Munster v Ospreys Saturday 08/10/11

Thomond Park, Kick Off: 7:30pm. Live on RTÉ Two from 7:15pm & S4C from 7:15pm.

This should be a very exciting fixture. Having dipped to second place in the table after their defeat last week to Edinburgh, Munster will be looking to reclaim the top spot. The Ospreys will not only want to retain poll position, but also their unblemished winning record in this competition. It's going to be a tough challenge for them away in Thomond Park, and Munster will want to ensure they get a good home win to move back up.

MUNSTER:

Johne Murphy
Doug Howlett
Danny Barnes
Lifeimi Mafi
Denis Hurley
Ian Keatley
Duncan Williams
Wian du Preez
Denis Fogarty
Stephen Archer
Billy Holland
Mick O'Driscoll
Dave O'Callaghan
Niall Ronan
Peter O'Mahony (capt.)

Replacements:
Sean Henry
Marcus Horan
BJ Botha
Ian Nagle
Tommy O'Donnell
Peter Stringer
Scott Deasy
Simon Zebo

REFEREE: James Jones

OSPREYS:

Barry Davies
Hanno Dirksen
Tom Isaacs
Andrew Bishop
Richard Fussell
Dan Biggar
Rhys Webb
Duncan Jones
Richard Hibbard
Cai Griffiths
Ian Gough
Ian Evans
Joe Bearman
Justin Tipuric (Capt)
Jonathan Thomas

Replacements:
Mefin Davies
Aaron Jarvis
Joe Rees
Tom Smith
James King
Matthew Morgan
Sonny Parker
Kristian Phillips

Referee: James Jones (WRU, 53rd competition game)
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Eanna O'Dowd (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eddie Walsh (IRFU)
TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU)

Cari, Saturday is going to be some day.

5am start heading to that Leinster haunt Koileys to watch the match. Then heading to the RDS to cheer on Connacht. Then cross the road into Paddy Cullens to watch the main match of the day the Pro 12 top of the table clash.

Come on Munster

Come on Ireland

Come on Connacht haha

Sure is Muffy

I'll be getting up about 5, have a coffee, stick the telly on for half past, then watch the match....followed by a cooked brekkie, then this match in the evening with a take away - woo hoo!

'mlaen Gweilch!

'mlaen Cymru!

...and no flash stuff Tommy!

And the Leinster game, Cari. Don't forget the Leinster game!

Good a Welsh referee, now we can do some complaining this week

it'll be a close one, hope Munster win well enough so Ospreys don't get a LBP to keep teh top of the table closer. Hope Ospreys don't win as they could start pulling away at the top.

With sherry and varley called up to the wc who will be the munster cover at hooker? Presuming fogarty starts.

Sean Henry. He played once or twice last year I think.

Thomond wrote:Sean Henry. He played once or twice last year I think.

Bloody Munster stealing all of Connachts best players. Wouldn't catch Leinster doing that

Kingshu wrote:Good a Welsh referee, now we can do some complaining this week

But all the other match officials are Irish, so it'll all be their fault if Munster win

Cari wrote:

Kingshu wrote:Good a Welsh referee, now we can do some complaining this week

But all the other match officials are Irish, so it'll all be their fault if Munster win

Lets hope we get a bent biased Welsh referee who will only referee the Irish team for a change.
Though being an Ospreys fan I have my doubts!

Is this where the Munster Ospreys riverally can be traced back to?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/celtic/2737603.stm

Neath's chief executive Mike Cuddy believes Peter Stringer should be cited following the WRU's decision to hand Brett Sinkinson a six-match ban. After the Celtic League Final Neath 17-37 Munster

then onto this (which must have really spiced it up)

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/munster-fume-as-horan-cleared-on-racial-charge-142615.html

Munster made a citing complaint against Ospreys wing Richard Mustoe for stamping and Ospreys in retalation accused Horan of racist remarks. He was exonerated of all blame, The committee held that the alleged remark had never been made.

Muster statement at time
"However we are bitterly disappointed that such a serious allegation, which has cast a slur on the good name of Marcus Horan, was only raised by the Neath-Swansea Ospreys in response to Munster's citing of Richard Mustoe. We believe that the actions taken in this instance by the Neath-Swansea Ospreys have no place in sport."


Muster V Ospreys, normally make good games, and they are both top teams that really adds to it, plus that past history

Celtic League Head to Head Munster 13 Ospreys 9

Kingshu wouldnt have thought that there is that much of a rivalry between Munster and Ospreys other than the two are the best two teams in the Pro 12.

HC is where rivalries are made and theres not to much to go on there other than a couple of wins for Munster in TP

Kingshu wrote:Good a Welsh referee, now we can do some complaining this week

James Jones is one of the worst of the welsh refs too. But I have a feeling if he does ref poor it will be against he Ospreys, he tends to ref harshly on the side you would expect him to favour.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Kingshu wrote:Good a Welsh referee, now we can do some complaining this week

James Jones is one of the worst of the welsh refs too. But I have a feeling if he does ref poor it will be against he Ospreys, he tends to ref harshly on the side you would expect him to favour.

Jeezus, not happy with Irish refs in wales, and not happy with Welsh refs in Ireland, not happy with Scottish refs in general. Do the Welsh like the Italian refs (doubt it somehow).

Ospreys have been pretty lacklustre in the second half without the other team captalising so far. Munster will if the O's get comlplacent. This is the O's first away game in the home countries, interesting to see how we go.

