Match Thread: Leinster Rugby vs Ospreys, Friday 03rd May 19:45, TG4/S4C

silverbirch66

yimrsg wrote: »

SOB got MOTM. I think it was more a case of tg4 wanting to talk to him about lions selection.

I think he is totally overrated and is a one season wonder.Dont get me wrong he is solid and seems like a sound lad but no way is he as good as some people make him out to be.And TBH,him coming out this week saying he could play 6,7 or 8 as regards the lions staring 15 is a load of crap talk.He will only start if someone is injured.
I watched him closely playing for Ireland in the 6n this year and it was like groundhog day every time.

Fields opposition kick,goes 5 metres with ball,gets grounded,release ball and so on and on and on...those plays are not the traits of a dynamic, forward thinking player,folks.No spark and no ideas.

Taco Corp

need to watch the game back again, but sitting in the stands I couldn't help but think how much we're going to to miss BOD in defence when he retires. There several instances where I thought that the Ospreys attach could have been disrupted by the way BOD shoots up from the defensive line to cut off the ball going wide. McFadden seems to prefer letting attachers running on to him which seemed pretty risky tonight.

.ak

silverbirch66 wrote: »

I think he is totally overrated and is a one season wonder.Dont get me wrong he is solid and seems like a sound lad but no way is he as good as some people make him out to be.And TBH,him coming out this week saying he could play 6,7 or 8 as regards the lions staring 15 is a load of crap talk.He will only start if someone is injured.
I watched him closely playing for Ireland in the 6n this year and it was like groundhog day every time.

Fields opposition kick,goes 5 metres with ball,gets grounded,release ball and so on and on and on...those plays are not the traits of a dynamic, forward thinking player,folks.No spark and no ideas.

Wow, what did SOB ever do to you?

Name one Irish player who played better in the 6N? His work on the deck, his hands, his ability to get behind gain line - he's by far one of the best forwards in the home nations.

Also, why is on the Lions tour if he isn't any good?

.ak

Captain_Hindsight wrote: »

need to watch the game back again, but sitting in the stands I couldn't help but think how much we're going to to miss BOD in defence when he retires. There several instances where I thought that the Ospreys attach could have been disrupted by the way BOD shoots up from the defensive line to cut off the ball going wide. McFadden seems to prefer letting attachers running on to him which seemed pretty risky tonight.

Ferg is not a 13, so he did well all things considered.

Tox56

Said it earlier but Ospreys are a complete pain in the arse at the breakdown and I thought (Luke) McGrath was great, could have been better getting it away on one or two occasions but did well all things considered, amazing strength for his size. First start against tough opposition, messy breakdown, important game, not first choice pack and to top it all off the weather looked fairly crap, far from an ideal environment so he did really well I thought, excellent for Conway's 2nd:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beFQXAboses

Can't say much more than has already been said for the other McGrath, really really encouraging

Bridge93

silverbirch66 wrote: »

I think he is totally overrated and is a one season wonder.Dont get me wrong he is solid and seems like a sound lad but no way is he as good as some people make him out to be.And TBH,him coming out this week saying he could play 6,7 or 8 as regards the lions staring 15 is a load of crap talk.He will only start if someone is injured.
I watched him closely playing for Ireland in the 6n this year and it was like groundhog day every time.

Fields opposition kick,goes 5 metres with ball,gets grounded,release ball and so on and on and on...those plays are not the traits of a dynamic, forward thinking player,folks.No spark and no ideas.

I just don't get this.

the baby bull elephant

Oooooooooooh aaaaaaaaaah Jack McGrath.

Delighted for him this year good guy and deserves it.

.ak

Really hope Madigan at 12 is finished now. Hopefully Darce is back soon. Madigan's game is too easy to read outside the flyhalf, especially as Sexton was taking it a little deeper than normal. Defensively he was sound tho, and spun a few nice passes, but you just don't want your 12 trying to take on that much ball either. Dunno what he was at for the 22 drop out... Then again, had he pulled off into space we'd all be rewarding his bloody mindedness.

That one handed catch and clearance was a thing of beauty though. One thing I love is how he seems to take an age with his clearances and doesn't get flustered. His kicking from hand is far better than it was this time last year.

