Racing92 v Ospreys (The Dead Rubber Return) December 14th.

I thought that Luke Morgan (Wing) also had a decent game. Covered well in defence and looked dangerous going forward. It helps when you’ve got pace and he’s our only back (at the moment) with genuine pace.

Thanks for the reports from everyone, there was also a decent report in todays RP, with good comments on most of our threequarters, the real downer apparently was McKenzie, even some of the replacements had better ratings than starters in a few positions.

I know it is the wrong thread to put this on, but there is ominous news in the RP about another club Lyon being very interested in our captain, that brings the total to 5 with the likes of Toulouse, Toulon, CA and Bristol already mentioned in dispatches, we can ill afford to lose him not only for his expertise but if we can't hold onto him, why would other decent players come to us.

@ospreysfanforum thanks the update. I thought tgat despite leaking a lot of points, which against that Raving squad was always going to be difficult, it represented another good performance. Particularly pleasing to see our aggression at the breakdown, cohesion which has been missing and a willingness to play a running game. Well done Ospreys.

Keiron Williams went off injured. Don’t know how serious tho.

Second half starts both teams build through some phases but it comes to nothing. Ospreys lose a lineout in their own 22 and Racing build pressure through some big carries and eventually score their 5th try - 33-5 after 48 minutes.

A quickly taken penalty inside the Ospreys 22 catches the Ospreys defence at sixes and sevens and Racing score their 6th and final try to make it 40-5 on 54 minutes.

56 minutes and the Ospreys work the ball wide to Klim who beats Zebo and runs in from the half way line for a fine individual try. 40 -12.

Ospreys have almost emptied the bench as well.

63 minutes and Racing make a good break but a poor pass costs them a pretty certain try.

67 minutes and Racing knock on in our 22, we spread the ball wide and a nice break from Tom Williams puts Luke Price in for an Ospreys try. 40-17.

On 70 minutes, Racing are attacking in our 22 again but the ball goes forward, Venter (now playing at FB) picks up and kicks downfield. He chases after the kick that this time the ball bounces our way and Venter goes in from the half way line for a great individual try and a try BP 40-22.

75 minutes and Ospreys win a penalty after a Racing player lifts the legs of Lake during a maul. Price puts the ball in the corner and we have an attacking lineout and after a few phases the ball goes wide to Klim and he scores his second try. 40 -17 and that is how the game finished.

Otten, Klim and Will Jones made some notable turnovers and Kieron Williams and Klim looked dangerous when given quality ball. To be fair to him Price had a decent shift when he came on as well.

I don't think we were ever in with a shout of winning the game but our heads never dropped and we kept going to the end. We could have possibly had 3 more tries but then again so could have Racing. There should be confidence in the Squad looking ahead to the Cardiff game and as far as I can tell, nobody went off injured. Well done Ospreys.

@Fiddler and those who did not see the game, I hope the above gives you some sort of idea of how the game went.

I was away as well lads, sorry. Just watching the game now. We had 2 very good attacking sets to start the game, almost scoring a try and actually scoring a lovely through the hands try.

Then things went awry as advantage was called over a McKenzie kick was charged down and they scored a try. A minute or two later, McKenzie threw a wide pass and was picked off for an easy run in interception. 17 minutes gone and it is 12-5.

24 minutes and a lovely inside ball breaks open the Ospreys and Racing score again and convert 19-5.

Ospreys attack through the phases and a nice chip over the top bounces just too high for Morgan who would have scored had he caught the ball.

Ospreys make another nice break but Ashley throws the ball a mile forward when a simple pop would have led to a try on 33 minutes.

38 minutes and Racing are attacking and a nice offload frees Zebo for a try under the posts and the BP is secured as is the conversion and at half time it is 26-5. Ospreys had three really good chances to score but the bounce of a ball twice and a shocker of a pass cost them dearly.

Thanks for that report 9568668, not being able to watch the game, it would be good to get other reports, where are TP and Fiddler?

I thought that performance was 100% improvement on anything we’ve produced for a while.

plenty of green shoots and knowing Mike Ruddock the spine of his side, hopefully he’ll stay, will be these youngsters who clearly have skill and desire.

Owen Watkin could be out for several weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50746041

The Ospreys have gone with a far stronger team than I anticipated....

