is bald men fighting over a comb...

[The Saint]

Tell me Saint, on what criteria do you judge whether a player is outstanding ?, and while you are about it, who playing within Wales do you consider to be outstanding ?

My eyes. Obviously it's different to your criteria because those 4 players are not outstanding. Gareth Davies is one that springs to mind, outstanding all-round performance every match.

So in your opinion Gareth Davies is the ONLY outstanding player playing in Wales at the moment.

No, I clearly said he's just one that springs to mind.

[wayne]

Tell me Saint, on what criteria do you judge whether a player is outstanding ?, and while you are about it, who playing within Wales do you consider to be outstanding ?

My eyes. Obviously it's different to your criteria because those 4 players are not outstanding. Gareth Davies is one that springs to mind, outstanding all-round performance every match.

So in your opinion Gareth Davies is the ONLY outstanding player playing in Wales at the moment.

No, I clearly said he's just one that springs to mind.

Funnily enough, I think he is outstanding, even though he was totally outplayed by Webb in the first Os v Scarlets game last season and was substituted, and for the return he was demoted to the bench and brought on late on, Webb started both games, to class anybody as outstanding ONLY because he is outstanding in EVERY match you would have NOBODY as outstanding, I've even seen AWJ have ordinary games

[The Saint]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

[wayne]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.

[Stone Motif]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

[wayne]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

Yes that is a fair assumption of a Dragons supporter who hasn't seen a decent home scrum half since Regionalism came in, and please don't offer up the names of Rees or Evans in rebuttal, they really are crap

[The Saint]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

I didn't mention Biggar, you did. And I made an exception for him. I didn't say he was outstanding,I said to an extent he can be (the rest of the time he's consistent/average). He deserves the Wales 10 jersey I'll give him that. So I believe you've misquoted me.
I don't remember watching either game tbh, not that I give a s**t because that doesn't really make a case for Webb being anything more than ordinary. It's just straw clutching.
Whether or not I do list Wales players I believe to be in that category isn't going to make your Ospreys squad any better, it's the worst in Wales IMO and that's that.

[Stone Motif]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

Yes that is a fair assumption of a Dragons supporter who hasn't seen a decent home scrum half since Regionalism came in, and please don't offer up the names of Rees or Evans in rebuttal, they really are crap

You reckon Webb is better than Rees? Wayne feckin' Evans would take exception to being called worse than Webb ffs

[wayne]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

I didn't mention Biggar, you did. And I made an exception for him. I didn't say he was outstanding,I said to an extent he can be (the rest of the time he's consistent/average). He deserves the Wales 10 jersey I'll give him that. So I believe you've misquoted me.
I don't remember watching either game tbh, not that I give a s**t because that doesn't really make a case for Webb being anything more than ordinary. It's just straw clutching.
Whether or not I do list Wales players I believe to be in that category isn't going to make your Ospreys squad any better, it's the worst in Wales IMO and that's that.

When I rebutted your OP, you replied, that Biggar, Webb, Tipuric and Walker were definately NOT outstanding, go back and then admit you're wrong.
This is not only my opinion he was voted player of the month by Os supporters and player of the year last season, he was also voted best O/H by reporters of the 4 participating countries last season in the Rabo Dream Team, and he was voted Player of the Season by his Peers in the Rabo league ( I presume you know what this means), and to say that Tipuric a British Lion just over a year ago as anything other than outstanding is totally pathetic.

