Leinster vs Ospreys,Sunday 28th November,K.O. 5pm,TG4

jolley123

Leo Cullen leads the team for the trip to Swansea on Sunday and he lines up at second row alongside Ed O’Donoghue who successfully came through his first appearance in two months last weekend.

Jason Harris-Wright makes his first start of the season at hooker in a front row which includes props Heinke van der Merwe and Clint Newland.

Isa Nacewa, who lies in second place in the Magners League top points scorers list this season (80 points), continues at full-back in a back three which includes Andrew Conway and Shane Horgan, who scored a brace of tries in Leinster’s bonus point victory over the Dragons.

OSPREYS:
15: Barry Davies
14: Gareth Owen
13: Sonny Parker
12: Ashley Beck
11: Richard Fussell
10: Dan Biggar
9: Rhys Webb
1: Duncan Jones
2: Richard Hibbard
3: Craig Mitchell
4: Ian Gough
5: Ian Evans
6: Justin Tipuric
7: Marty Holah
8: Jerry Collins CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Mefin Davies
17: Joe Rees
18: Cai Griffiths
19: James Goode
20: Tom Smith
21: Jamie Nutbrown
22: Matthew Morgan
23: Tom Isaacs

LEINSTER:
15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Eoin O’Malley
12: Fergus McFadden
11: Andrew Conway
10: Ian Madigan
9: Isaac Boss
1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Jason Harris-Wright
3: Clint Newland
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Ed O’Donoghue
6: Dominic Ryan
7: Shane Jennings
8: Stephen Keogh
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Tom Sexton
17: Jack McGrath
18: Mike Ross
19: Eoin Sheriff
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Paul O’Donohoe
22: Ian McKinley
23: Dave Kearney

REFEREE: David Wilkinson (IRFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Tim Hayes, Jon Mason (both WRU), TMO: Tony Rowlands (WRU)

Kick off is at 5.00pm and the match will be showed on TG4

thomond2006

Where's Shaun Berne?

Hippo

thomond2006 wrote: »

Where's Shaun Berne?

Injured apparently, as, even more worryingly, is Strauss. Not that the official site has anything to say about this.

CatFromHue

i wonder where berne is too, maybe he went off injured last week.

our subs are very light.

good to see that out of the 22 only 3 are not irish qualified.

thomond2006

I'm disappointed at the scheduling of this game. If both sides had all internationals available it would have been a great game to watch. Leinster should be playing Glasgow or Aironi away or similar at this time.

From the Ospreys point of view, they might get a bigger gate in if Sexton, BOD and Heaslip are playing for Leinster.

I fancy Leinster on Sunday. Big battle in the backrow.

phog

This Ospreys team is a lot waeker than the one that arrived in Thomond Park a few weeks back so I reckon Leinster must surely be looking for 4 points from this game.

WeeBushy

Good to see O'Donoghue starting. Great chance as well for Conway to stake a claim for a place over the next for weeks what with the injuries.

Worrying news about Strauss if true, where did you hear that Hippo?

Hippo

WeeBushy wrote: »

Good to see O'Donoghue starting. Great chance as well for Conway to stake a claim for a place over the next for weeks what with the injuries.

Worrying news about Strauss if true, where did you hear that Hippo?

Over on LF.COM. No indication of its seriousness I'm afraid.

durkadurka

we're in deep shyte for hookers if strauss isnt fit.

funky penguin

Just thought I'd bump this from 2nd page incase anyone has forgetten todays really important match! :pac:

thomond2006

*Bump*

This is on S4C as well, with English commentary normally on the red button.

funky penguin

Haha!

thomond2006

Damn you funky. :P

WeeBushy

In the IT yesterday it says Strauss was rested. Reasonable if true - he has started every game this season. He could do with the rest with the two Clermont games coming up.

funky penguin

True. Plus it'll be good exposure for JHW to get a start. I'll be interested to see Johnny's brother at this level as well.

Jemmy

Didnt know this was on the tv, happy days!

WeeBushy

funky penguin wrote: »

True. Plus it'll be good exposure for JHW to get a start. I'll be interested to see Johnny's brother at this level as well.

