Biarritz - Ospreys (22/01/2012, 14:00)

[TRF_Olyy]

Parc des Sports Aguilera (22/01/2012, 14:00)

Live on FR2/Sky Sports​

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Ospreys-

15 Barry Davies 14 Tommy Bowe
13 Andrew Bishop
12 Ashley Beck
11 Eli Walker
10 Dan Biggar
9 Rhys Webb

1 Paul James
2 Huw Bennett
3 Adam Jones
4 Ian Gough
5 Ian Evans
6 Tom Smith
7 Justin Tipuric (Capt)
8 Jonathan Thomas

Replacements:
16 Richard Hibbard
17 Ryan Bevington
18 Aaron Jarvis
19 Ryan Jones
20 Joe Bearman
21 Kahn Fotuali'i
22 Matthew Morgan
23 Shane Williams

Eli Walker over Shane is a big call, as is leaving out Ryan Jones. Hopefully it all pays off and we get into the Amlin, though!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It's like men against boys out there, Ospreys getting done over so far.

 

[oldscumbagonian]

BO now have their bonus point.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Taken them an hour, and 4 tries, but Ospreys finally decide to wake up.

Hibbard try in the corner.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Now Biarritz need one of Glasgow or Cardiff to get 0 point tonight in their home games...

 

[psychic duck]

can we sack Johnson & Holley now?

two years ago we should have won this match and were unlucky to lose by just one point, and now this, we were lucky to even get on the scoresheet, this match could have been a 50 point thrashing, and Biarritz are near the bottom of the Top 14

who is picking the team this season? it's just stupid, Ryan Jones on the bench behind ... Tom Smith and Jonathan Thomas ... wth?

Tom Smith must be one of worst flankers at the regions, he wouldn't ever start at any other region, and yet he seems to start every week for some reason despite hardly ever doing anything, why didn't we sign proper replacements for Collins and Byrne?

Fotuali'i should be starting over Webb as well

 

[dullonien]

Pathetic from the Ospreys. The sooner Johnson goes the better, hopefully followed by Holley and possible Humphreys. To re-itorate the duck, why is Tom Smith playing every game ahead of Ryan Jones (although Ryan was suffering from a bug I believe, and couldn't train for much of the week), and Bearman? And the bloody insistance of playing Jon Thomas out of position at 8. Thomas is still a decent regional player, but he's a f****ng blindside flanker, not an 8th man!

I can't begin to fathom the reason for picking Eli Walker over Shane, unless they'd already given up on making it through to the Amlin. I like Walker, I think he's got a big future, but talk about chucking him in at the deep-end! He's barely had any Pro12 action, yet they dicide to start him away at Biarritz, in front of Shane. Well done, you tools.

Seriously, I'm massively p**sed off after this match. Not because the O's lost, but in the manner of the loss, and the selection policy that's been messed up for a while. Their miss-management of Hook, Phillips and Byrne (especially Phillips) was just a glimpse at what was wrong at the Ospreys. They did ok at the start of the season when everyone were missing their players at the WC, but that's because they've got shed loads of quality youngsters who stepped-up and were a cut above their oppositions. Now that everyone else have their big players back, the Ospreys are struggling.

 

[psychic duck]

Pathetic from the Ospreys. The sooner Johnson goes the better, hopefully followed by Holley and possible Humphreys. To re-itorate the duck, why is Tom Smith playing every game ahead of Ryan Jones (although Ryan was suffering from a bug I believe, and couldn't train for much of the week), and Bearman? And the bloody insistance of playing Jon Thomas out of position at 8. Thomas is still a decent regional player, but he's a f****ng blindside flanker, not an 8th man!

I can't begin to fathom the reason for picking Eli Walker over Shane, unless they'd already given up on making it through to the Amlin. I like Walker, I think he's got a big future, but talk about chucking him in at the deep-end! He's barely had any Pro12 action, yet they dicide to start him away at Biarritz, in front of Shane. Well done, you tools.

