Saracens v Ospreys

[gingergenius]

Just got back thanks to all the Wembley traffic, but WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!

What a game, absolute cracker.

Richard Hill was awesome, he's one of best English players of all time absolute sickhead. Vyvyan, de Kock, Jackson and Haughton all had big games too.

Ospreys were destroyed at scrumtime and their back row didn't show up. Sonny Parker can't catch a cold, hook , byrne and williams were stifled and poor old henson looked a class act all on his own though.

AWESOME Sarries performance, especially defence, Ratuvou, Powell and Leonelli all quality... I'm definitely going to Coventry for the semi.

Respect to the Ospreys for genarally being good losers.

 

[Prestwick]

My view of the match as seen from the South Stand, specifically that of Hugh Vyvyan vs The Ospreys/Wales:

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Ze-xQoEfOU&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7Ze-xQoEfOU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Just kidding! Although when we scored our try, I lept to my feet and screamed in a scratchy voice "WELCOME TO THUNDERDOME OSPREYS! WOOOOO!" Great game and Henson and Jones did try their hearts out. Idiot award jointly shared by Lee Byrne and Adam Powell and gaffe of the day award has to be James Hook for trying to catch a ball by holding his hands behind his back.

All in all a successful day: Saracens through to the Semi-Final, God gets man of the match and me and Steve (I Bleed Black) got to dance around like idiots again

 

[dullonien]

Congratulations Sarries, you were by far the best team on the day. O's missed a handfull of opertunities and generally didn't respect the ball atall. Hill was awesome today, though I think one of the Sky commentators had a hard on for him the entire match lol.

Will this be the end of Lyn Jones? Should be.....

 

[danny]

I think after todays disapointing display by the Welsh teams it has brought a bit of reality back to their game. The real quality and pedigree of Welsh rugby is probably somewhere between Today and the grand slam .

 

[RC]

Will this be the end of Lyn Jones? Should be..... [/b]

 

[Sir Speedy]

Indeed. :lol:

 

[stormmaster1]

Congratulations Sarries, you were by far the best team on the day. O's missed a handfull of opertunities and generally didn't respect the ball atall. Hill was awesome today, though I think one of the Sky commentators had a hard on for him the entire match lol.

Will this be the end of Lyn Jones? Should be..... [/b]

On Hill: the guy's awesome, nice to see him play again at such a high level. He's the most sung about unsung hero for a reason.



On Lyn Jones: he won't go if the Ospreys beat the tigers at the 4th attempt to get some silverware.



Good luck iun the Semis Sarries!!!

 

[dullonien]

On Lyn Jones: he won't go if the Ospreys beat the tigers at the 4th attempt to get some silverware.[/b]

Not quite so sure. The Heineken was the main objective for the O's this year, the EDF will be scant consilation IF they manage to win (after todays abysmal performance they will either come out guns blazing or wilt under the pressure again). The managment, especially Cuddy will be very unhappy with the investment ploughed in (I know the O's are making profit, but Cuddy invested in the core of the team before that).

The problem is, Gatland and Edwards have shown what is capable with the Ospreys team, shown that they can play in an organized and patient manner, yet for the O's they tend to play like headless chicken; a bunch of individuals. That is surely the coaches fault, he is the one who should mould them into a team, and Lyn has failed to do that.

 

[stormmaster1]

<div class='quotemain'>On Lyn Jones: he won't go if the Ospreys beat the tigers at the 4th attempt to get some silverware.[/b]

Not quite so sure. The Heineken was the main objective for the O's this year, the EDF will be scant consilation IF they manage to win (after todays abysmal performance they will either come out guns blazing or wilt under the pressure again). The managment, especially Cuddy will be very unhappy with the investment ploughed in (I know the O's are making profit, but Cuddy invested in the core of the team before that).

The problem is, Gatland and Edwards have shown what is capable with the Ospreys team, shown that they can play in an organized and patient manner, yet for the O's they tend to play like headless chicken; a bunch of individuals. That is surely the coaches fault, he is the one who should mould them into a team, and Lyn has failed to do that. [/b][/quote]



But his failings were there to see before. Silverware could prolong his stay.

