Ospreys vs Munster, Sun 13 Sept 2:30pm; S4C/TG4

thomond2006

Ospreys:
15 Dan Evans
14 Kristian Phillips
13 Jonathan Spratt
12 Owen Watkin
11 Hanno Dirksen
10 Sam Davies
9 Brendon Leonard

1 Nicky Smith
2 Sam Parry
3 Dmitri Arhip
4 Lloyd Ashley (Capt)
5 Rory Thornton
6 Joe Bearman
7 Sam Underhill
8 Dan Baker

REPLACEMENTS

16 Scott Otten
17 Marc Thomas
18 Cai Griffiths
19 De Kock Steenkamp
20 Olly Cracknell
21 Tom Habberfield
22 Aled Jenkins
23 Richard Fussell

Munster:
Felix Jones Capt.; Andrew Conway, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Stephen Fitzgerald; Tyler Bleyendaal, Cathal Sheridan;
Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer; Mark Chisholm, Dave Foley; Dave O'Callaghan, Jack O'Donoghue, Robin Copeland.

Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Jordan Coghlan, CJ Stander, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, David Johnston.

Henry Ford III

Jones(c); Conway, Saili, Scannell, Fitzgerald; Tyler, Sheridan; Killer, Sherry, Archer; Chisholm, Foley; DaveO’C, JO’D, Robin

Subs: Casey, Cronin, BJ, Coghlan, CJ, Williams, Keatley, Johnston

thomond2006

Quite a few changes from last week.

I'm expecting a big performance from Kilcoyne who was unlucky to miss out on RWC selection. CJ being dropped is a surprise, his only blip last week was that awful missed tackle for a Treviso try but other than that he was his usual self. I'd have him as one player who you don't drop unless you are rotating but with no games following Sunday for two weeks there's no benefit resting a player.

The 10-12-13 combination is very exciting!

Henry Ford III

thomond2006 wrote: »

Quite a few changes from last week.

I'm expecting a big performance from Kilcoyne who was unlucky to miss out on RWC selection. CJ being dropped is a surprise, his only blip last week was that awful missed tackle for a Treviso try but other than that he was his usual self. I'd have him as one player who you don't drop unless you are rotating but with no games following Sunday for two weeks there's no benefit resting a player.

The 10-12-13 combination is very exciting!

CJ hasn't been dropped. He's merely starting from the bench.

jm08

Didn't they say something at the start of the week that CJ had sat out training because he was a bit overworked or something?

shuffol

Is that a debut for Fitzgerald?

The Lost Sheep

shuffol wrote: »

Is that a debut for Fitzgerald?

competitive yes. Played a pre season game against Gloucester at start of last season

thomond2006

jm08 wrote: »

Didn't they say something at the start of the week that CJ had sat out training because he was a bit overworked or something?

Ah good point. Forgot about it.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

Quite a few changes from last week.

I'm expecting a big performance from Kilcoyne who was unlucky to miss out on RWC selection. CJ being dropped is a surprise, his only blip last week was that awful missed tackle for a Treviso try but other than that he was his usual self. I'd have him as one player who you don't drop unless you are rotating but with no games following Sunday for two weeks there's no benefit resting a player.

The 10-12-13 combination is very exciting!

Henry Ford III wrote: »

CJ hasn't been dropped. He's merely starting from the bench.

It's game two of the league and Foley is right to be trying various players he has available.

It's nonsense to be talking of dropping anyone at this stage of the season.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

It's game two of the league and Foley is right to be trying various players he has available.

It's nonsense to be talking of dropping anyone at this stage of the season.

I forgot he didn't fully train this week. So no not dropped.

thomond2006

Anyone know the craic with GVDH? I haven't heard anything about an injury from squad updates so is he just not selected? He played in pre-season so he has returned after knee surgery.

the_blackstuff

Looking for to seeing Saili and Tyler start together. Hopefully they can get some good ball. Sheridan should be able to get the ball out that bit quicker as well

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

I forgot he didn't fully train this week. So no not dropped.

