Ospreys V Leinster Sunday @3pm

@Gaffer most people tend to flit in and out of the forum. There have been some posts in the News thread as well as in this thread.

I don’t think there is any lack of interest or apathy. It’s just the same things are being said week in week out. The way it’s going the only thing that will change this season is our young emerging players are going to get a lot of game time/experience, which will put the players we keep in a better place for future seasons, when we can start rebuilding.

@surfdragon I don't think that this season will change but you are right in saying that our young players are getting better for their experiences this season. Hopefully, we have a shopping list for next season that will set us on our way. Keep the faith.

I think you are going to have to be patient. There are just too many bad slow players in this squad for us to be consistent. Fortunately most of the bad players are the older ones but it will take time to filter them out and get a decent spine around the younger faster players

The urgency improved when Carson Dirksen and Venter came on and Protheroe moved to 15. Always hard to make proper judgements in garbage time but without fear of contradiction I would say that outside of possibly Watkin and Kieran Williams who are absent Protheroe is our best player behind the scrum in terms of threat to the opposition. I would also say that the ability of the young Caiser Scott Williams and Luke Morgan to defend the outside channels is non existent and any pro side are going to score easily on that combination.

If you ignore reputations and pre-conceptions over size you would have to conclude Carson has earned a start in the 13 jersey. If the alternatives are the slow lumbering pair of TTW and Scott Williams and you pick on the evidence of your eyes there is no real decision to make.

@Jake Bullet some players never manage to show their true form whilst here at the Ospreys, and Booth seems to favour small, nippy 9s who can snipe and that is not really Venter's game.

I know we are crying out for a new 10 and a ball carrying 8 but I think we do need a proper openside who is a master jackaller who can win us ball and slow down their ball. The last one we had was Will Jones but Clarke seemingly didn't want him and he was let go and not replaced.

Venter did surprisingly well. I like Harri Morgan who if he stays injury free will become our future number 1. I also think RMW will make the grade at a slightly lower level than Morgan.

I also think we have far more problems in the back three than at 9 and am amazed Venter has not been used there, as he played super rugby for the Cheetahs on the wing as well as scrum half.

I always thought Will Jones may be too small to make the grade but having watched Protheroe and Kieran Williams look two of our best players this year and watching Carson in the last two games it may be that if you are explosive with good feet you don't need size. I would wager Williams Protheroe and Carson tonight have a higher percentage of getting over the gain line than some of our bigger lumbering players and if you want to see attacking rugby Gaffer it will only ever come when we have players who get over the gain line quickly.

@TaI It is a free hit and stranger things have happened. Whilst highly unlikely, it is about all on the day and I have a small hunch that good things will happen. I would take a loss as long as we are competitive in the areas where we can compete, do not make silly errors and turn the ball over. If the basics are good then I guess most people would be satisfied.

@ospreysfanforum They are going to win our conference and probably the entire league at a canter. Hopefully their minds are not fully on the job and we surprise them. In sport you just never know but we need to concentrate on performance rather than result this week. Last week it was the reverse, the result was more important to our season than the performance.

@Tommyboy664 I think we start with Fia because it is better to finish the game with Botha.

Cracknell, is probably getting a rest after his efforts last week where he was one of our better players. One thing about Olly is that he will not shy away from hard work and always puts a shift in.

It is good to see some fresh faces in the team/squad and we didn't have too much choice but to continue to go with Josh & Joe as the other players are not available.

To be honest Tommy you have to see this a game as a free hit for Booth. I am not convinced by Fia either and prefer Botha but neither of them are much more than 50 minute players. I really don't think Cracknell and Lydiate work together very well so it makes sense to see if Evans can balance things a little better. I have been calling for a while to see Griffiths given a shot. He has looked very explosive from the bench and if he can do that from the start that will be great. My biggest worry is the defensive and positional fragility of Luke Morgan and the young Caiser. It is interesting to see Hanno on the bench. We have been suffering with two lightweight wings who cannot do the carrying role since North's sending off.