Match Thread: Pro 12- Munster V Ospreys, Saturday 2nd November, 19:15, TG4

Fireball07

||

Felix Jones|

15

|Richard Fussell
Johne Murphy|

14

|Aisea Natoga
Casey Laulala|

13

|Jonathan Spratt (captain)
Ivan Dineen|

12

|Andrew Bishop
Ronan O'Mahony|

11

|Ben John
Ian Keatley|

10

|Matthew Morgan
Duncan Williams|

9

|Tito Tebaldi
||
Dave Kilcoyne|

1

|Marc Thomas
Damien Varley (captain)|

2

|Scott Baldwin
BJ Botha|

3

|Joe Rees
Donncha O'Callaghan|

4

|Lloyd Peers
Dave Foley|

5

|James King
Dave O'Callaghan|

6

|Joe Bearman
Sean Dougall|

7

|Sam Lewis
CJ Stander|

8

|Morgan Allen
Replacements||Replacements
Duncan Casey|

16

|Matt Dwyer
James Cronin|

17

|Nicky Smith
John Ryan|

18

|Dan Suter
Billy Holland|

19

|Rhodri Hughes
James Coughlan|

20

|Arthur Ellis
Cathal Sheridan|

21

|Tom Habberfield
JJ Hanrahan|

22

|Sam Davies
Cian Bohane|

23

|Hanno Dirksen

Good Results Last Week
For the 2nd week in a row, Munster are involved in a 1st v 2nd clash, this time as they face the Ospreys in Thomond Park. They came away with a fantastic result from Scotstoun last week, beating Glasgow 13-7 amid some controversy. It wasn't the most fascinating spectacle, yet they did what had to be done and defended superbly to eke out a victory. Ospreys got an excellent bonus point victory against the Dragons, with Justin Tipuric running riot, a superb individual display hugely helped on their road to victory.


Absentees
But both teams are without their international contingent this weekend, as well as being struck by injuries which makes for a different sort of clash, one which tests squad depth. The hosts are without captain Peter O'Mahony, talisman Paul O'Connell, 2 flying wingers in Keith Earls and Simon Zebo, not to mention injured openside Tommy O'Donnell. Mick Sherry, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Ian Nagle, Paddy Butler, Conor Murray, Andrew Conway, James Downey, Denis Hurley and Luke O'Dea are also unavailable, although both Donncha O'Callaghan and James Coughlan were released from international duty for the weekend, which is a boost.

Ospreys also have a large absentee list including their captain Alun Wyn Jones, last week's man of the match Justin Tipuric, fly-half Dan Biggar and tight-head Adam Jones. In addition, they will also be missing Duncan Jones, Ryan Bevington, Aaron Jarvis, Ian Evans, Tyler Ardron, Ryan Jones, Rhys Webb, Ashley Beck, Jeff Hassler and the exciting Eli Walker, although South African Hanno Dirksen has returned from injury to take a place on the bench.


Strong Pack
Taking all that account, Damien Varley captains Munster for the weekend, with 22-year-old Duncan Casey hoping to make his debut from the bench. Dave Kilcoyne and BJ Botha rounds out a formidable front row, considering the circumstances. Munster's pack in general looks strong, with O'Callaghan and CJ Stander the pick of the bunch. Dave O'Callaghan gets the nod at 6 in the back row, with James Coughlan on the bench while Dave Foley is preferred to Billy Holland in the 2nd row.
At half-back, Duncan Williams gets the nod ahead of Cathal Sherian, who joins his UL Bohs clubmate, JJ Hanrahan on the bench. It seems that Penney has tended to pair Williams and Keatley at half-back, and has done so again. In the backline, Felix Jones returns surprisingly early from injury to take his place at full-back, Johne Murphy shifting back to the wing alongside Ronan O'Mahony, who makes his Thomond Park debut, Andrew Conway missing out through injury. Casey Laulala has played an awful lot of rugby this year, and starts again, this time alongside Ivan Dineen who has impressed at inside centre when given the opportunity.


Threatening Backline
For the Ospreys, their back 3 of Richard Fussell, Fijian Aisea Natoga and youngster Ben John, looks very threatening, while Andrew Bishop and their captain for the evening, Jonathan Spratt, make up a very strong backline. With the dimunitive Matthew Morgan alongside Italian international Tito Tebaldi at half-back, the Ospreys would seem to have an advantage here.
Their back row also looks strong- Bearman is a very consistent performer, and alongside Lewis and Allen, may expect to have the advantage. Their front 5 is talented but may not have the experience of their counterparts. And with Habberfield and Dirksen among those on the bench, they have impact subs.




