Players to watch out for

[Peat]

It really has, just one question at the beginning of the season did you predict that Jackson, Henderson, Marshal and Gilroy would get capped and in some places become 2nd choice for Ireland and Olding would be a starter in a final in Dublin, just out of interest of how you saw them 9 months ago.

Honestly, yes, I'd have said they all had a chance to be capped at least. Henderson because he is simply a mutant of a level no one gets too often, he clearly had the talent to muscle his way in quickly and the sort of potential that frequently gets fast tracked. Jackson because he would get to be a provincial starter in what was then an Irish weak spot, Marshall because likewise providing he wrestled the jersey off Mincer, and Gilroy because he was knocking on that door really loud and sooner or later it had to happen.

Olding I did not expect, not least because there's been a fair few injuries for him to get this chance. Likewise Michael Allen and I really did not expect Heaney to make as much impact as he did, think he'll be giving Small Paul a hard time before too long.

The only guy who's really disappointed me at all was Peter Nelson, didn't have the easiest of times with injury but was led to expect more, and looks like he has more too.

 

[Draggs]

What great tips those are welshglory.

Tipped Matthew Morgan who turned out pretty bad and on his way to the Dragons or a Championship probably now. For the reason that opposite to what you state, he doesn't have a good overall game.

As for tipping Ross Jones whilst continually slagging off Eli Walker and campaigning for him to be turfed out to Gwent already. Well look how that has turned out! Ross Jones is crap, see performance vs Leinster. He won't play next year if Eli and Dirksen get fit, coaches also planning on giving that child in the Wales squad more game time next season as well.

Hah, we don't even sign Welsh rejects anymore...

Because... you know... we can't afford it...
Can't see us bothering with Nipper, considering we have already forked out for Burton.

 

[dullonien]

As for tipping Ross Jones whilst continually slagging off Eli Walker and campaigning for him to be turfed out to Gwent already. Well look how that has turned out! Ross Jones is crap, see performance vs Leinster. He won't play next year if Eli and Dirksen get fit, coaches also planning on giving that child in the Wales squad more game time next season as well.

Don't write off Ross Jones just yet duck.He had a mare in that game, but he's shown a lot of promise in his natural position of fullback at various stages over the past two seasons, namely with the U20 Welsh squad. Eli Wales was written off by many for exactly the same reason (struggling to make the step-up). It's all well and good ridiculing welshglory about Eli Wales with hindsight, but at this stage last season there was little evidence to suggest Eli would have a storming season after poor previous form and injury problems. Unfortunately he's been injured again, so we'll have to see if he can carry on where he left off next season.

 

[Groundhog]

Well to be honest I saw (but didn't post) O'Donnell being a good one for the future last year. Didn't expect Kilcoyne to appear as he did.
This year, I suppose Hanrahan will burst onto the scene with ROG gone. Another to look out for is Cotter, and CJ Stander as well. He didn't get much time because of injury but when he played he's looked good. Same for Dougall, he really impressed me early on this season. DOC 2 looks decent as well

 

[psychic duck]

Don't write off Ross Jones just yet duck.He had a mare in that game, but he's shown a lot of promise in his natural position of fullback at various stages over the past two seasons, namely with the U20 Welsh squad. Eli Wales was written off by many for exactly the same reason (struggling to make the step-up). It's all well and good ridiculing welshglory about Eli Wales with hindsight, but at this stage last season there was little evidence to suggest Eli would have a storming season after poor previous form and injury problems. Unfortunately he's been injured again, so we'll have to see if he can carry on where he left off next season.

It was obvious that despite making errors in his first season, Eli Walker showed glimpses of potential (his try at Ulster for instance) that showed he was worth sticking with not discarded like welshglory wanted. If he didn't improve on his first season over the next couple years then fine, but he showed enough to have faith. And if you can find in the search thing you will see my posts reflected this at the time, not just saying in hindsight.

