RaboDirect Pro 12 Semi Finals: Ospreys vs Munster - 11/05/2012

[Feicarsinn]

Liberty Stadium, Swansea - (11/05/2012, 19:35)

Ref: Alain Rolland

TV: BBCW/RTE​

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I always ready to post a confident-sounding message until I saw the two words I dread the most written next to 'Ref'. It's going to be a long Friday night.

 

[psychic duck]

I always ready to post a confident-sounding message until I saw the two words I dread the most written next to 'Ref'. It's going to be a long Friday night.

 

[Peat]

Can't say I blame him tbh...

 

[lucky number 7]

Nooooo! Munster have definitly won Alain Rolland is reffing !

 

[psychic duck]

I'd take Alain Rolland over George "Mr Mustwhistle" Clancy

 

[TrueSlawter]

I swear the Ospreys had a home semi? so its a at the Liberty not Thomand?

 

[dullonien]

I swear the Ospreys had a home semi? so its a at the Liberty not Thomand?

Sort is out Feic

This should be a good match, one which the Ospreys could/should win. They've been in fantastic form since Tandy took over, with the front five in phenomenal form, and that's where I expect the game to be won by the Ospreys.

There is an injury doubt to Tipuric, but he should be fit by all accounts.

I just hope the name Tom Smith isn't in the starting 15...... or on the bench tbh.

 

[psychic duck]

They've been in fantastic form since Tandy took over, with the front five in phenomenal form, and that's where I expect the game to be won by the Ospreys.

Ospreys didn't play well last week against Aironi though, that was the worst performance for a while

I just hope the name Tom Smith isn't in the starting 15...... or on the bench tbh.

I can't agree more with this

 

[dullonien]

Ospreys didn't play well last week against Aironi though, that was the worst performance for a while

True, but hopefully that was just a case of taking their foot off the pedal like Alun-Wyn said, and it acted as the kick up the backside they needed before this match.

 

[Draggs]

Don't worry, they might have Jonathan Thomas.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

6. Ryan, 7. Tips, 8. Stowers, 19. Goffie, 20. Bearman please. I would accept seeing James King in a bench slot. I don't have the level of hatred for Tom Smith some do (He's a decent squad player, sort of name I want to see when the internationals are away but not too often), but would rather he didn't play all the same. Team otherwise picks itself, although Webb surely must start above Fotuali'i at 9, even though chances are he won't.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Sort is out Feic

This should be a good match, one which the Ospreys could/should win. They've been in fantastic form since Tandy took over, with the front five in phenomenal form, and that's where I expect the game to be won by the Ospreys.

There is an injury doubt to Tipuric, but he should be fit by all accounts.

I just hope the name Tom Smith isn't in the starting 15...... or on the bench tbh.

What's worse is I went 'Oh, better remember Ospreys are at home for this one, they'll be favourites then.' Moral of the story, I'm a moron.

 

[psychic duck]

6. Ryan, 7. Tips, 8. Stowers, 19. Goffie, 20. Bearman please. I would accept seeing James King in a bench slot. I don't have the level of hatred for Tom Smith some do (He's a decent squad player, sort of name I want to see when the internationals are away but not too often), but would rather he didn't play all the same. Team otherwise picks itself, although Webb surely must start above Fotuali'i at 9, even though chances are he won't.

Stowers was poor off the bench against Aironi and did a horrible hospital pass, and to be honest I've not been that impressed with him all season, he seems to just want to carry, he never hits rucks and when he does concedes a penalty

Bearman was poor at first but now has improved lately to be okay, still would like a new signing at 8 for next season, not that it is likely to happen

I don't hate Tom Smith, it's just infuriating how he gets in the team so often and has even captained whilst being so average and anonymous, he's not the worst player as in he drops the ball all the time and runs backwards, but he doesn't go forwards much either and isn't a real tackle machine like Lydiate either

and people keep saying how King is going to be good player in the future, but he's not getting any chances behind a player who will probably never improve beyond the level he is right now

 

[Amiga500]

Read this preview of it yesterday:

http://dementedmole.com/2012/05/09/pro12-semi-final-preview-ospreys-vs-munster/

Good read - and a point of view I can't argue with.

Ospreys to out-Munster Munster.