Tom Sexton isn't Johnny's brother. His younger brother plays 1sts for St. Mary's however.

wixfjord

I can feel a good beatin coming on here

WeeBushy

Our defence is looking a bit shaky alright.

The refs handling of the scrum is so annoying. That ball was out, could he not just have let it play instead of calling it back to be reset. Its not as if either side we're doing anything illegal.

And after just watching stringer passing, boss' slowness is really accentuated.

Backs have looked like they could make something though. Ospreys giving away a lot of penalties as well.

WeeBushy

Woo, yellow for Duncan Jones

thomond2006

What contract is Madigan on?

Full/development/academy?

thomond2006

Brilliant try!

WeeBushy

TRY TIME! great play.

wixfjord

YESSSSS!
What a good min, Spurs miss peno and Conway dives in!
What was the yellow for?

WeeBushy

thomond2006 wrote: »

What contract is Madigan on?

Full/development/academy?

He's on an academy contract.

wixfjord wrote: »

What was the yellow for?

Not understanding Irish, I think it was for persistent penalties at the ruck...

wixfjord

Leinster fans doing us proud!

thomond2006

wixfjord wrote: »

Leinster fans doing us proud!

Fair play to them.

thomond2006

Great step from McFadden.

thomond2006

9-10

WeeBushy

Our restarts have been good, that's two we've stolen from them now.

thomond2006

9-10 HT

Leinster should take this.

wixfjord

A win here would be very good.

funky penguin

WeeBushy wrote: »

Tom Sexton isn't Johnny's brother. His younger brother plays 1sts for St. Mary's however.

Cheers, got them confused.

This seems Leinster's to lose now, they need to keep the ball for longer and stop losing it in contact. Our backs look on fire, especially McFadden and Nacewa.

thomond2006

Great kick.

12-10, Biggar penalty.

thomond2006

Isa Nacewa try, literally the second after I put a few cents on Leinster +4.

Nacewa misses the conversion. 12-15.

Nacewa to be given the key to Leinster after this season.

The guy becomes more important to us every week.

thomond2006

Leinster player down, looks serious.

Might be Conway, not sure.

Edit: It's Conway alright. Medics took their time to stretcher him off. I didn't see what happened to him.

Speedy recovery mate.

danthefan

It is Conway, didn't see exactly what happened to him, tackle looked innocuous though.

Taco Corp

Leinster need to cop the fcuk on. Stupid penalties been given away. JHW very lucky there.

And as I type they are down to 13

We're in trouble here. Leak less than 7 in the next 10 mins and I'm happy though

Burgo

Two yellows, oh dear

copacetic

Burgo wrote: »

Two yellows, oh dear

ref seems to be trying to make a name for himself.

wixfjord

Hmm bit of a home towner Mr Leacy.

Taco Corp

Is it just me or does Ross seem to be getting no help in the scrum from Ryan?

Isa need to make that penalty, poor miss

starting to get a strange Deja Vu of the game with 4 yellows last year. We got pinged for absolutely everything that day, and it wasn't a dirty game.

This is strikingly similar.

danthefan

Ospreys drop their own man in the lineout with Cullen in the general vacinity.

Penalty Ospreys :rolleyes:

copacetic

wixfjord wrote: »

Hmm bit of a home towner Mr Leacy.

the madigan yellow was particularly bad, he fell the wrong side, tried to get out of the way but struggled as his knee and ankle were both being stamped on. Which the ref happily ignored.

Another 2 farcical decisions in a row there, holding on against us when they were clearly in from the side and cross the lineout when they clearly dropped their own man.

This is nearly as bad as the ref display away in edinburgh.

thomond2006

Shocking decision by the ref there, Cullen didn't touch him.

wixfjord

JHW has a cracking lineout throw.

LeeroyJones

No access to a TV, what's on the clock? still 19-15?

smog

This is getting ridiculous.
They have their hands all over the ground in the scrum, then we get penalized,
Holding on and not rolling away in the tackles and we again get done for not releasing?? How can anyone release with their arms still wrapped up in the tackle
Getting very frustrated here, ok we are not brilliant but it doesn't help the situation when the ref has his head up his arse