Andy Howells must be on drugs..!

After penning an article stating that it is was highly likely that superstar center Ma Nonu was on his way tithe Ospreys after the world cup, (the only fact was that the Kiwi player was moving clubs, most likely franchises in New Zealand).

Now Corry Jane is likely to be heading to south Wales. Probably as cover for fullback or wing.

Why do you keep reading his articles? You do have a choice, you know.

mm,

Is that in today WoS?

If so then a big thanks as you just saved me a quid buying the trash.

Well the bit that idiot writes are anyway.

Well a week ago they ran a story saying that Dai Young had rejected the job in Wasps to remain at the Blues because he didnt think it was the right time....

Everything without exception that the Western Mail print is rubbish - from it's laughable political piece to it's sport news - everything contradicts a piece from 2 weeks before, and the majority uses 'unnamed' sources or people noones ever heard of.

An awful rag that can't even be used for its primary function - toilet paper

I dont buy the paper, it's not worth the read.

SafeAsMilk wrote:Why do you keep reading his articles? You do have a choice, you know.

Read below..

Saved a man a quid.

Doing a great job.

I know, jeez. I hope there's no truth to it..

Os back-3:Fussell, Walker, Bowe, Davies, Williams, Prydie, Dirksen, Phillips, E.Walker.

Centres: Beck, Bishop...um...?

We are in talks with a centre a 7 and a full back as speak (plus a fairly wll known second row) but Nonu were never on the cards.

ps 1 more possibly on way out guys

Good inside news again JB - Good to see you on 606v2.

Do the Ospreys need another 2nd row? - R Jones, AW Jones, Evans, Gough

Wont Tipuric be a bit p*ssed off if they get in a new 7 (unless they are bringing in a youngster to back him up)

And at FB they still have B.Davies, Prydie, G.Owen and R.Fussell

I agree they need a new centre though :/ - anyone Welsh going? - J.Robinson?

Jamie is a decent shout - but then again that's the one area I wouldn't mind seeing some established quality coming in.

Tipuric is our only 7 at the moment..if he continues his rise then when he's called up we would have no one, so I guess we need someone!

A second row? Surely we have enough, especially with Jones and Thomas covering..

Pleasure to see you JB.

Likewise guys, the 2nd row (if he comes) is 1 you will approve of. Don't forget jt awj ryan and possibly evans will all be with wales and mctiereny has retired .
So we have gough and king for large parts of the season, a bit of a risk to have no cover at all.

The 7 is a back up for tupric and not a big name who will cost a lot, I have no idea who is in the frame for there or for the centre sorry guys.

As for 15 is davis going to get a new contract? should he with his injury record? As soon as I know anything I will post it.

Glad your all ok

cheers JB...!

Though I would be surprised to see any large name contracts in the regions this year.

dan scarbourgh (fullback) from racing metro and fijian centre seru rabeni (centre) are coming in according to wales online. Don't know how much truth is in this story, but would imagine it to be very unlikely signings.

pioden gorllewin wrote:dan scarbourgh (fullback) from racing metro and fijian centre seru rabeni (centre) are coming in according to wales online. Don't know how much truth is in this story, but would imagine it to be very unlikely signings.

Scarborough sounds like an interesting stop gap player. Rabeni is interesting if a bit far fetched

I'd imagine both would be on short term contacts if the story is true. However would rather stick/develop barry davies, fussell and possibly gareth owen at fullback than a 33 year old english journey man. Rabeni would offer options in the centre, but won't he be away during the world cup with fiji? Can only think of 4 centres at the ospreys at the moment - Bishop, beck, parker, dirksen…have a missed anyone? Didn't monte fisto mention on the old 606 RGD going to the ospreys?

I don't think Dirksen has played for the O's at center yet?

Beck, Owen, bishop, Parker and Spratt I think are our current options. Biggest trouble in Wales is the lack of a decent outside center..?

spratt has gone to london irish....think i remember someone saying previously that the ospreys want dirksen to improve his handling before moving him into the center. but eventually that's where they see him playing his rugby.

very true not many decent outside centers around at present. forgot to mention bowe in the list of centers. however think he's better on the wing.

JB1973.

Great to see you on here.

