Ospreys V Munster. Sept 29 6.30 Team post # 127

[Cowboy]

Pom blindside, Dougall/Ronan openside, Butler no8?

Rog or Keats

Casey or Keet?

Sherry or Varley?

Return of Ryan?

I cant wait for this game.

[i_like_cake]

Keatley....
Triple L...
Sherry..

[blackwarrior]

Revenge for me. That semi result from last season needs to be reversed, if it can't be purged. It is a scar our record. It doesn't matter what manager was leaving, or how many injuries we had. Munster don't do defeats like that one and the squad should be made watch the video. and reminded how they felt (hopefully) at the end. Sorry Rob - but Foley will want this.

[outside inside]

Revenge for me. That semi result from last season needs to be reversed, if it can't be purged. It is a scar our record. It doesn't matter what manager was leaving, or how many injuries we had. Munster don't do defeats like that one and the squad should be made watch the video. and reminded how they felt (hopefully) at the end. Sorry Rob - but Foley will want this.

Wrong psychology don't try and fight last years battles this season as if that will change last years result . Draw a line under it , accept we were not good enough and move on . NH made that mistake last year with their revenge talk , that did not worked out well for them . Treat each game on its own merits and don't put more pressure on yourself by trying to win last years match as well .

[Hugged Rugger]

Different game now so they wouldn't learn much from it

Thought varley was very good last night. Surprised at his rating but hope to see him again next week.

Think earls has show up very well so far. Would like to see Keatley Downey earls get a half or a game but he should be in there somewhere. Where is the question though. 15 seems the only likely spot right now if casey is to play

[joeriddick]

My starting XV for this one (barring injury) would be something like this.

1. WDP
2. Mike Sherry
3. Archer
4. DOC
5. D. Ryan
6. POM
7. Dougall
8. Butler

9. Murray
10. Keatley
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Earls
14. Dougie
15. Hurley


And there's a lot of tough choices there.

[thoughtless]

My starting XV for this one (barring injury) would be something like this.

1. WDP
2. Mike Sherry
3. Archer
4. DOC
5. D. Ryan
6. POM
7. Dougall
8. Butler

9. Murray
10. Keatley
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Earls
14. Dougie
15. Hurley


And there's a lot of tough choices there.

Would go with much the same, but I think we need to see what kind of an option O'Dea is at 15.

[isola ciarrai]

Would go with much the same, but I think we need to see what kind of an option O'Dea is at 15.

Will Hurley and Luke Boy be available next weekend? Hurley will surely be weakened by whatever bug hit him, and hardly the match to test Lukes ankle?
Would follow the Riddick team but with Earls at 15, Casey at 13, Varley starting at 2 and BJB if fit. With Sean Scanlon out for a lengthy period, Felix so injury prone and LOD so inexperienced, we need Earls as a 15 option for sheer pace and hitting the line. Both he and Casey too good to be letting one on the bench, IMO

[Dowlinz]

What I'd like to see:

1. WDP
2. Sherry
3. BJ
4. DOC
5. D. Ryan
6. Dougall
7. Ronan
8. POM

9. Murray
10. ROG
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Laulala
14. Dougie
15. Earls

[joeriddick]

Would go with much the same, but I think we need to see what kind of an option O'Dea is at 15.

Will Hurley and Luke Boy be available next weekend? Hurley will surely be weakened by whatever bug hit him, and hardly the match to test Lukes ankle?
Would follow the Riddick team but with Earls at 15, Casey at 13, Varley starting at 2 and BJB if fit. With Sean Scanlon out for a lengthy period, Felix so injury prone and LOD so inexperienced, we need Earls as a 15 option for sheer pace and hitting the line. Both he and Casey too good to be letting one on the bench, IMO

I assumed O'Dea would be out and Hurley recovered (as he was quite close to Saturday based on one or two reports I read).

That team would rotate Laulala in for Earls at 60.

[Sketchy]

I'd go Casey 12 and Earls 13. He played there for the BaaBaas. Have to find a backup for Downey. He has been excellent, but we should have quality backup in every position, just in case.

Plus, Downey needs a rest. 7 games on the trot?

[Cowboy]

I'd go Casey 12 and Earls 13. He played there for the BaaBaas. Have to find a backup for Downey. He has been excellent, but we should have quality backup in every position, just in case.

