Ospreys v. Edinburgh 2.12.16 @7:35

[gowrie]

Ospreys currently 3rd with 31 points, we're currently 10th with 14, and they're coming off the back of a BP away win over the Weegies. Probably going to be a tough one.

Would say that it's unlikely our international players will start, but Ford and Gilchrist could well be back on the bench.

1. Cosgrove, 2. McInally, 3. McCallum, 4. Carmichael, 5. McKenzie, 6. Bradbury, 7. Ritchie, 8. Du Preez
9. Kennedy, 10. Weir, 11. Allen, 12. Burleigh, 13. Dean, 14. Hoyland, 15. Scholes

16. Ford, 17. Dell, 18. Whyte, 19. Gilchrist, 20. Mata, 21. H-C, 22. Tovey, 23. Tofilau

It would also be nice to see a couple of players like Scholes given a serious opportunity to stake a claim, especially since he came here with such a big reputation.

[The Nudger]

Has Scholes been playing club rugby?

[gowrie]

Playing for Gala, scored a few tries for them already.

[The Feral Goat]

Interesting thoughts from Manu, wonder how they are this week on current chaotic form we should be winning this week.

“Individually I don’t think everyone is always mentally preparing well and that is hard to measure. Those games against Harlequins and Ulster every single player was ‘up’ the whole week, you could see that mental edge.

“No matter who the opponent is you have to try to prepare the same every week.

“As an experienced player I understand what works well for me, what I need to do to prepare well, play well and be ready right from the first whistle. I have my own preparation and every player is different. Back home [in New Zealand] we actually had mental coaches coming in [to] make you understand how your mind works – there was a big emphasis on mental preparation.

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-uni ... -1-4305424

[The Feral Goat]

Edinburgh Rugby team to play Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in the Guinness PRO12 tomorrow (Friday 2 December, kick-off 7.35pm) – live on BBC Wales

15. Blair Kinghorn

14. Damien Hoyland
13. Chris Dean
12. Junior Rasolea
11. Will Helu

10. Duncan Weir
9. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

1. Allan Dell
2. Stuart McInally
3. Murray McCallum
4. Ben Toolis
5. Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN
6. Magnus Bradbury
7. Jamie Ritchie
8. Nasi Manu

Replacements

16. Neil Cochrane
17. Kyle Whyte
18. Felipe Arregui
19. Lewis Carmichael
20. Viliame Mata
21. Nathan Fowles
22. Jason Tovey
23. Glenn Bryce

Players unavailable due to injury: Simon Berghan (foot), Anton Bresler (groin), Tom Brown (groin), Kevin Bryce (shoulder), Jack Cosgrove (knee), John Hardie (ankle), Fraser McKenzie (shoulder), WP Nel (neck), Rory Sutherland (groin)

[The Feral Goat]

Ospreys: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Ashley Beck, Josh Matavesi, Dafydd Howells; Sam Davies, Brendon Leonard; Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Ma'afu Fia, Rory Thornton, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), James King, Justin Tipuric, Dan Baker.

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Underhill, Tom Habberfield, Dan Biggar, Kieron Fonotia.

[Tichtheid]

Ospreys: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Ashley Beck, Josh Matavesi, Dafydd Howells; Sam Davies, Brendon Leonard; Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Ma'afu Fia, Rory Thornton, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), James King, Justin Tipuric, Dan Baker.

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley, Sam Underhill, Tom Habberfield, Dan Biggar, Kieron Fonotia.

Well that's torn it.

[liveinhope]

Very surprised not to see Du Preez at least in the 23.
Given the ridiculous five dayturnaround for successive matches away in Wales (don't believe any other team has been given a schedule like that-ever?) which seems to be done by bus surely he could have stepped in for one of the four back rowers listed who are the same as Sunday. He is not listed as injured and our back row was well beaten at the breakdown against the Dragons so a change tomorrow might have helped.

[germain]

Good to see some change.
The combo Kennedy-Tovey-Burleigh takes all the blame for the previous failure against Dragons. It's the only real unforced change with ex-captain Cochrane also on the bench.
Hidalgo-Clyne has a big chance to reclaim the starting berth if he leads us to victory! It's the same with McInally, Weir and Rasolea.
I don't think anybody expect us to gain anything from this game against a strong Ospreys side, but I want us to do better than expected.

