Ospreys v Connacht

[An Tarbh]

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Ospreys v Connacht</div>

Connacht have been boosted this week by the news that Wilkinson and Ofisa have extended their contracts with the western province but Michael McCarthy has been ruled out of the clash after breaking a bone in his foot during training and is expected to be out for up to 10 weeks.

Daniel Riordan, Conor Muldoon, David Gannon and Mel Deane have been called up by Michael Bradley.

For the Ospreys Jonthan Thomas has a chance to prove his fitness having missed the opening 2 games for Wales. Andrew Bishop has also been released from the Welsh setup. Samoa skipper Filipo Levi will make his full Ospreys debut having arrived from Japan.

 

[MunsterMan]

Connacht should be targeting this match against an understrength Hairspray side, Is Holah still out? I hope so because without O'Connor the Connacht back row is weakened. Did Wales release Hook? if not I'm Looking forward to Biggar Vs. Keatley too, battle of the young guns.

 

[An Tarbh]

don't think he was released just Bishop and Thomas as far as I know.

 

[MunsterMan]

Good stuff. I know Connacht winning in the Liberty is highly unlikely but they have to get out of the mindset of forgetting about every away game that is not against an Irish province.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Feb 19 2009, 09:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Good stuff. I know Connacht winning in the Liberty is highly unlikely but they have to get out of the mindset of forgetting about every away game that is not against an Irish province.[/b]

they've never won there so that's something to put right, was grand when they didn't have to play them at the Liberty Stadium though.

 

[dullonien]

The Ospreys have still got a mighty fine squad to pick from, especially with the likes of Parker, Spratt, Jonathan Thomas and Gareth Owen back from injury. This would be my team:

01 Paul James
02 Richard Hibbard
03 Cai Griffiths
04 Lyndon Bateman
05 Filipo Levi
06 Jonathan Thomas
07 Mary Holah
08 Filo Tiatia

09 Jamie Nutbrown
10 Daniel Biggar
11 Kristian Phillips
12 Jonathan Spratt
13 Sonny Parker
14 Johny Vaughton
15 Gareth Owen

This is where Ospreys quality in their squad should show. If that team takes the field, I can't wait to finally see Spratt play after such a hugely positive stint in New Zealand, Gareth Owen is another who impressed before injury. I don't think Marty Holah is injured, nope he played in a devolpement match against the Dragons last week.

 

[An Tarbh]

I'm surprised that Bowe has stayed with the Ireland setup, thought he'd be made available to play in this one.

 

[MunsterMan]

Why?

 

[An Tarbh]

cause he's contracted by the Ospreys not the IRFU.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Might have an Eoin Reddan Clause in his contract.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Connacht team:
G Duffy; F Carr, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; A Browne, A Farley; J Muldoon ©, R Ofisa, C Rigney.

Replacements:
A Flavin, R Loughney, M Swift, D Gannon, K Campbell, A Dunne, T Nathan.

 

[dullonien]

Well I wasn't too far off with my selection:

Ospreys: Gareth Owen; Kristian Phillips, Sonny Parker, Jonathan Spratt, Jonny Vaughton; Dan Biggar, Jamie Nutbrown; Paul James (capt), Richard Hibbard, Cai Griffiths, Filipo Levi, Jonathan Thomas, Tom Smith, Filo Tiatia, Steve Tandy.
Replacements: Ed Shervington, Ryan Bevington, Andy Lloyd, Marty Holah, Rhys Webb, Ashley Beck, David Bishop.

 

[cyRil]

Apparently Bishop has been recalled by Wales.
I'm not sure about this one. Connacht proved a handful when they came down last year, should have beaten us in 2006, only losing after conceding the stupidest penalty I have ever seen - ******* around with the ball on their own 22 waiting for the drop-out, the ref tells them repeatedly to use it, they keep passing it back a fore, and eventually the ref gave us the chance for 3 right infront of the posts and we won 25-24.
....And of course they won 10-9 at the Gnoll in 2004. I actually still feel quite sick whenever I think of that game.

Us by 14.

 

[MunsterMan]

Ospreys 7-3 Connacht after 33 minutes, Connacht playing much better. Peter Allan's logic seems to be 'If in doubt give the decision to the Ospreys'. Definite forward pass for the Gweilich try too.

 

[MunsterMan]

Ridiculous. Ref is happy for Muldoon to rake an Osprey player lieing on the ball, Connacht get the ball out and when they try and move it the TJ puts up his flag. No reflink but it seems the ref gave in, Muldoon was not happy.

Ah balls now it's 15 -3 at half time.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Keatley looked good for distribution and with ball in hand. Kicking was poor though (placekicking that is).

Duffy good in attack but still a defensive liability.

 

[MunsterMan]

I stopped watching when Bradley started his retarded substitutions, I can't stand him. Give Elwood the reigns and let Bradley be his assistant or **** off with Cooder to America.

 

[cyRil]

Rubbish game. Rubbish ref (in that he gave everything to us). Connacht have every right to feel hard done by, although some of their attacking options made sure that they didn't warrant a victory.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Connacht were awful. They had many try-scoring oppurtunities, but for silly knock-ons and basic errors.
The Ospreys were awful, though like the Scarlets before them, they had a young side out...

 

[Vambo]

I actually fell asleep during this game.