Plus, Downey needs a rest. 7 games on the trot?

player tracker says 292 minutes so far! Dougie has 320!!

[Sketchy]

player tracker says 292 minutes so far! Dougie has 320!!

And that's not including the 3 pre-season games. Pity LOD is injured, he could slot in nicely and rest Dougie for Leinster and Racing.

[MunsterLux]

Good news is that this is going to be on RTE2 HD. Bad news…Munster v Leinster game gets shafted to TG4. I just can't get my head around the decision making on that one. I believe it was the same last year?

[Mcork]

My starting XV for this one (barring injury) would be something like this.

1. WDP
2. Mike Sherry
3. Archer
4. DOC
5. D. Ryan
6. POM
7. Dougall
8. Butler

9. Murray
10. Keatley
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Earls
14. Dougie
15. Hurley


And there's a lot of tough choices there.

I'd go with that but with BJB for Archer and DO'C II for Butler with PO'M moving to 8. Think it is important that we start Murray/Keatley at half back as that will really test/check the O's blitz defence. RO'G has struggled with the Welsh & O's in recent years. they seem to have his number and love playing against him.

Who's the ref for this one? hope he enforces offside and high tackles.

[lactose intolerant]

I'd go with that but with BJB for Archer and DO'C II for Butler with PO'M moving to 8. Think it is important that we start Murray/Keatley at half back as that will really test/check the O's blitz defence. RO'G has struggled with the Welsh & O's in recent years. they seem to have his number and love playing against him.

Who's the ref for this one? hope he enforces offside and high tackles.

ROG terrifies Richard Hibbard though

[The Last Stand]

Good news is that this is going to be on RTE2 HD. Bad news…Munster v Leinster game gets shafted to TG4. I just can't get my head around the decision making on that one. I believe it was the same last year?

Go to Dublin for the game?

[Colliniho]

Shame that it looks like O'Dea will still be injured. With Scanlon and Jones out we could use the opportunity to try out our other options at 15.
Surely Downey and Howlett will be rested. They've both been pretty much ever present since pre-season. I can see Barnes getting a start either on the wing or in the centre. We are actually light enough at 12 (about the only position we are) so the Laulala-Earls combo may actually be a runner.
Apart from that I can see it being a mixed bag of a team. Penney may not know his first choice 15 yet and I wouldn't expect to see the team that starts against Racing get a run together in the next 2 weeks.
POM and Ryan need to come straight back in, they've been rested too long to start them on the bench.
Du Preez hasn't started the last 2 weeks so he'll probably start. BJ may well be rested. Would live to see J Ryan getting a shot at tighthead. I think D Ryan will start with Donners in the second row. Dougall may start and Ronan could start at 6. Throw POM back in at the deep end at 8.
In the backs Murray should finally start and I'd expect Keatley to play 10 with ROG starting against Leinster. Laulala and Earls in the centre with Barnes and Zebo on the wings. Hurley at full back.

[lactose intolerant]

Go to Dublin for the game?

The Aviva game has always been on TG4 I do believe, assumedly part of the deal

[onthe 22]

Wrong psychology don't try and fight last years battles this season as if that will change last years result . Draw a line under it , accept we were not good enough and move on . NH made that mistake last year with their revenge talk , that did not worked out well for them . Treat each game on its own merits and don't put more pressure on yourself by trying to win last years match as well .

No trash talk.
Totally and utterly stupid. Agree with you 100%
But everyone should watch the video .
Get the Foley cup of bitterness out.
And do the talking on the pitch.

[the plastic paddy]

Maybe it is just me and I will freely admit I am no expert on the activities of the union but does anyone else think BJB looks as though he has been struggling a bit. Watched the west wales derby on friday night and Duncan Jones is in serious form, destroyed the Scarlets scrum. Would be interested in the opinions of the likes of OTHP and peatbog on Archer's scrummaging so far this season.

[joeriddick]

I'd go with that but with BJB for Archer and DO'C II for Butler with PO'M moving to 8. Think it is important that we start Murray/Keatley at half back as that will really test/check the O's blitz defence. RO'G has struggled with the Welsh & O's in recent years. they seem to have his number and love playing against him.

Who's the ref for this one? hope he enforces offside and high tackles.

I don't know about that, Butler had a fine game against Dragons - I think he's earned a shot at 8 against the O's for 60 minutes at least. Ideally you could move POM to 8 second half and slot in DOC2.0 at 6.

