Ospreys v Munster

[An Tarbh]

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Ospreys v Munster</div>

So top of the table Ospreys host second placed Munster this evening at the Liberty Stadium.

A reasonable Christmas period for the Ospreys saw them take 9 points from a possible 15 while 1 from 10 explains why Munster travel to Swansea in second place.

Is a third defeat in a row on the cards for Munster or will they yet again prove how futile it is to write off Munster?

Either way we have an intriguing game on our hands.

 

[RC]

I think it's fair to say that it's clobbering time!
We're gonna crunch those European-cup-hogging, fancy-running, forward-pack-destroying, haka-imitating, good-fer-nuthings!

Ahem...

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RC @ Jan 9 2009, 12:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I think it's fair to say that it's clobbering time!
We're gonna crunch those European-cup-hogging, fancy-running, forward-pack-destroying, haka-imitating, good-fer-nuthings!

Ahem...[/b]

that's it feed the beast, you want to go into the Munster dressing room and tell them this before kickoff

 

[danny]

any idea of the teams? If they are both at full strenght it could be tasty!

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danny @ Jan 9 2009, 12:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

any idea of the teams? If they are both at full strenght it could be tasty![/b]

Don't be daft, this is the Celtic league. 3/4 strength at best if you're lucky!

 

[An Tarbh]

Horan, O'Gara and Tipoki are all out injured but other than that it's a full strength Munster side.

 

[danny]

Tipoki is a big miss as he`s Munsters best back by a distance and ideally suited to their style of play.

 

[MunsterMan]

Munster had 4 or 5 players ruled out with an illness :huh:

Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett, B Murphy, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, T O'Leary; F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: D Fogarty, T Ryan, M O'Driscoll, J O'Sullivan, P Stringer, C Doyle, T Gleeson.

Ospreys

15 Lee Byrne
14 Jonny Vaughton
13 Sonny Parker
12 Andrew Bishop
11 Shane Williams
10 James Hook
9 Mike Phillips

8 Filo Tiatia
7 Steve Tandy
6 Tom Smith
5 Jonathan Thomas
4 Alun-wyn Jones
3 Cai Griffiths
2 Richard Hibbard
1 Paul James ©

Replacements:
16 Huw Bennett
17 Ryan Bevington
18 Lyndon Bateman
19 Marty Holah
20 Rhys Webb
21 Dan Biggar
22 Kristian Phillips

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Should be a good game between the top 2 teams in the league. Hard to call a winner - Munster are better up front with Ospreys holding a significant advantage behind the scrum. It could come down to which team gets most impact from it's replacements. In this regard, Ospreys hold the edge. Ospreys to win by less than 7.

 

[cyRil]

We are playing a half-arsed pile of ****. We are going to lose.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Lol, the Ospreys are gonna die (hard... Lulz).

Howlett v Williams should be fun.

 

[cyRil]

Soooo not looking forward to going down now Munster by 10

 

[dullonien]

What's with leaving out so many first team players for a top of the table clash? Christ, Holley's a w***r, what's the point of sacking one coach (Lyn Jones) just to have basically the same person (but younger and less experienced) coach them instead. It's quite obvious who he learn't off. Diobolical team selection again, They had a week off last week, surely the likes of Ryan Jones, Ian Gough, Bowe, Adam Jones, Holah and Jonathan Thomas in his correct position would relish such a game against the European champs!

Hope we get Scott Johnson, he wouldn't do bo***cks like this.

 

[SportingNonsense]

It seems Holley doesnt care much for the magners league, which is frustrating.

 

[An Tarbh]

great start for Munster, looked a try initially but right to go upstairs, Dowling did well to draw the defenders and a nice finish from Mafi.

 

[Sir Speedy]

TV said Munster have never won in Swansea. With woeful defending as demostrated by Vaughton for Munster's try, that record will be gone in 70 minutes.
3 - 8 Munster.

 

[SportingNonsense]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SportingNonsense @ Jan 9 2009, 06:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

It seems Holley doesnt care much for the magners league, which is frustrating.[/b]

Having looked at the squad a bit more, i probably exaggerated a bit, but would have liked to have seen a stronger set of forwards for the game really.

Anyway, a decent enough first half. Lacking discipline a bit too much but some promising attacks towards the end. Good job too by Hibbard to injure Warwick 11-9 at half time, still all to play for

 

[munross]

Ospreys finally takes the lead in the 46th minute, 12 - 11 now

Oh wait, Hook slots another penalty, 15 - 11 now the Ospreys

 

[munross]

18 - 14 now to Ospreys after 56 mins, didn't thought it would be such a close game.

Where is Henson?is he injured AGAIN?

 

[crispy]

Great try for Munster.