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The Death of the Ospreys

Bahahaha :lol:

Jokes aside ... where does he go from now?

Ospreys lose two World Class centres in a matter of days :lol:
 
(Cyber pity tap on all Ospreys fans shoulders)


One question, if/when he joins another club next season, will he only join up with said club after the WC, or will he do pre-season/a few games. (I realise/ize that this question pertains to most NH players, not the new club part though of course)
 
Nooooooo. However, I think this is the best thing for Hook himself and he's done the right thing. He'll get to play his preferred 10 position wherever he goes and he'll improve further as a player. Ospreys need to start looking for another centre or hope Beck or Owen can fill the void. I still think Owen can make it with a run of games and the pressure toproduce the goods in every appearance taken off, but it'll probably take him quite a few games.

I don't think it'll be long untill Mathew Morgan get's his chance with the Ospreys as his attacking game is superb. Anyone know what his defense is like though, as he's quite a small lad, kinda in the Arwel Thomas mould.
 
Beck is in danger of being another Gareth Owen, boy who has potential and simply not living up to it.

At the end of the day the Ospreys has to much talent, for me it goes back to the WRU and its need to look at having central contracts with clubs / Wales 'A' / Development Regional Sides to have the ability to move players on loan to another club to get him much needed game time. The like of Beck / Owen would have blossomed had they been shipped out to the Dragons when they need players. The concern is where are they going to get game time? Playing for Swansea / Neath / Aberavon etc or going on loan to one of the depleted regions. It's about time the WRU look at it.
 
I wonder how the Ospreys are going to approach the run-up to Hook leaving. If they are going to go out and buy a replacement (hopefully not) then they can keep playing Hook and getting the most out of him. But if they're going to replace him with a young player from within (hopefully), then will they start fazing Hook out of the team during the months leading up to the end of the season. Of course Hook will continue to play the big games, but maybe Owen, Beck or Spratt will start getting much more gametime than they are currently so by the start of next season they're already fully up to speed.

Luckily Gareth Owen, Ashley Beck and Jonathan Spratt are all still young, 22, 20 and 24 respectively (ok Spratt isn't all that young). So there's still plenty of time for them to come through and become quality players. I think we've been kinda spoilt recently in Wales with the age that many of the youngsters have stepped up to the mark regionally. With the likes of Roberts, Hook, Halfpenny etc. all coming through when they were 20 or 21 and with Prydie, Biggar, Lloyd Williams and North now coming through at the age of 18 or younger, we suddenly see a player like Spratt at 24 and think he should have made the breakthrough already. I feel there's still time. Whilst of course it's great if players can step up at 18, as it then gives them 12-14 years of gametime at the top, but 5-6 years is still a decent playing career. As long as the conveyor belt keeps churning them out, then that's plenty long enough.
 
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I wonder how the Ospreys are going to approach the run-up to Hook leaving. If they are going to go out and buy a replacement (hopefully not) then they can keep playing Hook and getting the most out of him. But if they're going to replace him with a young player from within (hopefully), then will they start fazing Hook out of the team during the months leading up to the end of the season. Of course Hook will continue to play the big games, but maybe Owen, Beck or Spratt will start getting much more gametime than they are currently so by the start of next season they're already fully up to speed.

Luckily Gareth Owen, Ashley Beck and Jonathan Spratt are all still young, 22, 20 and 24 respectively (ok Spratt isn't all that young). So there's still plenty of time for them to come through and become quality players. I think we've been kinda spoilt recently in Wales with the age that many of the youngsters have stepped up to the mark regionally. With the likes of Roberts, Hook, Halfpenny etc. all coming through when they were 20 or 21 and with Prydie, Biggar, Lloyd Williams and North now coming through at the age of 18 or younger, we suddenly see a player like Spratt at 24 and think he should have made the breakthrough already. I feel there's still time. Whilst of course it's great if players can step up at 18, as it then gives them 12-14 years of gametime at the top, but 5-6 years is still a decent playing career. As long as the conveyor belt keeps churning them out, then that's plenty long enough.

You say talent 'Dull' which I don't disagree with but what these lads need is exposure to games at the highest level, and when you look at the Ospreys its difficult to see this. With the Scarlets / Blues / Dragons there are always gaps for the youngsters to come through when you look at them. Yet with the Os you feel sometimes there is not because of the class they have.
 
Very true Cymro. I'm not a fan atall of how the Ospreys have been managing their squad over the last couple of years. They play the same-ish team week in week out, then all of a sudden expect a group of young players who have barely (if ever) played together to come out and compete with a close to full strength Dragons team.

It would be befeficial to everyone, including the Ospreys if some of these lads went to play elsewhere for a season or two before returning if necessary. Why not have them play for Gogledd Cymru instead of a bunch of Canadian players? The best decisions some players have made was to leave the Ospreys, just look at Halfpenny, Knoyle, hell didn't Richie Rees start off in the Ospreys' region? Would any of these players got anywhere further than the Premiership if they'd stayed, I somehow doubt it.

The Ospreys academy is working well, but there's little point in that if they have nowhere to progress to. I think the players themselves should realise this and look to move if they don't get anywhere. Aled Brew has done it, and look where he is, in the Welsh squad, not playing for Aberavon wasting his talents.
 
Did I hear correctly that he wants to move to France or London? If not Munster would take him, we need someone else to fill O'Gara's shoes.
 
I think that next season Ian Keatly will move to Munster and start in a few HC and most of the ML.
 
as for sending them to RGC it'd be good for both regions.. with RGC possibly getting welsh prem rugby next year having osperys play that level and the friendlies against the other regions would help their game time.. at the same time it can improve the game up north wales possibly brining coaches etc up north.. increasing the level the game is played up here.. even in youth and below level
s.
 
Wonder how quickly he'll get snapped up,
I presume he'll be off to Perpignan, but it's a bit dodgy leaving Ospreys before signing anything, what if they find someone else for cheaper or something?

I reckon Henson'll go back to the Ospreys after his stint at Sarries,
But then again, doesn't he want to play 10 these days as well? Dan Biggar causing all the talent to leave :p
 
I doubt Henson will go back to the Os after. I think he will do the WC and then move on.
 
Perpignan have offered him a reported three quaters of a million to go there. Plus the chance to plat at 10. And lovely beaches. (No offense, Swansea coast...) I can see why he'd want to go there instead of spend his time hanging around with Dan Biggar in the rain.
 

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