Whether he did or didn't fully train it's mad to be talking of him being dropped especially this early in the season.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

Whether he did or didn't fully train it's mad to be talking of him being dropped especially this early in the season.

This is a hypothetical argument since we know CJ didn't fully train but if he was 100% fit and not starting I would consider him dropped. It's not a dirty word and it's not a slight on a player. If there were games coming up then yes there's a need for rotation. Since there isn't a game for two weeks I would expect a key player like him to start both games. There were 3 pre-season games to rotate players.

All hypothetical anyway. Fair enough if you disagree.

Cookiemunster

thomond2006 wrote: »

This is a hypothetical argument since we know CJ didn't fully train but if he was 100% fit and not starting I would consider him dropped. It's not a dirty word and it's not a slight on a player. If there were games coming up then yes there's a need for rotation. Since there isn't a game for two weeks I would expect a key player like him to start both games. There were 3 pre-season games to rotate players.

All hypothetical anyway. Fair enough if you disagree.

Another way of looking at it is, we don't have another game for 3 weeks so he's trying to give everyone some game time. If Foley showed anything last season, it's that he likes to rotate. Except where JJ was involved obviously

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

This is a hypothetical argument since we know CJ didn't fully train but if he was 100% fit and not starting I would consider him dropped. It's not a dirty word and it's not a slight on a player. If there were games coming up then yes there's a need for rotation. Since there isn't a game for two weeks I would expect a key player like him to start both games..

All hypothetical anyway. Fair enough if you disagree.

There's eight changes from last week which indicates to me that Foley wants to try new combinations. At the start of a season you'd expect a coach to use rotation to give his players gametime. Pre-season games are used for more than just giving a large group of players a gametime.

With that sort of rotation between two early season games it's mad to be talking of players being dropped.

There were 3 pre-season games to rotate players

Are you suggesting Foley or any coach should use the same 15 for the first two games on the league?

NaaMonu

phog wrote: »

There's eight changes from last week which indicates to me that Foley wants to try new combinations. At the start of a season you'd expect a coach to use rotation to give his players gametime. Pre-season games are used for more than just giving a large group of players a gametime.

With that sort of rotation between two early season games it's mad to be talking of players being dropped.



Are you suggesting Foley or any coach should use the same 15 for the first two games on the league?

Now now, don't be arguing. Could be worse, could be giving us a team based on a bibwatch.

thomond2006

If CJ was 100% fit I would be shocked if he had not started, as in I would consider him dropped. I don't think, given the two week break, you 'rotate' a top player out of the team. There's also the opposition to consider, one of the toughest in the league. That's what my OP was based on. I subsequently was told that CJ had not fully trained, rendering my OP irrelevant.

This is all ifs and buts given he's not 100% fit so all this discussion is pointless. I don't think it's worth derailing the thread over this. So can we leave it?

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

If CJ was 100% fit I would be shocked if he had not started, as in I would consider him dropped. I don't think, given the two week break, you 'rotate' a top player out of the team. There's also the opposition to consider, one of the toughest in the league. That's what my OP was based on. I subsequently was told that CJ had not fully trained, rendering my OP irrelevant.

This is all ifs and buts given he's not 100% fit so all this discussion is pointless. I don't think it's worth derailing the thread over this. So can we leave it?

CJ is almost qualified to play for Ireland, he could well be in Irish Camp for the Xmas and 6Ns camps, Foley could be using the early part of the season to see what his options are without CJ.

phog

From MR

The Munster squad will join Ospreys Rugby in honouring the memory of former player Jerry Collins on Sunday at the Liberty Stadium.


Jerry Collins died in tragic circumstances, along with his wife Alana, following a road traffic accident in France at the start of June. The couple's young daughter, Ayla, survived, albeit it with ongoing medical issues, and is now being cared for in Canada by Alana's family.

Sunday's game will mark the first occasion that the Ospreys have played at the Liberty Stadium since the accident, and plans are in place to celebrate Jerry's life and career.

