Ospreys V Leinster 08/01/16 KO 19:45 Sky/BBC2 Wales

awec

Fair contest my ass :pac:

Nacewa trying to catch the ball with one hand by jumping over the top of the Ospreys player?

crisco10

There was tonnes of space if Biggar had just played on there instead of giving out to ref.

wp_rathead

Really don't like Ruddock at 8, especially when you've Sean O'Brien on the pitch

Zzippy

molloyjh wrote: »

Right call. There was nothing in that despite what the pantomime crowd think.

Every crowd is pantomime if they're playing your team!

vienne86

wp_rathead wrote: »

Really don't like Ruddock at 8, especially when you've Sean O'Brien on the pitch

We're missing Heaslip tonight.

ssaye2

Need to win this. They're missing loads. Gifting them points

Clearlier

wp_rathead wrote: »

Really don't like Ruddock at 8, especially when you've Sean O'Brien on the pitch

SOB is causing a lot of problems at the breakdown from 7. You'd lose some of that if you moved him to 8

ssaye2

Jinx you are welcome

vienne86

Hah - the little dance didn't work.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I asked this during the WC but does anyone remember Biggar doing that dance last season?

molloyjh

We've really struggled with the aerial aspect. Luke McGrath is being targeted there but generally we've been bad. Te'o earlier calling for it and getting nowhere near collecting, and then that to end the half as well.

vienne86

6-10 at half time - I'd have taken that at the start.

Gawd, this player mic thing is a pain.

Tox56

I hate this Ospreys away game so much, thats a very good half all things considered

Interested Observer

That does my head right in, three point shot from a total mess of a scrum that Leinster got the ball out of.

Delighted he missed because it was s nonsense penalty.

.ak

Think we're the better team anyway. Enjoyable game, real scrap. Sexton playing brilliantly despite being roughed up.

irishbucsfan

Ospreys are creating more scoring opportunities, which is the big worry. Need to get territory and try to create some of our own or else they'll squeeze this one out.

wp_rathead

Clearlier wrote: »

SOB is causing a lot of problems at the breakdown from 7. You'd lose some of that if you moved him to 8

I have vivid memories of him not controlling ball on his own scrum at 8 in the past - maybe he has improved on it

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

We've really struggled with the aerial aspect. Luke McGrath is being targeted there but generally we've been bad. Te'o earlier calling for it and getting nowhere near collecting, and then that to end the half as well.

That was criminal from McGrath. Nowhere near the ball.

Neil3030

Anyone watching on BBC Wales?

Inept... adept... what's the difference...

molloyjh

Tox56 wrote: »

I hate this Ospreys away game so much, thats a very good half all things considered

Reasonable, but not without its issues. I would have liked to have seen us nick a line-out or two. And we haven't handled the high ball well enough.

irishbucsfan

Clearlier wrote: »

SOB is causing a lot of problems at the breakdown from 7. You'd lose some of that if you moved him to 8

What, from the first phase after a defensive scrum?

vienne86

.ak wrote: »

That was criminal from McGrath. Nowhere near the ball.

He's not getting it easy out there, but for most of the half he wasn't too bad. Hopefully we'll get Reddan on soon.

.ak

wp_rathead wrote: »

I have vivid memories of him not controlling ball on his own scrum at 8 in the past - maybe he has improved on it

I think the importance of sob at 7 is far greater. Did you see his covering off the scrum off their 5m? It was beautiful, and forced a kick that gave us territory.

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

That was criminal from McGrath. Nowhere near the ball.

He just doesn't look at all confident under a high ball. It's really noticeable. They are offering Ospreys territory through targeting him.

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

I think the importance of sob at 7 is far greater. Did you see his covering off the scrum off their 5m? It was beautiful, and forced a kick that gave us territory.

So put him at 7 in defense and at 8 in attack?

SOB used to be an excellent attacking 8 off the back of a scrum when he was younger. Bit of a shame if we're not going to see that again, especially when Ruddock can play 7.

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

He just doesn't look at all confident under a high ball. It's really noticeable. They are offering Ospreys territory through targeting him.

Well the 9 doesn't have to sweep. I'm not sure they're specifically targeting him it's hard to know who'll take the ball in a midfield high ball, but it's working out for them.

.ak

irishbucsfan wrote: »

So put him at 7 in defense and at 8 in attack?

SOB used to be an excellent attacking 8 off the back of a scrum when he was younger. Bit of a shame if we're not going to see that again, especially when Ruddock can play 7.

True. I suppose having sob as the first to the breakdown on offence is also important. Ruddock is a brilliant piano shifter but he doesn't get low like sob can.

hogandrew

irishbucsfan wrote: »

So put him at 7 in defense and at 8 in attack?

SOB used to be an excellent attacking 8 off the back of a scrum when he was younger. Bit of a shame if we're not going to see that again, especially when Ruddock can play 7.

It would at the very least hold the 6 and 7 a little bit if he was 8 for attacking scrums

Clearlier

irishbucsfan wrote: »

What, from the first phase after a defensive scrum?

I can't imagine any scenario where you'd want him at 8 for a defensive scrum.

wp_rathead

I brought myself to watch the Leinster v Connacht recording and what stood out was how O'Brien coming on at 8 changed the whole game