RaboDirect Pro12 Round 5

[Peat]

We should get either 4 or 5 points next week, even though they played well against Leinster I don't think they can win in ravenhill. Throw in another 5 points for whenever the Zebre game is played and I'm really fancying Ulster chances at the ***le this year - maybe a bit too eary to judge though.

Connacht Home, Dragons away, Edinburgh home next? We should get 3 wins with a potential bonus point, how are the Dragons doing, will we beat them away?

Yup - they'll be mad up for it, but there's a difference between a out of sorts Leinster 2/3s at home and what will presumably be the Ulster HEC XV shaking themselves out, full of confidence and at Ravenhill. Or at least there bloody well should be. Really, I think we should be beating them like a red headed stepchild. As for Zebre, that should be a regulation win, but will be a bit of a banana skin because of the timing - clashes with the Ireland game against Fiji, which should mean at a rough guess we'll be down at least 10 players on Ireland duty, possibly more. Possibly a lot more. And then there's a quick turn around for Treviso, which isn't ideal.

But yeah, none of the next three league games should hold any fears. Imagine one of the Welsh fans could tell you more about Dragons, but they look about as you'd expect to me - plenty of fight, perhaps not that much class, and worthy of respect but doable at home. Main difference is a) Prydie's a reliable kicker, which is bad b) No Lydiate, which is sad news but useful enough. Admittedly, I'm not looking much beyond the HEC games at present - but win those four games, or hell, even three from four with some bonus points, and we're a good chunk of the way to a home semi-final. Don't want to talk about winning the game, lets just get ourselves in plenty of knockout competition and see how it goes...

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Damn.

First off, well done Connacht. They bullied Leinster up front and showed invention I didn't expect of them in the backs (considering Dan Parks was flyhalf). The margin of victory didin't flatter them one bit.

It was a shambolic performance. It's easy to say that of the starting XV only Jennings, D'arcy, McFadden and Kearney are likely to start in the Heineken Cup but that doesn't excuse the lacklustre showing of the whole team.

As has been said, injuries didn't help Leinster's cause, nor did the pointless 2 day Ireland training camp (when Ireland players have only been 2 weeks out of preseason). Against that, it was an opportunity for squad players to push their case and they collectively failed to do so. The tight 5 was powderpuff (Jamie Hagan gets a pass mark but that's about it), Shane Jennings' leadership must be called into question to a degree (Peter Fitzgibbon should have penalized him for repeated whingeing) and Leo Auva'a looks a shadow of himself last season.

Onwards and upwards. Hopefully the win gives Connacht a massive boost in confidence ahead of the next 3 big weeks. Likewise, hopefully it's a kick up the arse for Leinster and drives them on.

 

[big ginger 8]

We generally get one of these early on and kick on not to worried yet.

Connacht really have a good back division and there packs is looking stronger with people like White joining. Parks will also slot the kicks I expect a few more scalps.

 

[Draggs]

We should get either 4 or 5 points next week, even though they played well against Leinster I don't think they can win in ravenhill. Throw in another 5 points for whenever the Zebre game is played and I'm really fancying Ulster chances at the ***le this year - maybe a bit too eary to judge though.

Connacht Home, Dragons away, Edinburgh home next? We should get 3 wins with a potential bonus point, how are the Dragons doing, will we beat them away?

Honestly, I couldn't tell you. If you play like you did last night then we have no chance. If we are able to keep the scoreboard moving as we did, however, we might have a shot.
My money would be on Ulster, as of right now.

 

[dullonien]

Not a nice injury for Lydiate, real pity. Anyone else feel that it was just a matter of time though? He's been playing since the WC with so much tape on his ankle that it looked like he could barely move it! I do sometimes feel that players who are obviously injured aren't given the time off they need to fully recover, and all it does is result in an injury that keeps them out for months on end. With Ryan Jones playing so well, and Shingler waiting in the wings, Wales could have afforded to let Lydiate get the treatment/recovery time he probably needed, instead he's picked up an injury that could see him out for maybe 6 months? I'd say that he's going to be lucky to be back in time for the 6 nations, which also puts his Lions hopes in jeopardy considering 6 is probably the most hotly contested position.

 

[Feicarsinn]

We generally get one of these early on and kick on not to worried yet.