On the contrary, unlike Eli Walker who made good runs amongst his rookie errors such as the Biarritz match. I don't think I have seen Ross Jones do much ever other than either do nothing of note in a match or be full of errors. Also to add to his nutmeg howler, he also proved himself to be pretty slow in that Leinster match as well, getting outpaced by Conway despite having a headstart of a few metres. Eli would have had the pace to stop that try.

 

[dullonien]

Yes I know he was rubbish in that match, but one match doesn't prove completely that he's never going to offer anything to the Ospreys. He's a fullback anyway, not a wing, so even if he's not winger quick that doesn't rule him out of making it at fullback. As I said, he had some very good displays for the U20's in both the 6 nations and World Cup. He was one of the stand-out backs in the Wales win against NZ, despite the atrocious conditions, he made a couple of very nice breaks, and he did the same against other sides as well. He hasn't managed it for the Ospreys yet, and there's no guarantee he will (Kristian Phillips is an example of great at U20's, but not up to it at regional level), but to just dismiss a player based on a few performances out of position in a dysfunctional Ospreys backline is harsh. If he's still not shown anything in a couple of seasons, then fair enough, but give the lad a chance.

Even some of the best players have games they'd rather forget early in their career. Shane Williams handed the opposition an intercept try with his first touch of international rugby!

 

[psychic duck]

Yes I know he was rubbish in that match, but one match doesn't prove completely that he's never going to offer anything to the Ospreys. He's a fullback anyway, not a wing, so even if he's not winger quick that doesn't rule him out of making it at fullback. As I said, he had some very good displays for the U20's in both the 6 nations and World Cup. He was one of the stand-out backs in the Wales win against NZ, despite the atrocious conditions, he made a couple of very nice breaks, and he did the same against other sides as well. He hasn't managed it for the Ospreys yet, and there's no guarantee he will (Kristian Phillips is an example of great at U20's, but not up to it at regional level), but to just dismiss a player based on a few performances out of position in a dysfunctional Ospreys backline is harsh. If he's still not shown anything in a couple of seasons, then fair enough, but give the lad a chance.

Even some of the best players have games they'd rather forget early in their career. Shane Williams handed the opposition an intercept try with his first touch of international rugby!

I'm not writing him off because of those errors. But it's because he hasn't offered anything. The point I was making, it is easier to forgive a player like Eli Walker or Shane Williams making a few rookie errors as they shows glimpses of magic. It's not so easy when the player making howlers doesn't offer anything. The 0 tries Ross Jones from 14 matches this season sums up how little he has offered.

 

[big ginger 8]

We'll take Jones back I'm sure if you don't want him...

Though I suppose he's locked in?

 

[psychic duck]

We'll take Jones back I'm sure if you don't want him...

Though I suppose he's locked in?

I think there was a reason you let him go in the first place. He would struggle to get in the Leinster A team.

 

[big ginger 8]

I think there was a reason you let him go in the first place. He would struggle to get in the Leinster A team.

Presume there is a reason. I haven't seen too much this year but was impressive in the win vs the baby blacks. With the players we're losing we can always do with more outside backs.

Btw there's no real shame in getting paced by Conway. He doesn't always look it but by all accounts is the fastest player in Ireland.

 

[dullonien]

It's not so easy when the player making howlers doesn't offer anything. The 0 tries Ross Jones from 14 matches this season sums up how little he has offered.

How many have the Ospreys scored as a whole? Didn't they only pick up one bonus point victory all season? It certainly wasn't many.

 

[psychic duck]

How many have the Ospreys scored as a whole? Didn't they only pick up one bonus point victory all season? It certainly wasn't many.

When Eli and Dirksen were wingers they didn't have problems scoring.

Walker got 5 from 12 and Dirksen 4 from 10 matches which are pretty decent returns compared to Ross Jones, Habberfield and Grabham combined got 1 from 28 matches. I don't know why the coaches didn't draft in any wing cover. I don't buy this "Habberfield will benefit from playing on the same field as Kahn" talk either, as him playing wing a) harmed the chances of the side's success as opposed to a proper winger and b) Habberfield would have benefited more from playing his actual position ahead of the god awful Webb.