With a close loss and a blowout win in the last two festive derbies, the Ospreys face the Dragons in the last of the festive local derbies. The Dragons were narrowly beaten by the Blues but well beaten by the Scarlets last time out so they will be looking to bounce back against the Ospreys. There is a chance of squad rotation for the Dragons game but I believe that Booth will want to finish these local derbies on a high and will pick a strong side. With Scott Williams out for a good while, there is a chance that North will move to the centre and that would allow Protheroe to come in on the wing - putting all of our most attack-minded players on the pitch.
I think the side will look something like this:-
R Jones I Phillips M Fia A Beard R Davies D Lydiate J Tipuric M Morris
R Webb S Myler L Morgan K Williams G North M Protheroe D Evans
Reps
N Smith S Otten T Botha L Ashley W Griffiths R Morgan-Williams T Thomas-Wheeler K Giles
The matchday 23 will largely remain the same as last time but we might see Keelan Giles return on the bench.
Discuss....
They’ve got to try to keep the hookers if the price is right. Ifan Phillips has taken a big leap forward but I really like what Parry is giving us.
It will be very interesting come seasons end to see whose contracts dont get re-newed? To see the direction Booth is going in
I don't know if any of the hookers contracts are up, but that is a nice batle for that numer 2 shirt.
I assume there are others who are fit, like King, who just haven’t featured yet either?
To echo others, it’s great to see that our running game is improving and that we can win in different ways. The fact that we won an away derby and rested 2 of our best players spoke volumes for me...not just of what trust booth must have in members of his squad, but that others can step up. We were all at sea last year...feels like we’re on dry land now.
This is the best we have played in years, and we can play in different styles. It’s incredible how much a coach who knows what he is doing the difference it makes.
Watching some of the blues v scarlets game and liked seeing Tomos Willisma try to speed the game up at certain stages. With a back 3 like we have now that could be a real catalyst for some exciting rugby. But I don't think Webb is up for it any more, so much of what he does seems laboured? And yes I realise this is reliant on getting quick ball from phase play, something we haven't been doing "yet"
Thoughts ................
I think we got our strategy wrong and didn’t play enough field position. We still don’t have the spark to play off 10 and Webb was patchy, which hurt us.
We 100% would have lost that game a year ago, we’d have wilted and had no clue how to solve problems. The way we iced the game after we went 23-20 up was excellent.
Booth and Ruddock are rebuilding us - I can see us getting stronger every month. We’re still dog-rough and a work in project but we are waking from a slumber.
Couple of really encouraging individual performances - Joe Hawkins was brilliant considering he’s going to be 19 only in June. Gareth Thomas was excellent - he is now unrecognisable from what he was before.
Match report from the game - https://www.ospreyssupporterstrust.co.uk/post/dragons-v-ospreys-january-9th-rodney-parade
So close to a bp at the end
20-28 2 minutes left
T R Y
20-23 last 7
20-20 10 to go
Dragons try
GN TRY
13-13 20 to go
Scrum pen Ospreys
Good defence
Interesting first half - Luke Morgan yellow card and a Kieran Williams head knock (again) led to a Dragons try. Both team exchange a penalty goal before Ifan Phillips puts Mat Protheroe in the corner for an Ospreys try that Myler converted. Another Myler penalty and the Ospreys lead 10-13 at half time.
Lots of life in this game yet, both teams full of attacking intent.