There will be a minute's silence and the Welsh club will be retiring the No.6 jersey, synonymous with Collins, for the fixture.

Players from both squads will also lay a wreath pitch-side before the match kicks off and there will be a collection on the day to raise funds for the Jerry Collins Memorial Fund, the proceeds of which will go into a Trust for Ayla's future.

#JC6

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

CJ is almost qualified to play for Ireland, he could well be in Irish Camp for the Xmas and 6Ns camps, Foley could be using the early part of the season to see what his options are without CJ.

No, as has been pointed out, the reason he's not starting is he's not 100%. If CJ was fit he would be starting, no question.

Nice tribute to Jerry Collins. Unfortunately it sounds like the daughter is going to need a lot of medical care. I'll try to find a link if people want to donate.

total former

thomond2006 wrote: »

No, as has been pointed out, the reason he's not starting is he's not 100%. If CJ was fit he would be starting, no question.

Absolutely. Copeland isn't in the same class at all.

What's more significant for me is Bleyendall ahead of Keatley, will be interesting to see how that plays out over the season.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

No, as has been pointed out, the reason he's not starting is he's not 100%. If CJ was fit he would be starting, no question.

Nice tribute to Jerry Collins. Unfortunately it sounds like the daughter is going to need a lot of medical care. I'll try to find a link if people want to donate.

But CJ is on the bench.

He's fit but Foley is giving Copeland a game at 8.

Wang King

total former wrote: »

Absolutely. Copeland isn't in the same class at all.

What's more significant for me is Bleyendall ahead of Keatley, will be interesting to see how that plays out over the season.

I think Axel (and munster) has shown a load of faith in Tyler and prob see him as the no1 choice for the season. Probably a huge factor in JJ moving to Northampton imo

Teferi

phog wrote: »

But CJ is on the bench.

He's fit but Foley is giving Copeland a game at 8.

He's fit enough for the bench possibly but not a start.

Fireball07

Can't wait to see Saili & Bleyendaal. And Chisholm.

Mc Love

Wish Axel would move Keatley to 12 so he can play some rugby and not have to worry about kicking

Risteard

Exciting looking backline. Slot Earls Zebo back into that and it looks great. Providing Tyler and Saili do well of course.

Pack looks decent too. I think Foley has done a decent job of the squad for the season. Early days of course though.

thomond2006

Link to donate to the JC fund: https://givealittle.co.nz/project/ayla

I don't recognise half the Munster backline, nevermind know their names

letowski

Nice play by Saili for Munster's first pen.

Wang King

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I don't recognise half the Munster backline, nevermind know their names

They're doing well though, Fitz is looking promising

thomond2006

Leonard has been brilliant for Ospreys.

thomond2006

Munster's defence has been great in their 22.

crasy dash

thomond2006 wrote: »

Leonard has been brilliant for Ospreys.

Sheridan has been poor what a signing Leonard was for the ospreys

thomond2006

Monster kick to touch from TB. Now for some rugby in their half please.

Wang King

Interfence maybe?

thomond2006

Ospreys hooker did very well to get back.

thomond2006

Forward pass to Spratt?

Wang King

Rubbish throw, but it worked out well......cunning plan

thomond2006

Wang King wrote: »

Rubbish throw, but it worked out well......cunning plan

And another one...

Anatidaephobia

Munster miss a lineout, Ospreys 10 kicks it out on the full then Munster mess up the second lineout. Awful.

Wang King

Copeland worked himself into a great position and then blew it

Anatidaephobia

That was a try if Copeland passed.

thomond2006

Ah feck it good break comes to nothing.

Wang King

G'wan da Felix!

thomond2006

Wang King, calm yourself! Great catch from Felix.

crasy dash

Well done Tyler looking good so far very composed with his kicking.

DDC1990

Thought the Baker tackle on Kilcoyne was questionable.

Minimal use of arms if any.

Nice kick to go 6-3 up.

Wang King

Tyler kicking well from distance.

Wang King

Saili a bit rusty there, thank fck it went dead