Cant wait for saturday

Up at 5.30
Ireland match
England-France match
My own match with my club
Catch up on some sleep
Munster match

Pure bliss

Welsh people don't like any refs. Instead of accepting the failures their team has they blame referees. Refs don't put points on the board.









Of course this is a slight WUM,but partly based on fact.

Thomond wrote:Refs don't put points on the board.

They decide if points go on the board, though

Munster side named...
Munster. Johne Murphy; Doug Howlett, Danny Barnes, Lifeimi Mafi, Denis Hurley; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Wian du Preez, Denis Fogarty, Stephen Archer; Billy Holland, Mick O'Driscoll; Dave O'Callaghan, Niall Ronan, Peter O'Mahony capt. Replacements: Sean Henry, Marcus Horan, BJ Botha, Ian Nagle, Tommy O'Donnell, Peter Stringer, Scott Deasy, Simon Zebo

Eight changes from last week. POM back as captain, Dave O'Callaghan being given a start!!!strong backline...would really like to start seeing Zebo starting....

Looks a good team.

I agree with DOD too that Zebo should start, that boy has talent.

Thanks for the heads up...duly updated The O's will probably announce their side about lunchtime tomorrow.

Team announcement above.

Sonny Parker will become just the third Ospreys player to reach 150 appearances for the region if he comes off the bench

The following players were not considered because of injury:

Scott Baldwin - Shoulder
James Goode - Groin
Gareth Owen - ACL
Nikki Walker - Medial Ligament
Ashley Beck - Shoulder


Forwards Coach, Jonathan Humphreys, commented: "We're expecting a tough evening. You wouldn't expect anything else when you play Munster, home or away. Both teams may have a different look to them from when we last played, but it will still be intense and will still be a real battle. We are well aware that we have to raise our game several levels from where we were against Connacht. We weren't at our best, and a lot of credit for that has to go to Connacht for stopping us playing, but we have to expect that and learn how to deal with it. Munster won't be any different in that area of the game, so we need to learn how to combat it. Our tenacity, our spirit and work ethic is spot on. This group of players are displaying all the characteristics we want from Ospreys players, but they need to improve on their accuracy and attention to detail because Munster will make us pay if we don't get it right on Saturday."

I really believe we can win this game, we just need to control the pace and the style of play. Keep doing the basics right and we could be 6 out of 6 come sunday. That said Munster are no mugs and wont be happy losing to Edinburgh last week. Either way has the potiential to be a cracking game

DOD wrote:Munster side named...
Munster. Johne Murphy; Doug Howlett, Danny Barnes, Lifeimi Mafi, Denis Hurley; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Wian du Preez, Denis Fogarty, Stephen Archer; Billy Holland, Mick O'Driscoll; Dave O'Callaghan, Niall Ronan, Peter O'Mahony capt. Replacements: Sean Henry, Marcus Horan, BJ Botha, Ian Nagle, Tommy O'Donnell, Peter Stringer, Scott Deasy, Simon Zebo

Eight changes from last week. POM back as captain, Dave O'Callaghan being given a start!!!strong backline...would really like to start seeing Zebo starting....

Strong Munster team. Will be great atmosphere in TP with lots of drunk Munster heads celebrating ROGs victory over Wales

Oh Muffy

Munster might well want revenge later....gulp!

Ah we all knew the importent Wales-Ireland match is tonight

Oh Yes Curry - The Battle for the Top o'the Rab Table. There'll be blood, sweat, tears, guts...

Hopefully another win for a team in red today

Good evening All. I'll be updating this thread with the score - assuming I can stay awake, I'm knackered having only had two hours kip last night!

Simple try scored after two and a half minutes from a chargedown by Barnes for Munster. Good start for them.

7 - 0.

Biggar kicks a penalty. 7 - 3.

Keatley going for a penalty. Perfect.

10 - 3.

Keatley goes for a penalty but it bounces off the post. No change to the score.

cheers for the updates Cari

hi all, just checking in

No probs...I'm still awake...just!

Munster warned about their discipline, and O's get a penalty. Biggar going for the sticks.

Another bounces off the post! Still 10 - 3.

Good phase of play there from O's. Scrum right under the posts, so they should get something out of this.

Good, but untidy O's scrum. Penalty to them. They choose to scrum again. Just need to heave over the line now. Munster penalised again, and the O's choose the scrum again. Could get a penalty try at this rate. Scrum OK that time, albeit messy again. Ball lost forward.

Munster's front row told off again and the O's get another penalty. Biggar's going for the posts again.

10 - 6 at HT.

Ospreys have been in Munster's 22 with most of the possession this half, but they're not capitalising on the opportunity. Too many errors. They need to cut them out and get a try soon.

Munster have a player in the bin, I missed who it was. Biggar penalty puts the score at 10 - 9.

Ospreys dominating in territory again, but they're just not getting through the Munster defence. They need to get a try in whilst they're a man up.

My internet decided to crash Both teams down to 14 men, in the interim the Ospreys score a superb try.

10 - 14.

What a rubbish game, poor skills by both teams, interception puts the Ospreys in front.

Munster get a penalty 13 - 14.

Argh no! Drop goal attempt bounces off the post. It's the fourth time in this game that has happened. O's could've done with that as well.

Big ovation for Stringer who's coming on.

Massive drop goal attempt from Davies, but it goes wide. Could've done with that as well. O's have been in the Munster 22 quite a bit this half as well, but they're just not making the most of the territory. Scrappy game.

Munster gathering momentum and heading to the ten metre line. If they score now, it's game over - 8 minutes to go.

eeep sounds like it'll be a close finish!

Howlett goes for the chip and chase but over cooks it. Ball lost into touch, O's get a line out.