Ospreys V Newcastle Falcons. Challenge Cup, Saturday Jan 11th at 5.30pm

It is points difference mart. If that is same then tries scored then draw lots.

Spot on. Winner next week home in last 16 and maybe even last 8. Lose likely away in last 16 and last 8. Dont see this as likely to be a battle of the seconds with that on the line.

Quite so, I am an idiot that didn't think of that. We face Benetton the Friday after and they face Clermont on the Saturday so a lot depends on national calls.

I have made an Ospreys v Pau thread so we can discuss it in there.

I think you are right. He is not as good as Watkin but a more natural 13. Watkin is currently out best centre at either 12 or 13. Kieran would be more effective as impact from the bench when he can run hard at tired bodies.

And they were bad overthrows missing the back jumper by a lot. Rhys Henry torn calf will hurt us going forward.

Ah bugger, didn’t realise that it was something so serious. We surely have to look at bringing someone in on loan then.

Calf tear generally 8 weeks. So doubt we would see it as economic. Beard was injured on international duty so the insurance would have probably covered Spencer. If they don’t believe Warren and Ioreth-Scott can fill in for eight weeks then no point having them in squad

Line-out was fair to middling considering we lost our first choice hooker and 4 main jumpers including two line-out callers. The ref was unfathomable but our lads should have given up on the jackal earlier than they did.

Hardy's offside brainfart might be him trying too hard while Reuben is playing so well. Ratti did well but WillGriff is getting match fit as well. Are they our starter and back-up at 6 when Tips retires?  Still and all, 5 tries, four by backs, a 5 point win with 20 point difference is something we should welcome.

We needed a bigger points differential as we are still negative. If rumours about signing Tom Hooper are correct he will be in the first 23

Those rumours didn't last long. He is now supposedly signing for Exeter at double his present wage.

Don’t know if the illness affected us but we were very inaccurate and heavily penalised. Kasende was immense. One of the best aerial wingers on the business. Keelan has virtually no vertical jump by comparison. Parry’ woeful throwing probably cost 2 five metre tries. Will Griff starting to look confident. Ratti clearly our best carrier. Hardy cost us heavily on the points differential by blowing a try when he was clearly offside and Morse who.was alongside him clearly was not.

I think the illness would have had some effect on the squad and probably led to Rhys Henry's withdrawal.

The result could have been a lot different had Newcastle sent a first choice team.

We did seem to try more attacking things than previously.

What meeting, Wayne?

The meeting in (I think the Morfa suite) about moving to St. Helens, with an update from Lance.

Thanks.

I suspect we only planned to give him 50 minutes but the Fender sending off changed that plan

Mark Jones said there was a bit of swelling on the knee and that they have taken him out of contention. Were it an absolute must win game I suspect he would play.

Mark is being very relaxed and is resting Fender as well.

Now you have said that, we will probably end up with Dan Eds, Hardy, Rhys D, Fender and RMW in the squad...

Is that a definite as it would be a big boost?

Yep it is confirmed which is great news.

I really appreciated this sight of the official form, it explains a lot.

That is a really good point Wayne. The Team Wales players may well miss Bennetton but hopefully so with their Italian contingent. There is also the matters of how many games Fender is banned for.

I can’t see Fender getting a ban. It was on the low end of the red card scale so I would t be surprised if they see the game card as penalty enough

I think there is a limit on Team Wales players game time even under the current agreement

I thought they were rested for the Munster game for that reason?

Surely they have to play in a must win European game? I would rest them if it was a dead rubber.

I suppose if they have to be rested in one of the next two games then resting them against Newcastle would be better than resting them against Pau. However, 2 BP wins probably give us a home R16 tie so I would be going as fully loaded as possible to make sure that happens. Newcastle are struggling but making too many changes could cost us and I certainly wouldn't make wholesale changes despite the opposition.