After a solid start against Cardiff and a terribly poor outing last time out against the Scarlets, the Ospreys will travel to Rodney Parade to face the Dragons in Round 3 of the Rainbow Cup.
Does anyone know how the qualification works?
The matchday 23 is anyone's guess but I expect that it could look something like this -
15. Dan Evans
14. Luke Morgan
13. Owen Watkin
12. Joe Hawkins
11. Mat Protheroe
10. Luke Price
9. Harri Morgan (if fit)
1. Nicky Smith
2. Ifan Phillips
3. Tom Botha
4. Adam Beard
5. Rhys Davies
6. Morgan Morris
7. Justin Tipuric ©
8. Ethan Roots
16. Sam Parry
17. Gareth Thomas
18. Rhys Henry
19. Bradley Davies
20. AWJ
21. Reuben Morgan-Williams
22. Kieran Williams
23. Keelan Giles
https://www.ospreyssupporterstrust.co.uk/post/monday-morning-quarterback-view-19
Myler and Webb are back in training soon, so should give us some shape out in Connacht.
Nagy at full back would be a really ballsy call but we need to have a look at him. Dan Evans is now a total liability.
While watching the replay of the game on S4C I wondered why three of the regions have Welsh names yet the Scarlets who always claim proud Welsh heritage do not.
In the first half especially we had no width or depth to our game leaving acres of room for the Dragons to run or kick into. We could of conceded several more tries if they had been more clinical. All our centres lack speed and only offer crash ball options with little subtlety. Dan Evans looks more like a number eight every game, but a win is a win and we have to play to our strengths.
10 and 15, and midfield defence are easily our biggest problems. Sort that and we’d have won easily.
Match report -
https://www.ospreyssupporterstrust.co.uk/post/dragons-v-ospreys-rainbow-cup-r3
Our weak links are so bad though. They just peg us back.
Good win there in the end, but almost the most satisfying aspect was hearing the disappointment from the commentary box. Holley embarrassed himself. We stick 42 points on them, 5 tries. A 5-0 game, but he can't bring himself to award the MotM to an Ospreys player.
Agree, very predictabl.
Once again everything we do is so slow and predictable. Every time the Dragons attack they look dangerous even if we win there’s a lot to work on.
Dreadful start by the Ospreys but they responded well to take a commanding lead but they let it slip in the final two minutes and let the Dragons in again (forward pass for me) to make the half time score 14-20.
Loads of work to do to get a win today - keep possession, keep winning the scrum, get the driving maul working, stop sending one up runners into contact and stop allowing easy turnovers at the breakdown, play some attacking rugby and score points. That is not too much to ask is it?
It’s looking like Harri Morgan isn’t going to emerge as an option and we still have no idea if Anscombe will be any good.
Our best back has a serious ACL injury. Giles seems to have serious durability issues while Webb and Myler are in decline.
There‘s every reason to be on red alert about the backs. We’re a long way from fielding sides without semi pro level players in it, let alone from fielding sides with match winners.
I am pretty despondent about things. We’ve resigned the very players, that every time they have been called upon have come up way too short. I know that money is short, but Ashley, Cross etc is not a good use of our limited resources. All we need is Dan Evans and Luke Price to extend next…….
I get that the theory is that they are 4th/5th choice, but Team Wales call ups and the inevitable injuries will mean they will always get called upon.
I fear the progress we’ve made this season is under threat - the quality of our backs is incredibly poor and there’s not much of a cavalry coming.
Our opposition...
Dragons (v Ospreys): Josh Lewis, Jonah Holmes, Jack Dixon, Aneurin Owen, Rio Dyer, Sam Davies, Gonzalo Bertranou; Greg Bateman, Taylor Davies, Leon Brown, Joe Davies, Ben Carter, Aaron Wainwright (c), Ollie Griffiths, Dan Baker
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Josh Reynolds, Chris Coleman, Joe Maksymiw, Taine Basham, Huw Taylor, Dan Babos, Ioan Davies
For those who will no doubt ask...
Max Nagy is a Whites full back who is at Swansea Uni. He began his rugby career at local club Buckingham RFC, before taking up opportunities with Northampton Saints Academy at under 16 and under 18 and was selected for the South West England under 18s squad. Since moving to Swansea to study sport and exercise science, Max has been actively involved with the university rugby side and played in the winning BUCS final at the end of last season. This season sees Nagy signing for The Whites whilst also being involved with the Ospreys under 23s academy alongside his studies and university rugby.
Here is the Match day 23...
15. Dan Evans
14. Luke Morgan
13. Owen Watkin
12. Keiran Williams
11. Dewi Cross
10. Luke Price
9. Reuben Morgan-Williams
1.Gareth Thomas
2.Sam Parry
3. Tom Botha
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Ethan Roots
7. Justin Tipuric ©
8. Morgan Morris
16. Todd Gleave
17. Nicky Smith
18. Rhys Henry
19. Rhys Davies
20. Will Griffiths
21. Matthew Aubrey
22. Joe Hawkins
23. Max Nagy
As you say impossible to judge how he will approach selection. The two teams with the best record after the five games play off in the final so having dropped a game with no losing bonus point it will be difficult to get there.
The only point I would make is to go with the same set of half backs would be bordering on insanity particularly the 10. Not sure there is much to be gained by including the same players at 15 12 or 6.