Seriously, I'm massively p**sed off after this match. Not because the O's lost, but in the manner of the loss, and the selection policy that's been messed up for a while. Their miss-management of Hook, Phillips and Byrne (especially Phillips) was just a glimpse at what was wrong at the Ospreys. They did ok at the start of the season when everyone were missing their players at the WC, but that's because they've got shed loads of quality youngsters who stepped-up and were a cut above their oppositions. Now that everyone else have their big players back, the Ospreys are struggling.

agree totally Dullonien, I'm waiting for Johnson, Holley and Humphreys and their stupid team selections to go as soon as possible

every week Tom Smith is in the side, but seriously has he ever done anything ever? at least JT is a decent regional player, Smith would struggle to get in any other sides 22 yet starts every **** week

Eli Walker got shown up defensively, as you say thrown up in the deep end, although to be fair Shane hasn't been on his best form since his last match for Wales

throughout this campaign the selection policy has been stupid

1. plays Stowers 6 and JT 8 for the first two matches despite Stowers being an 8 and JT a 6
2. plays two back rowers at lock against Saracens and the lineout proceeds to be crap
3. in the same match names Tom Smith captain, for him to proceed and misses a routine tackle on Ernst Joubert and get sin binned
4. plays Hibbard above Bennett despite Bennett being on his best form ever at the World Cup, and Hibbard looking like he spent his injury lay off making a new edition Supersize me and only eating McDonald's
5. leaves Ryan Jones on the bench behind Tom Smith
6. drops Shane for Eli Walker without giving Walker a chance previously at RaboDirect Pro 12 level and he then gets exposed defensively

 

[psychic duck]

4. plays Hibbard above Bennett despite Bennett being on his best form ever at the World Cup, and Hibbard looking like he spent his injury lay off making a new edition Supersize me and only eating McDonald's

even Scott Johnson has realised, months after everybody else

Ospreys boss Scott Johnson admits Richard Hibbard fitness issues

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/16635458.stm

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Made me chuckle earlier:
I read your comment about how Hibbard looked like he'd been eating loads of McDonald's, and then I went on twitter and saw Hibbard going on about how Paul James was having a hot chocolate while he was stuck with a slimming drink :lol:

 

[Melhor Time]

The ospreys were aweful. Closer to Aironi than Leinster on that performance.

Is there a justifiable reason for the lack of game time Chauncey O´Toole has been recieiving?

 

[Draggs]

The ospreys were aweful. Closer to Aironi than Leinster on that performance.

Is there a justifiable reason for the lack of game time Chauncey O´Toole has been recieiving?

Yes, he is not good enough. He is playing in the Welsh premiership and doing well enough, but doesn't seem to be outstanding beyond that.

 

[dullonien]

Yes, he is not good enough. He is playing in the Welsh premiership and doing well enough, but doesn't seem to be outstanding beyond that.

Probably still a better option than Tom Smith on the blindside though!

 

[Draggs]

Ha, yeah maybe. I'd take King over both though.
A backrow of Smith, O'Toole, Thomas is a frightening prospect, and also possible!

 

[dullonien]

Ha, yeah maybe. I'd take King over both though.
A backrow of Smith, O'Toole, Thomas is a frightening prospect, and also possible!

Don't give Johnson any more ideas!

 

[Me 1]

Don't give Johnson any more ideas!

Only for when they're playing us

 

[Draggs]

Don't give Johnson any more ideas!

Doesn't matter. Annual Rodney Parade Ospreys hunt has happened, so the Ospreys can select whomever they want.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I had a game that kicked off at the same time as this match, so thankfully missed it, but heard the score on the radio and then watched the Sky+ recording on X2, which is funny as the players run really fast. I wish the ref'd let he Shane non-try after the Matt Morgan break & Fotuali'i forward pass go. Would have been try of the Heineken Cup.

And I like Chauncy O'Toole. Maybe it's because he's one of few rugby players who's Twitter feeds make them sound intelligent, but I'd like to see him get some more game time, even if it is only off the bench in the Pro 12 or LV=.

 

[psychic duck]

Ha, yeah maybe. I'd take King over both though.
A backrow of Smith, O'Toole, Thomas is a frightening prospect, and also possible!

two thirds of the way there already and very likely to happen if Tipuric is off during the 6 Nations, only Johnson/Holley would be stupid enough

thank goodness we have Tipuric though, he has to captain, play 7 and cover for Smith doing nothing at 6, if Wales pick him in the 6 Nations we could struggle

not seen O'Toole play, but I heard during the Churchill Cup he was player of the tournament for Canada, so maybe we should wait until a few games until he's classed in the Smith/Thomas bracket