Top of the Table Clash
Both sides have put out strong sides considering the large absentee lists, and this should be an entertaining clash. Munster haven't beaten the Ospreys in 5 attempts, and the Welsh side are the only non-Irish side to beat Munster in Thomond Park since 2006, and will certainly fancy their chances once more. They have lost 2/2 in the Heineken Cup, and it would almost seem they only have the league to play for now...and are in a strong position currently. Munster really can't afford to lose games at home to their rivals, and while they really want to progress from their pool in Europe, a good league campaign is a necessity this year too.

This will be a very intriguing game, very tough to call, but the experience in Munster's tight 5 may just give them a slight edge. Can't see their being more than a score between the teams at the end...... but that score will be vital for this top-of-the-table clash.



Munster by 1




Oh, and let's try and not get this one locked, shall we?

CoDy1

Ospreys

Massively strong Munster pack considering the absentees, JJ's form too good not to be starting instead of Keatley or Dineen imo. ROM will get on the score sheet:cool:. It'll be a wet & cold one but looking forward!

[Jackass]

Ospreys pack amazingly weak by their standards. O's have the better backline, but without the pack it's worthless. Munster players failing to make Irish squad combined with the timing of this match, couldn't have worked out much better for Munster.

mohawk

Would really like to see Dineen and ROM have good games. It's good to get another look at Stander at 8.
Think its gonna be a real tight game.
Hopefully Varley's darts will be ok tonight. His throwing has looked much better this season then last so fingers crossed I stays that way.

phog

That's a good Munster team considering that we're missing

Forwards:
POM
POC
TOD
Ronan
Nagle
Butler
Sherry

Backs:
Earls
Zebo
Murray
Hurley
Conway ?
GvdH hasn't arrived yet.

Aside from this being a top of the table clash, this is a must win game for us.

Weather to be dry after a very wet day, some wind and cold.

Roll on tonight.

Mahatma Geansai

I'm worried about Laulala featuring again, but its a great side otherwise. That backrow looks very promising.

phog

Anyone coming to the game, wrap up well and have a rainproof jacket, atm, it's a horrible day in Limerick, blustery winds, rain and cold.

petebricquette

phog wrote: »

Anyone coming to the game, wrap up well and have a rainproof jacket, atm, it's a horrible day in Limerick, blustery winds, rain and cold.

Yeah it's pretty nasty out. Hip flask weather! So this is my first time in Thomond and I'm bringin two Americans with me. Where do people generally go after the match?

phog

petebricquette wrote: »

Yeah it's pretty nasty out. Hip flask weather! So this is my first time in Thomond and I'm bringin two Americans with me. Where do people generally go after the match?

Home on a night like tonight :-)


JJ Bowles behind Jack Mondays, near Treaty Stone or the Currogower on Clancy Strand are good spots.

I like Myles Breen's or Flannery's on Shannon St.

petebricquette

phog wrote: »

Home on a night like tonight :-)


JJ Bowles behind Jack Mondays, near Treaty Stone or the Currogower on Clancy Strand are good spots.

I like Myles Breen's or Flannery's on Shannon St.

Haha yeah it's dirty enough, we'll play it by ear. Oh I think I was in Flannery's for a toastie the last day. Nice spot. Cheers!

dellWlan

Is this game on radio anywhere?

Benny Cake

[Jackass] wrote: »

Ospreys pack amazingly weak by their standards. O's have the better backline, but without the pack it's worthless. Munster players failing to make Irish squad combined with the timing of this match, couldn't have worked out much better for Munster.

Every cloud.....

budhabob

Ospreys

dellWlan wrote: »

Is this game on radio anywhere?

+1 to this.

Fireball07

Ospreys

Not one person voting for Ospreys in the poll.....really wouldn't be surprised if they won. Hope they don't, obviously, but it will be tight.

thomond2006

Small crowd looks like, North Terrace has been closed off.

Anatidaephobia

Is the TG4 website behaving very sluggishly for anyone else?

Fireball07

Ospreys

Super kick from Keatley early on.

Mahatma Geansai

thomond2006 wrote: »

Small crowd looks like, North Terrace has been closed off.