Hagz

It will be very interesting when Matt O'Connor comes in to see how the squad order changes.

the baby bull elephant

Buer wrote: »

World's fattest winger gets over for the icing.

Christ, Ospreys are a wee bit susceptible to the kick in behind.

10% body fat...

silverbirch66

.ak wrote: »

Wow, what did SOB ever do to you?

Name one Irish player who played better in the 6N? His work on the deck, his hands, his ability to get behind gain line - he's by far one of the best forwards in the home nations.

Also, why is on the Lions tour if he isn't any good?

Nothing, and as i've said he seems like a lovely lad and my opinion is in no way personal and in all fairness none of our players performed well every game in the 6n.

Dylan Hartley is on he tour along with Matt Stevens and they are no great shakes either:D

Pudsy33

silverbirch66 wrote: »

I think he is totally overrated and is a one season wonder.Dont get me wrong he is solid and seems like a sound lad but no way is he as good as some people make him out to be.And TBH,him coming out this week saying he could play 6,7 or 8 as regards the lions staring 15 is a load of crap talk.He will only start if someone is injured.
I watched him closely playing for Ireland in the 6n this year and it was like groundhog day every time.

Fields opposition kick,goes 5 metres with ball,gets grounded,release ball and so on and on and on...those plays are not the traits of a dynamic, forward thinking player,folks.No spark and no ideas.

What a bizarre post. What does he need to do any better? Lets see....

Monster in the tackle?.... yep
Excellent ball carrier?...... yep
Excellent support runner?.....that too
Great at the breakdown?..... you bet
Decent ball skills for a big man..... yes

I thought moving him to 7 from 6 before was a mistake, but he has proved he can play there too, even against the best in the world. He gave a motm performance from 8 tonight. He is a perfectly well rounded back-rower.

.ak

silverbirch66 wrote: »

Nothing, and as i've said he seems like a lovely lad and my opinion is in no way personal and in all fairness none of our players performed well every game in the 6n.

Dylan Hartley is on he tour along with Matt Stevens and they are no great shakes either:D

If you're trying to bundle SOB into the same category as Dylan and Matt you're opinion on SOB must be tainted SOMEHOW.

Seriously, nobody who outplays McCaw at 7 in his own backyard is overrated.

decisions

Pudsy33 wrote: »

What a bizarre post. What does he need to do any better? Lets see....

Monster in the tackle?.... yep
Excellent ball carrier?...... yep
Excellent support runner?.....that too
Great at the breakdown?..... you bet
Decent ball skills for a big man..... yes

I thought moving him to 7 from 6 before was a mistake, but he has proved he can play there too, even against the best in the world. He gave a motm performance from 8 tonight. He is a perfectly well rounded back-rower.

My only criticism would be his ball control at the back of the scrum wasn't quite up to scratch today.

.ak

decisions wrote: »

My only criticism would be his ball control at the back of the scrum wasn't quite up to scratch today.

It wasn't, and often has been poor when he slots in at 8. But that's to be expected for someone who rarely plays at 8... It's not as bad as Rhys's! :P

Pudsy33

decisions wrote: »

My only criticism would be his ball control at the back of the scrum wasn't quite up to scratch today.

Fair point, but in his defense he doesn't play there much. Still doesn't explain why the above poster thinks he's average.

For the record I thought Conway was robbed for motm personally.

.ak

Yeah hattrick is usually an automatic MoTM award!

Hagz

Pudsy33 wrote: »

For the record I thought Conway was robbed for motm personally.

Half-robbed

Pudsy33

Hagz wrote: »

Half-robbed

did SOB not get it? or did tg4 give one and rabodirect another?

Irlandczyk

Great game to watch. For a second string(ish) side against our 'bogey team' we did really well. Think Schmidt deserves most of the credit for the win, personally, he got the game plan nailed. Not sure about SOB for my MotM, although personally I give it to Healy simply for that winger-esque dive over the try line!

Victory is even sweeter knowing that we sent the Ospreys home after giving them a right beating!

silverbirch66

.ak wrote: »

Wow, what did SOB ever do to you?