[Friday Knight Lights]

Good to see some change.
The combo Kennedy-Tovey-Burleigh takes all the blame for the previous failure against Dragons. It's the only real unforced change with ex-captain Cochrane also on the bench.
Hidalgo-Clyne has a big chance to reclaim the starting berth if he leads us to victory! It's the same with McInally, Weir and Rasolea.
I don't think anybody expect us to gain anything from this game against a strong Ospreys side, but I want us to do better than expected.

I did think Burleigh had one of his poorer games vs the Dragons but I am surprised to see Kennedy who's been clear first choice drop out of the team entirely. It's a good chance for SHC and I really hope he calms down and focuses on the basics rather than doing it all himself. Happy to see Weir back too as he surpassed expectations early in the season and I hope he can bring some structure but still play that attacking game.

Hopefully our pack can generate good ball and do better at the breakdown than last week. I'm surprised not to see du Preez either but Manu, Bradbury and Mata are useful - I did think we might see Mata at second row though.

[Sonicboom]

Goodness, Will Helu still exists!

[New Gunner]

Pretty low expectations for this one, which normally means we end up playing well. Difficult to see us get anything but a 15+ point defeat though, that Ospreys team looks pretty tasty.

Kennedy must have hacked off Hodge if Fowles is getting a look-in, with Burleigh and Allen nowhere to be seen. Big chance for Sam, would really like to see him show some form of old - he did look sharper than Kennedy when he came on last week.

The case of Du Preez is odd - I know he's been injured, but he was pretty much second name on the team sheet after Nel last season - Solly's man?

Really would like to see this team at some point this season (1872 maybe?):

Dickinson, Ford, Nel, Bresler, Toolis, Du Preez, Watson, Manu, SHC, Weir, Brown, Burleigh, Dean, Hoyland, Kinghorn
subs: McInally, Sutherland, McCallum, Gilchrist, Bradbury / Mata, Kennedy, Tovey, Rasolea

With the right 'mental preparation' Nasi refers to, reckon they could take any team in the league.

Surprised at how little Bryce has offered so far, he's always looked good for Glasgow but seems a PaulHoniss rabbit for us. Can't really see the value in Helu coming back in, he's shown very little for us and should be out the door in the summer.

Here's hoping for a switched-on performance at least on Friday...

[doedin]

Have to agree with many comments here. Cant understand what is happening with CdP, he is a quality player and I would have thought we might have seen some rotation. Balance of back row still wrong and I suspect the Os will target the breakdown and I dont think we have the guys to look after our own ball. Cochrane was probably the only guy last game who was technically proficient at the breakdown and he is dropped to the bench. Might have been an idea to have kept him at hooker and put McInally at 7! Also Dickinson is not listed as injured so I thought he might have been on the bench?

Not all that confident about the defensive cohesiveness of that back line once we get outside Weir. At least SHC and Weir will bring a bit more than Kennedy and Tovey who were pretty ineffective last week however outside them I worry. Helu has underwhelmed when I have seen him and we haven’t seen enough of Junior yet but he does seem to jump out of the line a lot. Also interesting just how low Scholes must be in the pecking order not to at least bench for this game, why did we sign him?

Looks like Hodge has decided this game is a non starter for us, particularly given the internationalists need some rest, and has kept guys back for the Stade game? I expect to see Nel, Dickinson, Ford, CdP and Watson back on the 10th.

Sorry guys but after last weeks performance against a pretty miserable Dragons team I can see us losing the breakdown and getting minced out wide and think even a LBP will be beyond us. The Os will be looking to secure the TBP win before half time and then let us pretend we can compete thereafter.

[gowrie]

Don't see how CdP, a big ball carrier, would particularly help the balance in the backrow. He's had some great games, but so far this season hasn't played any better than the guys in the squad so I'm not crying with him not making the team just yet.

In general I get the sense this is rotation in a game Hodge isn't bothered about losing, at least partly driven by a five day turnaround between away games. Don't expect much, hoping we can keep it close at least and aim for the LBP.

[Oldsalt]

Given Manu's comments does that mean the "non" professionals are back in charge at Edinburgh Rugby?
Have we written the league off already?
Would selecting Dickinson and Nel for a European competition match without ANY game time be too much of a gamble?
I'd actually pick Fowles ahead of Kennedy every time as to me he offers more all round in his game. Kennedy for me has not improved his game management at all over the past few years.
The O's back row has balance and experience ours is youthfull with potential. I think it will show tomorrow.
Still like the Ulster match surprises do happen but perhaps not tomorrow as that's as strong an O's side you will see barring injury, they are not writing anything off.