Connacht really have a good back division and there packs is looking stronger with people like White joining. Parks will also slot the kicks I expect a few more scalps.

No we don't. We're slow starters, but two hammerings early on in the season is unacceptable. Add that to the fact that we haven't played well at all in our other games and I'm quite concerned going into the Munster game.

 

[big ginger 8]

No we don't. We're slow starters, but two hammerings early on in the season is unacceptable. Add that to the fact that we haven't played well at all in our other games and I'm quite concerned going into the Munster game.

We both know we have different outlooks. I think we'll come good against Munster I'm sure you have a different view.

 

[SelimNiai]

Not a nice injury for Lydiate, real pity. Anyone else feel that it was just a matter of time though? He's been playing since the WC with so much tape on his ankle that it looked like he could barely move it! I do sometimes feel that players who are obviously injured aren't given the time off they need to fully recover, and all it does is result in an injury that keeps them out for months on end. With Ryan Jones playing so well, and Shingler waiting in the wings, Wales could have afforded to let Lydiate get the treatment/recovery time he probably needed, instead he's picked up an injury that could see him out for maybe 6 months? I'd say that he's going to be lucky to be back in time for the 6 nations, which also puts his Lions hopes in jeopardy considering 6 is probably the most hotly contested position.

I think because he was playing so well for both Newport and Wales that the selectors tried to push their luck in seeing how long we could get before something happened. Sadly it has happened and like you say it's going to be tough for him to make himself noticed again come the summer.

 

[dullonien]

The Ospreys appear to well and truly have Munsters number at the moment. It's 13-0 with 22min on the lock.

Scarlets two tries up against Treviso apparently. Both scored by Fenby.

 

[monkeypigeon]

The Ospreys appear to well and truly have Munsters number at the moment. It's 13-0 with 22min on the lock.

Scarlets two tries up against Treviso apparently. Both scored by Fenby.

Well Ospreys figured that all te need to do to beat Munster is play a good rush defence and it's worked (or nearly worked) everytime they've played in the last couple of years.

Impressed by the ref so far. Doesn't seem to miss much. That or we're both missing loads of stuff.


Edit: bit dodgy on the scrums mind. But who isn't?

 

[dullonien]

Haha, an awesome ad for the autumn internationals, George North running through the forest with a huge tree trunk on his shoulder.

Edit. Two very silly penalties given away by the Ospreys have allowed Munster back into the game, one at the end of the first half, one at the end of the second.

 

[Draggs]

Tense last quarter for the Turks.
Try for Benetton Treviso, 19-20 to the Turks with 12 to go.

 

[SelimNiai]

Ospreys just obliterating the Munster pack, just won a penalty try from a scrum but theyve been out mauling them too.

 

[coonor]

Hurley has been very poor... Great try saving tackle from Earls!

 

[Draggs]

Excellent defending by the Turks within 10m of their line up in smoke after they relieve the pressure and give away a penalty on halfway.
Struck perfectly and over, 22-20.
Restart claimed by Treviso and kicked out. Turks have blown it, it's all over. 20-5 lead gone.
Excellent performance from Treviso. It is no surprise that they ran Leinster close. They played some attractive rugby and were very lively in the last half.

Nessun Dorma to finish the match, it is Italy, after all.

 

[SelimNiai]

Ospreys now up to 30, Hibbard hangs out on the wing and poaches a try. Standard forward play that, I may have done it meself a few times.

 

[Draggs]

Just put the match on to see the Ospreys pummel Munster's scrum.
Varley sent off, kick I hear?

 

[SelimNiai]

Just put the match on to see the Ospreys pummel Munster's scrum.
Varley sent off, kick I hear?

Yeah, off the ball skirmish and he basically backheeled an Osprey in the face

 

[Draggs]

Yeah, off the ball skirmish and he basically backheeled an Osprey in the face

Ouch, thanks for the info.
I presume he will miss the first two rounds of the HC.
Ospreys unable to get the try BP so far, much like last season.

 

[dullonien]

Bonus point blown by the Ospreys. Apart from a 10min spell after the Ospreys penalty try, Munster were well beaten, but the Ospreys made a few too many mistakes to fully capitalize.

Still, much more like it from the home side, more like the Ospreys of the knockout stages of the Pro12 last season. Hopefully means they can perform at a similar level in the HC.