Munster vs Ospreys, Sat 27 Sep 6:30pm; Sky Sports

thomond2006

Thomond Park hosts Munster vs Ospreys tomorrow night in what is set to be a tricky game for the province and the beginning of a series of difficult fixtures including the start of the inaugural Champions Cup. After an appalling opening loss to Edinburgh (whose subsequent results have shown they will probably be as poor as previous years), Munster have recovered somewhat with two wins against both Treviso and Zebre. With the internationals back in harness one has to hope that performances will improve from here. Against a fellow challenger for a playoff spot, this is an ideal opportunity for Munster to produce a cohesive and winning display to lay down their credentials as potential title winners. In terms of the positions up for the grabs, the backrow and the centre partnership are areas of concern as the other numbers mostly pick themselves.

After two poor pre-season results against Worcester and Saracens, Ospreys have been excellent form in the league, routing both Treviso and Edinburgh in Swansea while grounding out an away victory at Dragons which can be a tricky venue to get a win. The star factor of recent years is all but gone with Alun Wyn Jones and Dan Biggar the only big name players remaining from Ospreys' galacticos era. The focus is now on producing more homegrown talent like Eli Walker and Sam Davies to keep the Welsh region competitive. With a lot of hype surrounding Cardiff in the summer turning out to be nothing but hype, Ospreys are once again flying the flag for the regions and with the infighting with the union ended (for the time being!) one would hope for Welsh rugby's sake that Ospreys can maintain a strong showing in the league this season.

With Ospreys four points ahead of Munster in the table, a win for Munster here is important to keep the pace in the league standings. Ospreys certainly won't fear Thomond having won in Limerick in recent seasons. You'd have to ask why most teams should fear Thomond these days, since Glasgow and Ulster Ravens/U20s won there last year too! On the horizon for Munster is also the graveyard fixture of Leinster at Aviva Stadium, where Munster have a 0-4 record. This fixture, while important in itself, is the perfect preparation for Munster's opportunity to end their horrific run of results in the capital.

Munster to win, Ospreys to possibly pick up an LBP

Munster:
Johne Murphy, Andrew Conway, Ivan Dineen, Denis Hurley, Gerhard van den Heever; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray - capt;
Dave Kilcoyne, Duncan Casey, BJ Botha; Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell; Paddy Butler, Sean Dougall, CJ Stander

Replacements: Kevin O'Byrne, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Dave Foley, Jack O'Donoghue, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Andrew Smith

Ospreys:

15 Dan Evans
14 Jeff Hassler
13 Andrew Bishop
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Eli Walker
10 Dan Biggar
9 Rhys Webb

1 Nicky Smith
2 Scott Baldwin
3 Aaron Jarvis
4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)
5 Rynier Bernardo
6 Joe Bearman
7 Justin Tipuric
8 Dan Baker

REPLACEMENTS

16 Sam Parry
17 Duncan Jones
18 Dmitri Arhip
19 James King
20 Morgan Allen
21 Martin Roberts
22 Sam Davies
23 Hanno Dirksen


Tickets available on the day, or here: http://www.ticketmaster.ie/guinness-pro12-munster-rugby-v-limerick-city-09-27-2014/event/18004D0CBFEA1FEE?artistid=33318&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=225

thomond2006

Ospreys pre-match press conference:

Cookiemunster

The team is in.

Mun XV v Osp: Murphy, Conway, Dineen, Hurley, GvdH; Keatley, Murray (capt); Kilcoyne, Casey, Botha; Don O’C, P O’C; Butler, Dougall, Stander

Replacements: O’Byrne, Cronin, Archer, Foley, O’Donoghue, Williams, Hanrahan, Smith

Happy enough with the pack. The back line however...... And not a lot on the bench.
Hope I'm wrong, but I can't see past the Ospreys.

molloyjh

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The team in in.

