So after a few weeks of Wales being battered by the Southern Hemisphere teams (at the time of writing we have lost to Fiji and Australia and face the might SA on Saturday where I suspect we will take another hammering) and breaking our players, the Ospreys will return to face perennial Italian strugglers Zebre in Italy a week on Saturday.
Predicting a squad for this game is difficult given we will not know the extent of any injuries to our TW boys but we do know that we will almost certainly be without Adam Beard. I suspect that Dewi and Jack will likely be rested if we can and possibly Gar Thom as well. We could be struggling for a hooker reserve but will we risk Fender and Will Griff? Several players have (?) due to not knowing if they are fit and available.
Potential Squad
R Henry G Phillips S Parry AN Other T Botha B Warren J Ratti J Fender (?) W Griffiths (?) J Tipuric AN Other M Morris H Deaves (?)
K Hardy RMW D Edwards O Williams K Williams O Watkin P Cokansiga (?) K Giles R Conbeer (?) M Nagy
Discuss.
Because he has come from outside I tend to forget that Greatbanks is only 21 so Fender is his senior by 2 years with all that means at that tender age.
Something the commentator pointed out is that our bench was an average age of just 23 as well.
Didn't manage to see the game but I have watched the lowlights and it was not pretty.
We still seem to get drawn in so tight so teams can exploit the space outside. I don't think we can underestimate how much our pack misses Beard as he offers so much grunt at the scrum and his mauling is first class. I think Fender can step up in his absence but there will be some rust and I am still yet to be convinced by Greatbanks. Hopefully we will see a few more returning for our next game against the Lions.
That performance was lamentable, inept, pathetic or any other appropriate adjective.
I really thought that these types of sh%tshows were behind us but was I wrong.
No intensity, no aggression, no attack, poor defence etc
So disappointing on and off the field - we had 4 weeks to prepare for that, players AND coaches should all be ashamed.
Our gates and potential season ticket sales for next years move will surely be negatively impacted if we at least don't try and improve our attacking rugby stratergies rather than this awful back play that a schoolboy team could defend against.
Disillusioned and very very disappointed.
Are there any of the cavalry fit for next week, because we need them?
Once again we offer nothing in attack except brute force.
We are so very poor in every single aspect of the game..what has happened to us?
Here is the team
Think we are still struggling with injuries. Morse and Rhys D out. Ratti a doubt as is Deaves Tristan Davies Huw Sutton. A lot of 50 50 calls Fender should start with Will Griff likely on bench. Backs look ok.
Forgot Kasende when I put the squad up. Not sure if Conbeer is still with us.
I notice for the Scarlets tomorrow night Costelow and Rogers are out because of injury, there are 2 starters and 4 on the bench from the TW contingent, so IMO there is no reason why all of our TW players should appear in one form or another on Saturday with at least Kieran, Owen and Gareth starting if the latter is ok, and Dewi and Jac at least on the bench.
These next 3 games IMO are crucial to how this seasons pans out.
Gar Thom misses the SA game with illness so he could well feature next week.
Jason I would have thought Lewis Lloyd would be available, as he pulled out of the Dragons game with a dead leg, surely he should have recovered from that by next weekend, I don't know if Ethan Lewis should be ok as I don't know what pulled him out. I don't think RMW will be available I think his injury is more serious.
I would think you should be right about the TW guys, but who knows what comes out from that den of iniquity, I would quite like Cornelius to travel on that trip and have you forgotten Jack Walsh