 

[psychic duck]

Ospreys:

15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Shane Williams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i; 1 Paul James, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 Adam Jones; 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 5 Ian Evans; 6 Ryan Jones, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Joe Bearman
Replacements:
16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis; 19 James King, 20 Tom Smith; 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Tom Isaacs

Munster:

15 Felix Jones, 14 Johne Murphy, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Simon Zebo; 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Wian du Preez, 2 Mike Sherry, 3 BJ Botha; 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 5 Mick O'Driscoll; 6 Donnacha Ryan, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Peter O'Mahony

Replacements:
16 Denis Fogarty, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Stephen Archer; 19 Dave O'Callaghan, 20 Paddy Butler; 21 Tomás O'Leary, 22 Ronan O'Gara, 23 Ivan Dineen

...

what an underwhelming Munster side, I reckon only three or four of that starting lineup would make the Ospreys side

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ospreys:

15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Shane Williams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i; 1 Paul James, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 Adam Jones; 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 5 Ian Evans; 6 Ryan Jones, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Joe Bearman
Replacements:
16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis; 19 James King, 20 Tom Smith; 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Tom Isaacs

Munster:

15 Felix Jones, 14 Johne Murphy, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Simon Zebo; 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Wian du Preez, 2 Mike Sherry, 3 BJ Botha; 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 5 Mick O'Driscoll; 6 Donnacha Ryan, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Peter O'Mahony

Replacements:
16 Denis Fogarty, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Stephen Archer; 19 Dave O'Callaghan, 20 Paddy Butler; 21 Tomás O'Leary, 22 Ronan O'Gara, 23 Ivan Dineen

...

what an underwhelming Munster side, I reckon only three or four of that starting lineup would make the Ospreys side

Which will make it all the more irritating when they inevitably beat the Ospreys.

 

[lucky number 7]

Ospreys:

15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Shane Williams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i; 1 Paul James, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 Adam Jones; 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 5 Ian Evans; 6 Ryan Jones, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Joe Bearman
Replacements:
16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis; 19 James King, 20 Tom Smith; 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Tom Isaacs

Munster:

15 Felix Jones, 14 Johne Murphy, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Simon Zebo; 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Wian du Preez, 2 Mike Sherry, 3 BJ Botha; 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 5 Mick O'Driscoll; 6 Donnacha Ryan, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Peter O'Mahony

Replacements:
16 Denis Fogarty, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Stephen Archer; 19 Dave O'Callaghan, 20 Paddy Butler; 21 Tomás O'Leary, 22 Ronan O'Gara, 23 Ivan Dineen

...

what an underwhelming Munster side, I reckon only three or four of that starting lineup would make the Ospreys side[/QUOTE

Simon Zebo for Shane...
Archer for Adam Jones
Mick O'Driscoll for Biggar


Sounds about right

 

[munstermuffin]

Ha I'd have Donnacha Ryan ahead of both O's locks and O'Mahony ahead of Bearman and Sherry over Hibbard also Jones on form is a far superior 15. Think it fair even in alot of spots .

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ha I'd have Donnacha Ryan ahead of both O's locks and O'Mahony ahead of Bearman and Sherry over Hibbard also Jones on form is a far superior 15. Think it fair even in alot of spots .

Well, he did say 3 or 4. And that is only 4...


The scrum will be fun. Personally I think the O's should have a slight edge, as while Botha and Jones are both top class tightheads, I'm inclined to think that James is a better player and Du Preez. Also, if i were given the choice between being able to call on Stephen Archer or Ryan Bevington, it's not a toughie.

The respective second rows are quite evenly matched as well. Evans and Wyn-Jones are both proven internationals class, and Evans is in top form this season. The Munster pairing also have their fair share of caps and you'd imagine that O'Driscoll will be giving it absolutely everything in what may be his last game. They're helped out by having Ryan in the back row, who is obviously a very good operator as well.

In the back row I'd fancy Tipuric to be too good for O'Donnell, Jones to be about a match for Ryan (although I think the Munster man might shade it) and it to be pretty even in the 8 slot. It's the greater talent of O'Mahony against the greater experience of Bearman, which always makes for a fascinating contest. I reckon this is the one area of the pack where Munster could really be on top, but an awful lot of that comes down to how well Tipuric is dealt with.

Both sets of half backs are a bit meh. Munster probably have the better scrum half, Ospreys the better out half. Munster do have the luxury of bringing ROG on at some point though. Ospreys probably have better centres (I've never been a fan of Mafi and Earls' best spot is on the wing) while Munster might shade it in the back three (I reckon they'd have two players in a combined team, but Shane is obviously a class above anyone else).

Could go either way really. Ospreys probably look the slightly stronger unit on paper, but one thing you learn about Munster over the years is that they just wont **** off and lose when they should. Should be a good game.