Leinster vs. Ospreys, 20.15, 19th March, (eir Sport 1, TG4)

Dave_The_Sheep

Leinster

|

Ospreys

|

15 Max O’Reilly | Dan Evans ©
14 Rory O’Loughlin | Dewi Cross
13 Jamie Osborne | Owen Watkin
12 Ciarán Frawley | Keiran Williams
11 Dave Kearney | Cai Evans
10 Harry Byrne | Luke Price
9 Rowan Osborne | Reuben Morgan-Williams
1 Peter Dooley | Rhys Henry
2 Seán Cronin | Sam Parry
3 Michael Bent | Ma’afu Fia
4 Ross Molony | Lloyd Ashley
5 Devin Toner | Rhys Davies
6 Scott Fardy © | Will Griffiths
7 Scott Penny | Morgan Morris
8 Josh Murphy | Gareth Evans

16 Dan Sheehan | Dewi Lake
17 Marcus Hanan | Garyn Phillips
18 Thomas Clarkson | Tom Botha
19 Jack Dunne | Olly Cracknell
20 Seán O’Brien | Sam Cross
21 Hugh O’Sullivan | Shaun Venter
22 Tim Corkery | Josh Thomas
23 Andrew Smith | Joe Hawkins



Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)
Assistants: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU), Sean Gallagher (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Between the World Cup ticket fiasco, and the impending potential kicking coming Saturday, this might be our best chance at a pleasant evening this weekend.

Here's hoping Frawley actually gets a decent bit of time this time out.

molloyjh

Pretty happy with the pack. Ruddock is probably cover for the Ireland game so not available. And I think we have every senior and Academy back who is fit and available in the 23. So yeah, bare bones indeed.

The starting XV will need to win it for us as the bench is incredibly green. But I think they can. It will be interesting to see how much we miss McGrath and the control he brings...

Squidgy Black

Good to see Jamie Osborne get the start at 13 and push ROL out to 14, should be interesting to see how he gets on.

Think HOS being in the bench over Osborne senior confirms that he may be on his way out as well as I'm not sure they'd have given Rowan the nod considering it's confirmed he's off to the turnip munchers.

Not much to complain about really, although there isn't much room to complain because it's a case of dragging whoever isn't broken and throwing them into a 23.

Main focus will be to grind it out in the first half, avoid as many injuries as possible and give the young lads a run in the second half.

bayern

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Good to see Jamie Osborne get the start at 13 and push ROL out to 14, should be interesting to see how he gets on.

Think HOS being in the bench over Osborne senior confirms that he may be on his way out as well as I'm not sure they'd have given Rowan the nod considering it's confirmed he's off to the turnip munchers.

Not much to complain about really, although there isn't much room to complain because it's a case of dragging whoever isn't broken and throwing them into a 23.

Main focus will be to grind it out in the first half, avoid as many injuries as possible and give the young lads a run in the second half.

I wonder if Foley might be off too, given he can't get any game time at 9.

arsebiscuits1

bayern wrote: »

I wonder if Foley might be off too, given he can't get any game time at 9.

Is Foley year 3?

bayern

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Is Foley year 3?

Two.

Usually you'd expect he'd get another season but given his lack of progress.

arsebiscuits1

bayern wrote: »

Two.

Usually you'd expect he'd get another season but given his lack of progress.

Ah ok.

Hopefully he sees out his academy time and gets some game time next season. Potential for a bit as 4th choice

bayern

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Ah ok.

Hopefully he sees out his academy time and gets some game time next season. Potential for a bit as 4th choice

Possibly, depends what they do with Patterson either.

Foley didn't look up to the required standard for Leinster A earlier in the season.

Squidgy Black

bayern wrote: »

Possibly, depends what they do with Patterson either.

Foley didn't look up to the required standard for Leinster A earlier in the season.

Think if HOS is indeed gone as well as Osborne, then Foley will probably hang around for year 3, even if it's just to make up numbers.

Next season could look like McGrath, JGP, Patterson (if he returns), Foley, and Ben Murphy if he gets an academy spot but would be Year 1 so a real break glass in case of emergency.

We could find ourselves stretched really thin if we let 3 scrumhalves walk in the one year.

bayern

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Think if HOS is indeed gone as well as Osborne, then Foley will probably hang around for year 3, even if it's just to make up numbers.

Next season could look like McGrath, JGP, Patterson (if he returns), Foley, and Ben Murphy if he gets an academy spot but would be Year 1 so a real break glass in case of emergency.

We could find ourselves stretched really thin if we let 3 scrumhalves walk in the one year.

You forgot McCarthy in that list.

Jamison Gibson Park(29)
Luke McGrath(28)
Nick McCarthy(26)

Then maybe Patterson(22), Foley(21) and Murphy(20).. Although I dunno if they'll have all three of them contracted next season.