Not great looking alright. Its one of the few games I haven't been at since the All Blacks game in 08.

Howard Juneau

Ospreys

Fireball07 wrote: »

Not one person voting for Ospreys in the poll.....really wouldn't be surprised if they won. Hope they don't, obviously, but it will be tight.

The Leinster lads are probably late getting to the thread :P

Fireball07

Ospreys

Lovely from Williams and Varley there, but then Williams almost throws an intercept.

Mahatma Geansai

The quality of the picture on TG4 is terrible.

Fireball07

Ospreys

3-0, good start.

Howard Juneau

Ospreys

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

The quality of the picture on TG4 is terrible.

I'm watching on saorview & it's almost perfect

mohawk

Howard Juneau wrote: »

I'm watching on saorview & it's almost perfect

It's crap compared to watching matches on RTE2 hd.

Note to all srumhalves -refs are blowing up for crooked feeds in the scrum. Stop being so obvious about it.

Fireball07

Ospreys

Stander's a very good ballcarrier when he gets up a head of steam.

Howard Juneau

Ospreys

Sheridan got binned for a softer shoulder than that last month

Mahatma Geansai

How the shoulder charge off the ball on ROM was missed I'll never know. Terrible by the officials.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Great start from Standar, what the hell is Keatley at with the terrible crossfield kicks though!?

Fireball07

Ospreys

ROM was definitely taken out there, Natoga even had a look to make sure he hit him.


Stander has started brilliantly, wins a penalty there.

thomond2006

Stander very busy so far.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Ospreys look pretty poor tbh, should be winning this one pretty handy considering the teams

Howard Juneau

Ospreys

mohawk wrote: »

It's crap compared to watching matches on RTE2 hd.

Note to all srumhalves -refs are blowing up for crooked feeds in the scrum. Stop being so obvious about it.

It's not hd, but it's the same as watching on tv3 or any standard sky sports channel.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Jesus Keatley, awful start !

Fireball07

Ospreys

Hard luck Keatley, was a difficult kick.



And that was really really bad from him.

Fireball07

Ospreys

Great take from Felix....Williams needed more protection at the ruck there.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Both teams have the exact same attacking tactic, Garryowens the order of the day

Fireball07

Ospreys

That was brilliant from ROM!


And Jones kicked some fella straight to the jaw (accidentally)

thomond2006

That was a whack and a half for Andrew Bishop!

Fireball07

Ospreys

And a great block from DOC2.0.

Our carriers seem to be making ground, we're committing men to attacking rucks, not so much to defensive ones so far.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Balls on the line, we're going to win this by 15 points plus

(we'll probably lose now!)

mohawk

Has Varley's game improved this season or have I been overly harsh on him until now (because of the darts).

budhabob

Ospreys

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Balls on the line, we're going to win this by 15 points plus

(we'll probably lose now!)

You bollix that's the jinx on now.

Mahatma Geansai

Could have been yellow for the side entry there. Munster were marching towards the line, and it was cynical play.

Fireball07

Ospreys

That was so blatant, approaching yellow card territory for Ospreys.


We've started very well, blowing them backwards. 6-0.

Mahatma Geansai

Williams may be in trouble with the citing commissioner. Definitely made contact with the eye area after he was cleared out at the ruck where the penalty was given.

thomond2006

Came on to post the same thing MG. He could be in deep trouble.

Fireball07

Ospreys

Didn't see it at all. Gouging?


6-3.....didn't think Stander got much time to roll away there.

Mahatma Geansai

thomond2006 wrote: »

Came on to post the same thing MG. He could be in deep trouble.

I don't think there was much in it, but he'll be lucky to get away with it. He was trying to push the Osprey's lad off him, but a hand near the eyes is always risky business.

Howard Juneau

Ospreys

Fireball07 wrote: »

Didn't see it at all. Gouging?


6-3.....didn't think Stander got much time to roll away there.

Hand to face as he was pushing the Ospreys player off him after he made an unnecessary tackle on Williams. Looked like he got the nose at least

welkin

I know this is on TNG in Irish but I've found a stream with an Irish guy commentating in English(pretty badly too to be fair to him) so I'm just wondering where this broadcast is coming from?

http://neolive.eu/164841/1/Watch-Munster-vs-Ospreys-/

Fireball07

Ospreys

Natoga did well there tbf, ripped the jersey right off Laulala and pulled him over the touchline.