Mun XV v Osp: Murphy, Conway, Dineen, Hurley, GvdH; Keatley, Murray (capt); Kilcoyne, Casey, Botha; Don O’C, P O’C; Butler, Dougall, Stander

Replacements: O’Byrne, Cronin, Archer, Foley, O’Donoghue, Williams, Hanrahan, Smith

Happy enough with the pack. The back line however...... And not a lot on the bench.
Hope I'm wrong, but I can't see past the Ospreys.

Murray captain despite POC starting? Interesting.

Hard to know how good Ospreys are yet. They've played the 3 worst sides in the league so far. This game should tell us a lot about both sides.

thomond2006

A few points:

- DOC ahead of Foley is a bit of a surprise
- O'Donoghue on the bench is big news, as he wasn't named in the European squad. I assume Copeland is injured?
- Williams is our backup 9. For the love of jebus, don't get hurt Conor ever. EVER.
- Smith gets a rest after starting all three matches. He'll be our 13 going forward. Ditto Hurley at 12.
- No Jones and Zebo at all? I'm guessing it's rotation. I like the idea of Murphy at 15.

Cookiemunster

molloyjh wrote: »

Murray captain despite POC starting? Interesting.

Hard to know how good Ospreys are yet. They've played the 3 worst sides in the league so far. This game should tell us a lot about both sides.

They put 64 pts on a team that beat us at home and we've only beaten the Italians. I think he should be playing his strongest team this week and next week, resting them for the Scarlets and then into Europe.

molloyjh

Cookiemunster wrote: »

They put 64 pts on a team that beat us at home and we've only beaten the Italians. I think he should be playing his strongest team this week and next week, resting them for the Scarlets and then into Europe.

Yeah, that's kind of what I meant about this game telling us a lot about both sides. You guys do need to win this as another home loss will hardly help bring the crowds back. It'll be a tough one, but I wouldn't be too quick to assume the Ospreys are on form. They annihilated Treviso last season scoring 75 points and couldn't win in Thomond. They didn't beat Treviso by nearly as much this season. This is the first big tests for either side.

ssaye2

15 Dan Evans
14 Jeff Hassler
13 Andrew Bishop
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Eli Walker
10 Dan Biggar
9 Rhys Webb

1 Nicky Smith
2 Scott Baldwin
3 Aaron Jarvis
4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)
5 Rynier Bernardo
6 Joe Bearman
7 Justin Tipuric
8 Dan Baker

REPLACEMENTS

16 Sam Parry
17 Duncan Jones
18 Dmitri Arhip
19 James King
20 Morgan Allen
21 Martin Roberts
22 Sam Davies
23 Hanno Dirksen

thomond2006

I'm intrigued to see how well Dan Baker goes, he seems to be highly rated.

former legend

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm intrigued to see how well Dan Baker goes, he seems to be highly rated.

Very good prospect, knocked over a fair few Leinster players when we visited last season.

thomond2006

I'm a bit surprised the side isn't stronger or resembling a likely first choice one. IMO it would have made sense to put out the strongest side possible against Ospreys and Leinster followed by rotating against Scarlets.

phog

Send your messages of support to the Munster team

Fireball07

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm a bit surprised the side isn't stronger or resembling a likely first choice one. IMO it would have made sense to put out the strongest side possible against Ospreys and Leinster followed by rotating against Scarlets.

It's quite close to the team I expected to line out... I thought Archer & Foley would start, but DOC hasn't started since the 1st game. Thought Guinazu (sp?) might make the bench.

As for the backline, I was hopeful that we'd see both JJ & Keatley but I don't think that was ever too likely. Dineen does need gametime too, and it's good see GVdH back.


I reckon that team is good enough to win.

Judgement Day

Where's the try scoring going to come from - CJ, Conway and Conor Murray? I'll be keeping my fingers well and truly crossed for this one.

thomond2006

Judgement Day wrote: »

Where's the try scoring going to come from - CJ, Conway and Conor Murray? I'll be keeping my fingers well and truly crossed for this one.

I'm hoping Dineen and Hurley in the centre can give Munster a lot of go forward ball and create opportunities. At the same time Ospreys' defence is normally very solid so I share your concern about tries.