Squidgy Black

bayern wrote: »

You forgot McCarthy in that list.

Jamison Gibson Park(29)
Luke McGrath(28)
Nick McCarthy(26)

Then maybe Patterson(22), Foley(21) and Murphy(20)?

Completely forgot Nick was coming back, in that case if Patterson comes back then Foley could walk.

bayern

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Completely forgot Nick was coming back, in that case if Patterson comes back then Foley could walk.

Yeah have a feeling it will be either Patterson or Foley.

bayern

Interested to see how Frawley and Osborne combine in the centre.. two big athletic, skillful club players there.

bayern

Toland.... no please

Squidgy Black

Those ospreys jerseys need to be burnt, god they're awful

I've a feeling Toland is going to have Harry Byrne's gooch absolutely spotless by the end of the match.

Squidgy Black

What on earth is Toland waffling about, player getting his head wrapped and blood being wiped off and he's saying he's trying to burn the clock.... We're 4 minutes into the game.

irishbucsfan

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I've a feeling Toland is going to have Harry Byrne's gooch absolutely spotless by the end of the match.

‘Look at the way he catches the ball, in his hands. He uses his hands and literally grabs the ball so that it’s no longer suspended in the air. He’s a real talent’

sydthebeat

Spreys unlucky there, that could have come off his knee

randomname2005

Slow start by Leinster, hopefully they will settle in soon

randomname2005

sydthebeat wrote: »

Spreys unlucky there, that could have come off his knee

Thought the same but second time looked like his hand

Clegg

Leinster have defended very well so far.

They've had zero possession in the opening of this game.

Former Former Former

Ospreys recycling and handling is very impressive but every time they have to resort to a low percentage kick.

Leinster will be pretty pleased with the opening ten mins.

ionadnapokot

Nice left boot on Osborne

irishbucsfan

First time I've seen awec reffing but he's been very frustrating so far

Clegg

Osborne's boot is a big as Lowe's.

He's getting mega distance with his kicks.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

First time I've seen awec reffing but he's been very frustrating so far

he sounds exactly how I imagined awec sounds.

Clegg

Really like the look of Osborne.

That was a lovely nudge into the Osprey's 22.

randomname2005

Clegg wrote: »

Osborne's boot is a big as Lowe's.

He's getting mega distance with his kicks.

And well cultured too

irishbucsfan

A 13 who can kick well off his left foot is a very interesting prospect indeed...

What am I listening to?

It's the dew!

Great pass?

Squidgy Black

That's poor from Dooley pulling down the bind right after the ref says it to him

Ospreys constantly holding players in the ruck

Buer

Ospreys loosehead is 22.

He looks like a 45 year old bloke who plays darts down the local.

randomname2005

Would e great to score after defending for so long

Clegg

Osprey's loose head is an old school prop.

Clegg

Buer wrote: »

Ospreys loosehead is 22.

He looks like a 45 year old bloke who plays darts down the local.

And it's feckin glorious.

Ospreys loosehead is only 22?

Looks 40.

Edit: Damn.

randomname2005

Heart in the mouth with the docs on the field already given the injury list

Squidgy Black

Buer wrote: »

Ospreys loosehead is 22.

He looks like a 45 year old bloke who plays darts down the local.

Looks like the prop on every Junior team who rocks up 15 minutes before a game and spends the warm ups inhaling a john player blue on the sideline

Buer

Deleted User wrote: »

Ospreys loosehead is only 22?

Looks 40.

Edit: Damn.

You weren't insightful enough, my man!

Yellow seems harsh there - no warning?

Clegg

Think Penny has broken a finger or something. At every break in play a physio has been over to bind his hand.

irishbucsfan

That's a very quick yellow from awec

randomname2005

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yellow seems harsh there - no warning?

Looked like he was lying on the wrong side 5m out. Would like to see if done more often
Great try

A-Train

Easy enough finish in the end off the back of the scrum

randomname2005

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Looks like the prop on every Junior team who rocks up 15 minutes before a game and spends the warm ups inhaling a john player blue on the sideline

And is still going strong when the rest of us are panting!!!
100% agree, there is always one on each team

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Yellow seems harsh there - no warning?

he gave 3 penalty advantages for offside, unusual to see it though

Buer

Josh Murphy started really well with some very physical carries. Good to see him playing at No. 8. He could have a future there if he can get some experience at the footballing side of things.

Tidy try. Nice decoy line but the Ospreys bought it entirely with two of them turning in. An outhalf walking in without a finger on him on first phase from a 5m scrum isn't a good look for a defence.

randomname2005

The young lads are doing well but fardy will be a loss if he leaves at the end of the season

bayern

randomname2005 wrote: »

The young lads are doing well but fardy will be a loss if he leaves at the end of the season

He is turning 37, it's time.