 

[Sir Speedy]

After the Welsh Grand Slam success and the fact the Ospreys have been on fire these past few weeks, I'm finding it hard how you think Lyn Jones has a chance at retaining his job by winning a worthless Cup after today's failing. :huh:

 

[gingergenius]

After the Welsh Grand Slam success and the fact the Ospreys have been on fire these past few weeks, I'm finding it hard how you think Lyn Jones has a chance at retaining his job by winning a worthless Cup after today's failing. :huh:
[/b]

perhaps it's me but the Welsh seem to have a failing with patience for coaches.

I mean England are frustratingly the polar opposites but still....

I saw today a team with too many individuals, whose confidence had turned to arrogance and who didn't like it when the going got tough.

It's all very well playing outstanding rugby at the millennium stadium. Come to a shitty stadium like Vicarage Road, in Watford on a snowy day and prove your real mettle. I don't mean to be harsh but the Ospreys played it like they expected Sarries to roll over and let them through... I know that's what the Wales guys got last time they were in London but it doesn't happen often.

The one big dick in the Ospreys team who seems to have sorted himself out is Gavin Henson. If you'd told me in 2005 that the next time Wales won a Grand Slam he'd be the one who didn't let it get to his head, and I'd have slapped you. Gatland and Edwards have done a real treat on them. He was Wales' 3rd best player in the 6N by such a long way. He's the best centre in Europe by such a long way. I can't tell you how much of a c*** I thought he was a few years ago, and how highly I rate him now. Perhaps if Gatland and Edwards now have a go at Hook (incidentally not even in the Wales team..) then he'll start playing properly again.

 

[RC]

Woah woah woah!

I haven't seen the game, so yeah, you may be right about the whole complacency thing.

But you cannot comment on the Lyn Jones issue. I mean, failing to have patience? Ospreys have only ever had one coach! We have long be promised more and more by Lyn and yet the only thing he can achieve is winning the Magners league (which isn't enough) and a promise that if we were good last year, we're gonna be **** this year.
Trust me, we are not being too hasty when we say Lyn Jones should be gotten rid of. The man is a Premiership coach not a regional one, he should not be guiding the likes of world class players such as Shane and Henson, Hook and Ryan Jones!
Think of how the Ospreys boys must feel after spending 6 weeks with Warren and co. only to go back to him...

 

[Prestwick]

But you cannot comment on the Lyn Jones issue. I mean, failing to have patience? Ospreys have only ever had one coach! [/b]

Exactly our point I..er...

...I'll get back to you on that.

I haven't seen the game, so yeah, you may be right about the whole complacency thing.[/b]

It wasn't really blatant and obvious but it was little things like Ryan Jone's cheeky comment about us not scoring even if we were still playing now two weeks on. Also, they kept trying to skip the basics and be incredibly flash. Shane Williams straining out with his leg trying to land a Hook pass on his foot to chase when it never remotely looked on, Hook messing around in his own 22 with catching balls from behind, Byrne acting goalie, (some of) these kind of things are alright if you're playing for Wales with momentum and points on the board, but if your team are ten points down in the biggest match ever in your Region's post 1996 history then....well, the mind boggles.

Gatland and Edwards will have watched this game with worry. Ironically, Henson was the only Wales guy who knuckled down from the off and gave it his all, the others, including Ryan Jones were seriously caught on the hop and paid for it in 19 points shipped.

 

[noikz]

Leonelli's killer try:



http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=R6TR5s6Updo

 

[redunderthebed]

Hell yeah our conquest of europe shall go forward!

 

[Jonah]

I reckon there are more Kiwis than poms / welsh in both of teams

 

[Prestwick]

Jonah, only one kiwi on the field for Saracens today, and even he has British citizenship now! :lol:

 

[Jer1cho]

Man, that was wierd to watch with old laws. To be perfectly honest, i am starting to like these new ones... Something exciting happens, then the stupid ref stops play, and there is a goal kick. Awesome buid up, but no great flow finish...

 

[Prestwick]

What the hell are you talking about? It was a great game with sublime flow and it was riveting to watch! I did watch the 'new' laws earlier however...by watching St Helens vs Hull FC in the Superleague...

 

[Jer1cho]

What the hell are you talking about? It was a great game with sublime flow and it was riveting to watch! I did watch the 'new' laws earlier however...by watching St Helens vs Hull FC in the Superleague...
[/b]

Uh, i never said it was'nt good. Just got me frustrated at so many stopages. I thought it was an awesome game.