Molester Stallone II

Ospreys

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm hoping Dineen and Hurley in the centre can give Munster a lot of go forward ball and create opportunities. At the same time Ospreys' defence is normally very solid so I share your concern about tries.

Van den Heever is a huge threat as well, thunk we'll win, 6-9 points

phog

About to head out the gap, a game we need to win.

G'wan Munster

vienne86

C'mon Munster......always like to see the Ospreys beaten. Hope you play better than Leinster did last night.

bilston

Seems like a sparse enough crowd for what I feel.is the biggest game of the season in the league so far which is disappointing.

Think this should be a good game.

Judgement Day

bilston wrote: »

Seems like a sparse enough crowd for what I feel.is the biggest game of the season in the league so far which is disappointing.

Think this should be a good game.

At the stick fighting replay perhaps?

vienne86

Gosh, Van der Heever has serious wheels.

Oregano_State

anyone have a stream link? pretty pls

thomond2006

Judgement Day wrote: »

At the stick fighting replay perhaps?

It's hard to know. If Limerick were playing today then definitely.

budhabob

Good try for GVDH! Keatley just misses! Not a bad start so far.

errlloyd

Class from Munster.

thomond2006

Try Ospreys for Hassler

Tipuric was superb in the buildup

vienne86

Oh that was some try for Ospreys.....and now lead thanks to the conversion. Surprised by that.

Frankie Sheehan does my head in on commentary.

Buer

This could be a very entertaining game. Ospreys do the exact same as Munster. I'm very impressed that a side can lose so many guys and still play like this. That was some serious hands and power from their pack.

Tipuric can look like a centre at times.

Fancy Munster to batten down the hatches and get the win eventually.

Buer

Hurley sold there by Biggar. His agility could be the one thing that really holds him back at 12.

budhabob

Our scrum seems to have the upper hand so far! Hurley was sold alright, but he has looked decent at times!

Great carry by dineen there.

budhabob

Ah feck it, wasted. GCDH has looked sharp.

thomond2006

Biggar is running things well

95fm saying there is 8/9k there today. Very poor, even allowing for the AI replay.

ScrubsfanChris

If I was Van den Heever, I'd be pretty pissed at the rest of my teammates at the moment.

errlloyd

Van Den Heever has been very good, exciting signing.

Buer

I think JJH is needed. The midfield of Hurley and Dineen is just too cumbersome to deal with the Ospreys rush defence. Time and time again, Munster are being forced behind the gain line and dropping deeper as they get caught in possession.

Foley needs to change something there whether it's personnel or tactical.

Buer

thomond2006 wrote: »

Biggar is running things well

He's pissing excellence. The kick to the corner was superb and he's taking the ball to the line with such aggression and decisiveness. Looking really good.

Swan Curry

Buer wrote: »

He's pissing excellence. The kick to the corner was superb and he's taking the ball to the line with such aggression and decisiveness. Looking really good.

That sounds rather concerning.

errlloyd

Gerhard again.

molloyjh

I thought this was a contact sport?

errlloyd

Massive from POC

thomond2006

He got POCed

budhabob

Don't often see a second row shooting out of the line, some play by POC.

Buer

molloyjh wrote: »

I thought this was a contact sport?

Ospreys will be a tad miffed with the last 6 points conceded. Two penalties for contact in the air that were extremely innocuous.

ScrubsfanChris

Bye the law that was a penalty, still...........

Buer

Munster should close it out from here, I think. Tipuric off early along with the yellow should give them.....

Never mind.

thomond2006

That's a penalty?

budhabob

Keatleys kicking seems to have massively disimproved from last season. Needs to get his boots back!

Buer

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Bye the law that was a penalty, still...........

That was a penalty. Grabbed the arm. Not a vicious effort but silly. It wouldn't be a yellow if they hadn't conceded one for the same offence 5 minutes before.

Judgement Day

Keatley......oh dear........................

kub

How did Keatley miss that?

thomond2006

Yikes Conor