Can I ask a quick off topic question.

It may have been asked before.

Do you work at the Osprey’s?

You always seem to have brilliant insider knowledge.

Sorry to stick my oar in as a Munster fan and I do not mean the following question to be a wum or insulting, I genuinely want to know the answer/justification but......

With several high profile players leaving and with the ususal retirements & players not having their contracts renewed etc as all Clubs/Provinces/Regions have to deal with, I am curious as to the apparent enthuisiasm to replace the players that are leaving with NWQ (and usually expensive ones at that)

The reason I ask is because from my persepctive as an outsider, I would find it much easier for you as fans and the players as a squad, to bond and develope into the Region and team that the latent talent at the Ospreys, by depending on yourselves and your academy (which again I see producing a steady stream of talent players) rather than SH guys topping up their pensions. I dont mean to sound harsh or patronising but it just looks a little like the Boardroom hasnt learned from what has happened over the last few months with players leaving for 'diiferent challenges' (bigger money)

I could be way wrong but thats how I see it. And again, I am really not wumming just genuinely interested in what Ospreys' fans think of these stories etc.

Now dont get me wrong btw, Munster NEED a 12 and the SH is going to provide him, but the IRFU is cutting our NIQ numbers to 5 from 6 (5 NIQ plus 1 Project to 4 + 1) Agin, this isnt a Galactico nonesense post, so please dont go off on me for that etc!

JB (glad to see you back) out of interest would teh second row happen to be bald, beardy and Norweigen?

I gave up reading the WM and wales online a year ago...I feel so much better for it.

RGD has gone to the scarlets hasn't he?

You could bank on Andy Howells being a member of most rugby forums. He's a journalist (if you consider his credibility to warrant that title), so don't be surprised where he roams for disinformation / misinformation.

From my understanding [having no inner-connections with Ospreys] that Cory Jane is just a fans' speculation only, as was Nonu.

Barry Davies: I can't see us renewing him longer than 1 more season (if we haven't already agreed to release him). His complete misfortune on the injury front makes the situation more untenable.

Jonathan Spratt: One poster (pardon me for not quoting you) linked the French sourced transfer lists for NH rugby and included Spratt going to London Irish for the 2011/12 season. I have yet to see confirmation of this.

The '7': likely to be this chap they propose to bring in as an understudy to Tipuric from a WP club. I dont know his name. (jb1973 may be able to confirm?)

2nd Row: not especially surprised given that TW players will soak up the majority of our depth there added to Ian Evans injury record. Goughy is suitable for sticking into a few LV= games and will likely see us through as back up on the bench. Don't know who they are looking at, but it would make sense.

A Centre: arguably the 'marquee' signing if you believe the rumblings from a lot of fans. I don't personally see this because I think our main aim is to sign a very decent full-back (possibly a NWQ and I would imagine either a former test-cap or non test-cap player). If we sign a centre I would imagine it would be strike-runner type (something we don't already have).

A 15: again, see above.

Departures? Hmmm well apart from the unconfirmed Spratt, I'm not certain who we'll see going. The only thing that does comfort me is seeing that we're trying to bulk a little cover back for the loss of Evans earlier this year.

Without placing too much attention on jb1973, he should be able to give all the clarity we need on recruiting matters. Andy Howell will not.

Impossible Standards wrote:RGD has gone to the scarlets hasn't he?

I don't think he did in the end, form what i could gather he was being looked at as an option for if Scott Williams went to the Blues.

Also on the Cory Jane thing, he was linked with the Scarlets last season (or maybe the season before), so I can understand where the speculation has come from.

i thought the Ospreys had signed a Fijian (or Samoian) Flanker/2nd row at the same time they signed the Scrum Half...

And I know he's a winger, but you've still got Bowe in the centre (granted not during the WC)

Smirnoffpriest wrote:i thought the Ospreys had signed a Fijian (or Samoian) Flanker/2nd row at the same time they signed the Scrum Half...

And I know he's a winger, but you've still got Bowe in the centre (granted not during the WC)

The Samoan, George Stowers, is very effective carrying 8 and while I accept he could fill any back-row position he was recruited on the basis that we need an effective carrying 8. He's not a 2nd row signing. I don't mind Bowe in the centre when we're thin in that area, but I prefer him out wide - he uses that space than his collegues.