[wayne]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

Yes that is a fair assumption of a Dragons supporter who hasn't seen a decent home scrum half since Regionalism came in, and please don't offer up the names of Rees or Evans in rebuttal, they really are crap

 You reckon Webb is better than Rees?  Wayne feckin' Evans would take exception to being called worse than Webb ffs

I on numerous occasions backed Rees and Biggar for the way they were treated by Gatland and in particular Howley publically slating them was disgusting, he actually caught Webb at the base of the scrum in the Judgement Day game and is not a bad scrum half, but NOT in Webb's class IMO, the coaches of the previous Teams that he played for didn't rate him that highly, they didn't extend his initial contract, and even though Biggar forced his way back into the TW fold and Webb has, people other than biased Dragons supporters think otherwise

[Stone Motif]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

Yes that is a fair assumption of a Dragons supporter who hasn't seen a decent home scrum half since Regionalism came in, and please don't offer up the names of Rees or Evans in rebuttal, they really are crap

 You reckon Webb is better than Rees?  Wayne feckin' Evans would take exception to being called worse than Webb ffs

I on numerous occasions backed Rees and Biggar for the way they were treated by Gatland and in particular Howley publically slating them was disgusting, he actually caught Webb at the base of the scrum in the Judgement Day game and is not a bad scrum half, but NOT in Webb's class IMO, the coaches of the previous Teams that he played for didn't rate him that highly,  they didn't extend his initial contract, and even though Biggar forced his way back into the TW  fold and Webb has, people other than biased Dragons supporters think otherwise    

Come off it, any rugby forum in the land is littered with Ospreys fans lamenting Webbs utter sh1tness, an athlete he may well but if he had a brain it'd be dangerous. The vote of confidence he has from Cement only underlines this

[Janecory]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

Yes that is a fair assumption of a Dragons supporter who hasn't seen a decent home scrum half since Regionalism came in, and please don't offer up the names of Rees or Evans in rebuttal, they really are crap

 You reckon Webb is better than Rees?  Wayne feckin' Evans would take exception to being called worse than Webb ffs

I on numerous occasions backed Rees and Biggar for the way they were treated by Gatland and in particular Howley publically slating them was disgusting, he actually caught Webb at the base of the scrum in the Judgement Day game and is not a bad scrum half, but NOT in Webb's class IMO, the coaches of the previous Teams that he played for didn't rate him that highly.   

[Janecory]

<laugh> That's clutching at straws a bit. I think you need to take off your blinkers when you're watching Webb play so then you can realise the truth like most of us have. Scarlets and Wales have a problem with No.9s (Knoyle saga), and Lloyd Williams getting selected, both of these are worse than Webb. Davies is getting his recognition 3 years too late, every game I've seen him play he has been outstanding. He has great heart, can't think of a player who shows more heart, and has the abilities to match. He's our Wales scrum-half for the foreseeable future.

AWJ has had a few ordinary games, but he is an outstanding player. Biggar to an extent could be classed as such too. Webb though, you're bloody dreaming.

You really need to stop now, in the OP and further on you didn't class Biggar as outstanding, now you do, the rest of you, obviously thought differently to the Scarlet management for those 2 games I quoted, as you quoted Nobody can be classed as outstanding unless he is outstanding in every game, that is not the criteria that I and I would say the majority of fair minded supporters would use.
Using that criteria would you mind telling me the outstanding players playing in Wales at the moment as I so politely asked you a while back.  

To be fair, that is why I class Webb as Sh1te, because he's been sh1te in every game he's ever played

Yes that is a fair assumption of a Dragons supporter who hasn't seen a decent home scrum half since Regionalism came in, and please don't offer up the names of Rees or Evans in rebuttal, they really are crap

 You reckon Webb is better than Rees?  Wayne feckin' Evans would take exception to being called worse than Webb ffs

I on numerous occasions backed Rees and Biggar for the way they were treated by Gatland and in particular Howley publically slating them was disgusting, he actually caught Webb at the base of the scrum in the Judgement Day game and is not a bad scrum half, but NOT in Webb's class IMO, the coaches of the previous Teams that he played for didn't rate him that highly.   

Agree about Howler, way out of order he was.
Please reply, in your opinion, which coaches of previous Teams didn't rate him that highly ?
Your opinion of a 9 is pretty obscure !
Webb !
Even the ardent Osprey fans don't rate him.

[Welsh Magician]

Lets just put it this way, Webb deserved the 9 jersey for Wales last season when he was chosen to start against England as he had been the best 9 in Wales.

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