Rugby Union: Guiness & Magners

[redroar]

Ospreys: Lee Byrne; Johnny Vaughton, Sonny Parker, Andrew Bishop, Shane Williams; James Hook, Justin Marshall; Paul James, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Alun Wyn Jones, Filo Tiatia, Marty Holah, Ryan Jones (capt).
Replacements: Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Ian Evans, Jonathan Thomas, Gareth Owen, Jonathan Spratt, Aled Brew. Dragons: Kevin Morgan; Gareth Wyatt, Paul Emerick, Rhodri Gomer Davies, Richard Mustoe; Ceri Sweeney, Andy Williams; Adam Black, Ben Daly, Rhys Thomas, Andy Hall, Luke Charteris, Colin Charvis (capt), Richard Parks, Joe Bearman.
Replacements: Steve Jones, Lee Harrison, Michael Owen, Lewis Evans, Aled Thomas/Jason Tovey, Phillip Dollman, Wayne Evans

One game in the magners tonight, the biggest under achievers in the league host the worst/second worst team in the league.

Six of the ospreys bench would start in the dragons team and the ospreys tend to follow every poor performance with a cracking one. If the ospreys cant win this comfortably then Lynn Jones should step down immediately. The forecast is fine so I'll take the ospreys with the handicap.

Ospreys -14(various) 10/11 5pts

[Doc]

Ospreys -10 with Skybet was what I took yesterday, but I see just now they've shifted it to -15!!

Still take them at -14

[redroar]

Crappy game, ten minute stoppage for injury, player fine. Neither side gave a crap. Only going to bet on matches that mean something.

16-3 (took -14)

[traeth]

Originally Posted by redroar

Crappy game, ten minute stoppage for injury, player fine. Neither side gave a crap. Only going to bet on matches that mean something.

16-3 (took -14)

totally agree with you redroar about this match , Ospreys have been underachievers in this league this season , how the ref missed the forward pass for the try i don't know , i coulkdn't decide on a bet for this match and i'm glad now.

this rugby forum has been given a blast of fresh air with some excellent contributions from snodser , doc and you redroar , pity the season is coming to an end , hope it continues next season and i'll try to contribute more

i will be giving my opinions on this summer's international friendlies for what their worth

[redroar]

Dont forget we have a mid-week game in Ravenhill on wednesday. Ulster Vs Munster, I'll have teams,forecast,odds and predictions up tomorrow for anyone interested.

[Snodser]

Good man reds, had forgotten about that !

Off the top of my head Ulster need to win this ? just to make sure they get into H-Cup next year?

Munster should then be resting a few names, though the "stand ins " did well the other week.

[redroar]

Your bang on there Snodser, Connacht can still catch them, a long shot but still! Munster will play the same team that beat the ospreys full team last week. Its a big one for Ulster and I think the Munster lads will play hard, there's still places up for grabs in the heineken final 22 and lets face it no likes to lose to The Red Hand!!

[Snodser]

Too true, I'll check out your preview tomorrow

[redroar]

Ulster: B Cunningham; T Bowe, A Trimble, R Dewey, M Bartholomeusz; P Wallace, I Boss; B Young, R Best, T Court, C Del Fava, R Caldwell, M McCullough, K Dawson, S Ferris.
Replacements: N Brady, J Fitzpatrick, J Harrison, N Best, P Marshall, N O'Connor, M McCrea. Munster: S Payne; B Carney, B Murphy, K Lewis, A Horgan; P Warwick, P Stringer, F Pucciarello, F Shehan, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, J O'Sullivan, N Ronan, A Foley (capt).
Replacements: S Cronin, D Hurley, M Melbourne, J Coughlan, G Hurley, J Manning, K Earls.

Here are the teams with Munster fielding largely the same team that beat the Ospreys and Ulster pretty much at full strenght bar Humphreys(at 36yrs old and still the best in the squad). Must win game for Ulster and while they've lost all there away games under williams they've won all their home matchs.

Munsters league form is hard to measure as they play a different team every week, there are signs that the B pack are nearly as good as the A pack and the backline is not short on experience.

Ulsters form is patchy but they do have Rory Best back and he's a big player for them. Munsters bench looks a bit raw for me whereas Ulster have a few seasoned campaigners to fall back on. I think Ulsters greater need will shade this one. My bets are:

Ulster match odds 4/7 8pts

Ulster -3 9/10 4 pts

Ulster by 1-5 pts 4/1 3pts all with paddypower

[Snodser]

Hi reds, very quickly.......

seeing how the B team beat the Ospreys & there are some quality players there do you not feel that the munster lads will be playing full on to try and get a place in the 22?

Humphreys out etc what do you think of Munster +4 10/11 BS?

can't stay on line but will get back around 6

Cheers

[redroar]

I agree but that win was at home in the rain.Heres the team that beat the Ospreys:


Munster: Payne, Carney, Murphy, Lewis, Horgan, Warwick, O'Leary, Pucciariello, Sheahan, Buckley, O'Driscoll, O'Callaghan, D. Ryan, Ronan, Leamy. Replacements: Manning for Payne (70), Earls for Carney (63), Stringer for O'Leary (63), Flannery for Sheahan (63), Horan for Buckley (41), Wallace for O'Callaghan (72), Foley for Leamy

Look at the quality of the guys they brought on and compare that to tonights bench. No doubt they will go all out but I think Ulster will win I'm not 100%by how much so I'll leave that to your discretion.

Go with your gut Snods I think it'll close either way.

[Doc]

Its a derby game and it is away from home for Munster. A much stronger side than tonights one:

Munster: D. Hurley, Howlett, Mafi, Leamy, Dowling, Warwick, Stringer, Buckley, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, D. Ryan, Quinlan, Wallace, Foley.
Replacements: Sheahan, Horan, O'Connell, Coughlan, O'Leary, O'Gara, Tipoki.

only won by 11 points away to Connacht. Ulster beat Connacht by 12, admittedly a little lucky to do so. On a form line I'd be comfortable enough with Ulster -4

[Snodser]

Originally Posted by redroar

Munsters league form is hard to measure as they play a different team every week, there are signs that the B pack are nearly as good as the A pack and the backline is not short on experience.

Not easy, I've only seen one game outside europe this season & leinster hammered ulster that day.
I have no faith in paddy wallace so I'm going to stick with your thoughts on the match being close & Ulster in a must win situation. 2 small ones:

Ulster to win 4/7 5pts
Munster +6 4/7 5pts

[Snodser]

19-9

Ulster get a timely win. Well done reds.

No doubt the "suits" in the IRFU will be happy as it keeps the thorny "Connacht" question at bay.

If I'm not mistaken Munster play on friday. I know the ML is not the most prestigious of leagues ( they may have a diiff opinion around D4 come the weekend!) but could they not avoid this bottleneck of games?
Makes a lottery (if not a joke) of the league....... It would be nice to think Connacht had a fighting chance, they certainly deserve it...........silk purse out of sows ears etc

[redroar]

Did'nt see any of this but it finished 19-9, slightly more then I expected but two of the three picks came in so I'm relatively happy.

You watch this one live DOC ?