They signed George Stowers (from London Irish) and Joe Bearman, who can both cover in the second row, but are realistically either an 8 or 6

ahh apologies, I couldn't remember his name and thought he was cover for the whole back row (6,7,8) didn't realise he was predominently an 8.

scarborough is 100% not coming, the second row isn't lund.

the 7 and centre ? could be anyone sorry guys

ps nope i don't work for the ospreys honest folks but if i did i'd say sign jane and nonu and hang the expense!

jb, nice to hear your dulcit tones over here, I've come over on a different username, what I would like to know is why don't you post on the Ospreys forum anymore, we could do with your intelligence on that Forum.

for some reason I can't get onto the ospreys forum? must have an ugly filter lol

As for spratt he has joined l irish but his knee is playing him up again, shame as he is a v good prospect just can't stay fit.

Valid point debaters and I suspect the ospreys like the other welsh regions will look to recruit from within wherever possible. However given the fact wales play so many tests and are in camp for so long we do need some NWQ, plus lets not kid ourselves we need the quality these guys bring. At present we have Bowe Walker stowers and fotuali (sp) as non welsh players with dirksen as a residence serving player.

I'd expect 2 to 3 more to come in but no big names like collins hollah and marshall as in the past, we simply can't afford the wages these guys can get in france or japan

I'd guess our world cup team will be

fussell/ g owen
phillips/e walker
bishop
beck
dirksen/fussell

biggar
webb

d jones
hibbard/m davies
griffith

gough
evans/king

smith
turpic
bearman

although i have a feeling J Thomas may miss out on the world cup

debaters1 wrote:Sorry to stick my oar in as a Munster fan and I do not mean the following question to be a wum or insulting, I genuinely want to know the answer/justification but......

With several high profile players leaving and with the ususal retirements & players not having their contracts renewed etc as all Clubs/Provinces/Regions have to deal with, I am curious as to the apparent enthuisiasm to replace the players that are leaving with NWQ (and usually expensive ones at that)

The reason I ask is because from my persepctive as an outsider, I would find it much easier for you as fans and the players as a squad, to bond and develope into the Region and team that the latent talent at the Ospreys, by depending on yourselves and your academy (which again I see producing a steady stream of talent players) rather than SH guys topping up their pensions. I dont mean to sound harsh or patronising but it just looks a little like the Boardroom hasnt learned from what has happened over the last few months with players leaving for 'diiferent challenges' (bigger money)

I could be way wrong but thats how I see it. And again, I am really not wumming just genuinely interested in what Ospreys' fans think of these stories etc.

Now dont get me wrong btw, Munster NEED a 12 and the SH is going to provide him, but the IRFU is cutting our NIQ numbers to 5 from 6 (5 NIQ plus 1 Project to 4 + 1) Agin, this isnt a Galactico nonesense post, so please dont go off on me for that etc!

Actually i think that no ospreys fans believe what is being printed in the press, and i think most fans are keen to see the academy lads get their opportunities.

JB does seem to have some inside info that is often accurate.. But so far as many of us know the ospreys are looking to reduce budgets, similar to the scarlets last year and concentrate on academy development. less need for NWQ plaers.

jb1973 wrote:

I'd guess our world cup team will be

fussell/ g owen
phillips/e walker
bishop
beck
dirksen/fussell

biggar
webb

d jones
hibbard/m davies
griffith

gough
evans/king

smith
turpic
bearman

although i have a feeling J Thomas may miss out on the world cup

id be surprised if hibbard doesnt go to the RWC?

Andy Howell must be on drugs?

I wish he'd overdose...

I think injury may keep hibbard out fo world cup, pray for m rees cos i dont fancy bennett as our number 1 choice!

what is hibbards injury ?

shoulder inury mate, he has had an op and is 50/50 for the world cup

jb1973 wrote:shoulder inury mate, he has had an op and is 50/50 for the world cup

If I'm honest, as long as he's OK for our HEC campaign, I'll be happy.

Thats right I remember now. That pulled him out of contention for the Baa Baa's

Tidy young player. Lets hope he can make it, at least we have some depth at 2.