I picked Archer for this hypothetical team because it's an opportunity for a start against challenging opposition with a first choice HK, LHP and second rows around him. BJ will be needed for Ladies Night at the Aviva so 20 minutes here might be just the ticket.

I'd have Barnes on the bench to slot in for Downey after 55. He showed up well in defence in the small cameo he had and it would be a perfect shot to see if he can carry ball/offload and nail down the alternate 12 jersey. Laulala might be an option at 12 in a jam but after 4 years of McGahan the thought of square pegs in round holes, hell, even oval pegs in round holes breaks me out in hives.

[joeriddick]

No trash talk.
Totally and utterly stupid. Agree with you 100%
But everyone should watch the video .
Get the Foley cup of bitterness out.
And do the talking on the pitch.

Hopefully Penney will put an end to this bitterness rubbish and engender a culture based around ruthless, aggressive professionalism. This bitterness stuff is grand for the fans but toxic for the players.

[FORWARD....]

Hopefully Penney will put an end to this bitterness rubbish and engender a culture based around ruthless, aggressive professionalism. This bitterness stuff is grand for the fans but toxic for the players.

Heresy. Aren't we better when we're bitter?

[joeriddick]

Heresy. Aren't we better when we're bitter?

I think we're mentally exhausted when we're bitter!

[Kevy-Wevz]

What I'd like to see:

1. WDP
2. Sherry
3. BJ
4. DOC
5. D. Ryan
6. Dougall
7. Ronan
8. POM

9. Murray
10. ROG
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Laulala
14. Dougie
15. Earls

Uh... what???

I think we'll be seeing...

1. WDP
2. Mike Sherry
3. Archer
4. DOC
5. Holland(he's earned it)
6. POM
7. Ronan
8. Butler

9. Murray
10. Keatley
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Earls
14. Dougie
15. Hurley

16. Varley
17. BJB
18. D.Ryan
19. DOC2
20. Williams
21. ROG
22. Lualala
23. O'Dea(hopefully)

We are shockingly devoid of IC's though, one injury to to Downey and it could all go up in smoke for us. I'd like to give the man a break but quite frankly I'm not willing to put anyone else in there against the O's

I'm also not expecting to see Dougall back this week, probably the next week but not for the O's

[taz]

Ahh the Ospreys.

[gavindillon]

Benny bought a bit of bitter beer called Biter, but the bit of Biter bitter beer Benny was beyond bitter so Benny bought another bit of buttery beer to make the bit of beyond bitter Biter beer Benny bought better.

But nevermind all that. We were better when we were a bit bitter until we started winning competitions regularly. Nowadays the players have little to be bitter about, most of them at least. I like the idea of ruthlessness becoming a future trademark. Proud and passionate to a degree, but underneath it all I'd love to see a glacial, hard, uncompromising sense of the standards the players expect of themselves all the time. Let us, the fans, work ourselves into whatever fury of outrage and sense of injustice we like, while the players on the pitch demonstrate a merciless streak befitting red rugby assassins.

Munster by 10 over the Hairsprays.

[thoughtless]

I really hope O'Dea is fit, it's important that he gets his shot at 15 at some point, as otherwise we're moving players almost drastically out of position (Earls is a 13/11 now, and Keatley is a 10) to cover any injury to Hurley for as long as Scanlon and Jones are injured, which could be a while... But if he's not, Hurley all the way, giving Earls three positions to cover seems too much to me.

And as others have said, we definitely need another option at 12. I'd e inclined to think that Barnes and Dineen are at least solid Rabo options there, whether they can step up beyond that level is the question. I'm not sure about Laulala there, but it might be worth a shot at some point.

[Thomond78]

This is a measure of: a) our scrum - the Os probably have one of the best in Europe; b) our rucking - Ryan Jones and Tipuric are a serious challenge at the breakdown; c) our back play - the Os are excellent 1-10 ATM but not great at all outside that; and d) our ability to play heads-up - they have a great scrum and close game, a weak lineout and a terrible maul so we need to show we can think on our feet and attack their weaknesses instead of blindly following some plan. Get three out of four on that - with the scrum being an absolute must - and I'll be happy regardless of result. Get the result with that, I'll be delighted.Also, our discipline will be tested. It'll be fractious, and Biggar's a good kicker. Fire in the belly, ice in the head.