It's a new look back line this week, with Cai Evans returning to the starting XV at fullback, with Lesley Klim and Luke Morgan lining up on the right and left wing respectively. 22-year-old Kieran Williams makes his second start of the season at inside centre, while 20-year-old Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler will line up outside him in the midfield. Venter starts at scrumhalf, partnering up with Marty McKenzie, who is making his second appearance at flyhalf following his debut last week against Racing 92.  The front row is unchanged from last week as Nicky Smith and Ma'afu Fia pack down either side of Scott Otten at hooker. Adam Beard holds onto the number four shirt but is partnered up with Lloyd Ashley in lieu of Bradley Davies. Workhorse Lydiate maintains the captaincy and once more starts on the blindside, with Sam Cross marshalling the openside. Promising youngster Morgan Morris, who was impressive last week against the French outfit, starts again at number eight, completing the back row.

Wales U20 captain and hooker, Dewi Lake, is set to make his season debut from the bench, while front row duo, Rhys Fawcett and Simon Gardiner will also make their Ospreys debuts from the bench.

Replacements Guido Volpi and Will Jones offer some dynamism in the pack should they be used, while Welsh international Aled Davies is on standby to cover scrumhalf. Outside half Luke Price will be hoping to make his mark in La Défense Arena, as will the young flyer, Tom Williams, who covers the back three.

Ospreys team to play Racing 92 in round four of the Heineken Champions Cup at the Paris La Défense Arena on Friday 13th December, K.O 8:45pm (local time):

Starting XV: 15. Cai Evans 14. Lesley Klim 13. Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler 12. Kieran Williams 11. Luke Morgan 10. Marty McKenzie 9. Shaun Venter

1. Nicky Smith 2. Scott Otten 3. Ma'afu Fia 4. Adam Beard 5. Lloyd Ashley  6. Dan Lydiate © 7. Sam Cross 8. Morgan Morris

Replacements 16. Dewi Lake 17. Rhys Fawcett 18. Simon Gardiner  19. Guido Volpi 20. Will Jones 21. Aled Davies  22. Luke Price 23. Tom Williams

The following players were unavailable for selection: Alun Wyn Jones  George North  Justin Tipuric

The following players were unavailable for selection due to injury: Cory Allen   Gareth Anscombe Dan Baker Tom Botha Gareth Evans Keelan Giles  Ben Glynn Rhys Henry Rhodri Jones James King Harri Morgan Sam Parry Gareth Thomas Owen Watkin

Upcoming fixtures: Saturday 21st December -- 7:35pm -- Ospreys v Cardiff Blues, The Liberty Stadium.  Thursday 26th December -- 5:15pm -- Scarlets v Ospreys, Parc y Scarlets. Saturday 4th January -- 3pm -- Dragons v Ospreys, Rodney Parade.

Going by the Ospreys Facebook page it looks as though Dewi Lake is going to be involved Friday, looking forward to seeing him in action at this level.

Owen Watkin is definitely out.

Just heard on the news (and announced on Scarlet Fever) that the Scarlets have loaned us Simon Gardiner and Rhys Fawcett for the rest of the season to help with our front row problems. Thanks to them foe that.

According to Wales Online, we are looking at bringing in emergency loan cover at prop because of our injury problems...

On the list that TP posted a link to there are 41 players listed you can add McKenzie, so you can take one player out (probably a long term injured) besides the 3 returning TW players there are 5 others in the long term injured, and you can add another in Rhodri Jones who is not listed, there were 3 taken off injured, in my non medical eyes I thought both Watkin and Gaijon looked in serious trouble. That is 11 plus with 3 hookers and 4 scrum halves nominated or available, so another 3 cannot play unless we play one out of position (Venter) so that only allows 29 or 30 available. By that some experienced players will have to play or at least on the bench.

TP, I noticed the link you provided for our 41 man squad did not include Marty McKenzie, I wonder how many others are not correct?

@ogwrwayne a rough count says 11 of the 41 are currently injured or not available to us.

Yes, I realised I cannot count lol....

The trouble is TP because of the inadequacies of our new website we do not know who out of that 41 is fit or even close to fit, let me start by saying the 3 TW players from the WC, I've been told 2 are definitely fit to play now, how many of the injured listed for last nights game will be available for next weekend. I totally agree if he's fit Dewi Lake should be at least on the bench, that back 5 you've selected there is not one adequate line out operator. IMO there has to be at least 2 covering that area. Why not try Venter at 10 outside of perhaps Aubrey. Can I just say and this is no criticism both times you've selected teams of only 14. Have we already had somebody red carded lol

As I said in the other thread if we put out a really weakened side I think we may get in trouble. I think we would be accuse of throwing it and gifting Racing the points.

Or do we go FULLY loaded, put in a good performance to gain some confidence going into the Christmas games. Marty was lightyears ahead of price/hook and he could do with some game time to gell with the other 1st teamers. I'm not saying we will beat racing out there but a bit of momentum in our performances wouldn't go a miss. Keeping 15 men on the park would also help.