Name one Irish player who played better in the 6N? His work on the deck, his hands, his ability to get behind gain line - he's by far one of the best forwards in the home nations.

Also, why is on the Lions tour if he isn't any good?

.ak wrote: »

If you're trying to bundle SOB into the same category as Dylan and Matt you're opinion on SOB must be tainted SOMEHOW.

Seriously, nobody who outplays McCaw at 7 in his own backyard is overrated.

You asked why is he going on tour if he is so bad-I pointed out 2 examples of guys who also were going to OZ and are nothing special either.Just because you are picked out of 37 doesnt mean you are a world beater.

Underdogs often outplay their superiors in one off battles.Its nothing new in sport.Look at the grand national this year-66/1 winner:D

Hagz

Pudsy33 wrote: »

did SOB not get it? or did tg4 give one and rabodirect another?

There's always two at the RDS. The tv stations award one, and then the official man of the match sponsor of the day.

Pudsy33

silverbirch66 wrote: »

You asked why is he going on tour if he is so bad-I pointed out 2 examples of guys who also were going to OZ and are nothing special either.Just because you are picked out of 37 doesnt mean you are a world beater.

Underdogs often outplay their superiors in one off battles.Its nothing new in sport.Look at the grand national this year-66/1 winner:D

What do you think are the weaknesses in his game? What Lions teammates are superior to him?

Bridge93

Based on tonight I'd be picking Sean o Brien ahead Tipuric for 6 anyway.

Tigerandahalf

Obrien is good but where do you play him? Too small for 6 or 8 where he would be a weakness re lineouts, too small and too heavy to lift. He has great explosiveness but I dont think he is a great link player, he needs to be more aware and offload rather than charging straight ahead. At 7 he doesnt seem to have the skillset for that position. He is regularly pinged and do you want him at the bottom of a ruck when he has that explosiveness.

trouttrout

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Obrien is good but where do you play him? Too small for 6 or 8 where he would be a weakness re lineouts, too small and too heavy to lift. He has great explosiveness but I dont think he is a great link player, he needs to be more aware and offload rather than charging straight ahead. At 7 he doesnt seem to have the skillset for that position. He is regularly pinged and do you want him at the bottom of a ruck when he has that explosiveness.

With POC, Heaslip, AWJ and Warburton in the pack you wouldn't need to use him in the lineout

He completely does have the skillset for 7 too btw. He's been playing there more than anywhere else for the last 3 years

trouttrout

Conway was my MOTM but I was hugely impressed by the McGrath boys

silverbirch66

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Obrien is good but where do you play him? Too small for 6 or 8 where he would be a weakness re lineouts, too small and too heavy to lift. He has great explosiveness but I dont think he is a great link player, he needs to be more aware and offload rather than charging straight ahead. At 7 he doesnt seem to have the skillset for that position. He is regularly pinged and do you want him at the bottom of a ruck when he has that explosiveness.

Now you are talking,Tiger.

SOB is bascially a young bull-great when introduced firstly on he scene.Does a few moves in his infancy and impresses the cows.Bombs across the field,sun on his back.Legend.All good.

Then the old bull(s) comes on the scene and slowly starts to figure him out.

Question now is do you snip him,let him have some more grass and eat him or let him grow?

Im not sure but I do love a nice T-bone.:D

Larbre34

Great performance tonight, nice mix of fast and physical. Great showing from our departing players unfortunately with a special word for Jack McGrath who came of age. Big things ahead for that young man.

Just as well we have 8 days to turn around, tired bodies at the end but at least the master puppetry from Joe has preserved some of our top players for the run-in.

Few lovely moments in the Laighin Out tonight with Isa and VDM in the post match interviews. Lot of emotion on their faces. The long goodbye has begun...

trouttrout

silverbirch66 wrote: »

Now you are talking,Tiger.

SOB is bascially a young bull-great when introduced firstly on he scene.Does a few moves in his infancy and impresses the cows.Bombs across the field,sun on his back.Legend.All good.

Then the old bull(s) comes on the scene and slowly starts to figure him out.

Question now is do you snip him,let him have some more grass and eat him or let him grow?

Im not sure but I do love a nice T-bone.:D

humor fail