Ospreys vs Leinster, 6PM

I was watching the racing but did Munster maybe put a little too much into a game that didn't really matter last week?

Rugby not my thing, but these were the points one of our lads made on Thursday and he is keen on the Ospreys.


Strengths:

The Ospreys boast a talented panel featuring an array of Lions’ fowards such as Justin Tipuric, Ian Evans, Alun Wyn Jones, Adam Jones and Richard Hibbard, as well as rising Welsh out half Dan Biggar.  And all will be eager to extend two strong records this weekend by beating Pro12 rivals Leinster.

Firstly, Ospreys will be seeking to add to an impressive European home record of 7 wins, 1 draw (to Leicester in January 2013) and 1 defeat (by 3 points to Saracens in December 2011) in the last 3 seasons.  All the more notable when the visitors have included Munster, Toulon and Toulouse.  And secondly, Ospreys will be looking to maintain a good home record against Leinster.  In 10 home games, Ospreys have won 6 – including all of the last 3.

Weaknesses:

With 3 Heineken Cup titles and an Amlin Challenge Cup in the last 5 seasons, few can argue that Leinster have become masters of European club rugby over recent years.  And key to this success has been a record of just 2 defeats in 10 away Heineken Cup games – both in Clermont.

But this is a changed Leinster.  Gone is head coach Joe Schmidt, and key players Jonny Sexton, Isa Nacewa and Heinke van der Merwe.  Richardt Strauss is also out for the season due to a heart condition whilst Brian O’Driscoll is rated doubtful to play (with fitness an issue if he does).  And whilst the likes of Cian Healy, Leo Cullen, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Gordon D’Arcy and Rob Kearney all bring plenty of experience to bear, the absence of Sexton’s big match know-how in tight European games may yet prove crucial.

Opps:

These teams already played out a 29-29 draw in Dublin this season.  A close result that wasn’t unexpected given that 7 of the last 10 meetings between the sides have been won by 5 points or less.

Leinster has been the outstanding team in European rugby over the past 5 seasons.  But this is a changed Leinster.  Gone are Jonny Sexton and Isa Nacewa.  Brian O’Driscoll is struggling for fitness and may not feature.  And they must achieve something they’ve failed to do in their last 3 visits to meet the Ospreys in Wales.  They must beat them on home soil.  It’s a big ask, even for Leinster.  And one that makes the 10/11 offered on the Ospreys at +1 Point appeal.

Threats:

Team Selections
Rather than wait for team selections to be announced, and the inevitable moving of handicap lines that follows by bookmakers, we have simply put out our preview now.  We expect all our selections to be seeking a winning start to their Heineken Cup campaigns.  And we trust our readers to make up their own minds on whether its important to them to get the handicap line now or wait until the closer the game.

Did not see the game but that looks like a rotten Munster display and not a pleasant result for you.

Hopefully the Ospreys will repair the damage.

Really enjoy those assessments DV, Ospreys always amount to less than the sum of their parts for me and I'd be with Leinster here on grounds of making up for last week/mental toughness. I'd like to see Madigan tried at 12 this year, he has the perfect skill-set, everything bar size.

Leinster are as professional as hell, that was fantastic discipeine and concentration on show there. they need a natural 7 though to get the ball back a bit better...not that they seemed to even need it there.

Admit it Rocketfingers must have helped you.

So the sneering Ozymandius tries his hand at a constructive post and gets everything wrong.

Your knowledge only extends to reality TV programmes and how to be offended.

Sorry about that lads.

Borneo coiled liked a spring to put the boot straight in

Neill d ..O'brien was something else , what a steal off the ground ...

Threads that showed a profit are regularly sneered at by you,you had the cheek to demand a profit and loss account from our most profitable contributor the other day.

Tipping 2/7 shots is not really a good idea still you are not in Rocketfingers league yet as he famously suggested a decent lay of Dirar who duly triumphed at around 25/1.

You are made for each other.

Ah ya sure he's a fantastic player workrider, and he is being played out of position as well. It is amazing the things teams can do if they are organised and disciplined. There was nothing in it in terms of talent tonight, but one team was just much more seasoned and tougher than the other.

Our football's teams players are as good if not better than Austria and Swedens, they need to get that resolution back that the 02' World Cup team had.

Jimmy Gopparth is a brilliant fly-half to boot......pity he isn't Irish qualified.

What did ye make of war command today lads? I was impressed and believe Joseph when he said he was idling. The ground was as slow as he'd want it and with that frame I think he will be a massive force at 8&10f next season. the Guineas will come just in time for him and it can be lightning in May at Newmarket sometimes.

That result surely will give Leinster to maybe go and win it again , Kearney is a real gem , the whole team played for one another , and Cullen can only add to them on his return , a team to be feared....

Borneo, you had the opportunity to retain a dignified silence.  Set the example to others. Be the role model. The wiser old man. But no....

Instead you jumped in deleriously a minute after the final whistle.  You must have been standing by to gloat.

People give KingRat a hard time.  You obvioulsy have no issues with him, you choose to behave in exactly the same fashion. Just not as entertaining.

Carte Blanche to Kinger to keep BOOMING!

I still like Cleremont if they can heal up the scars of last year(and the years before). I still can't believe they didn't win it last year(lost a fair few bob on them at 6/4 around QF time). I thought last season that they were one of the best rugby teams I'd ever seen, not that I'm particularly an expert.

War command is a good horse who needs a strong gallop to show his best , proved he is capable and has the ability to do well next year .Why some are knocking him re next years gns is beyond me ...If training on i think he will be hard to beat next year....

good call neill btw, wd

Would the Thomond stewards not have a look at Leinsters run last week against Munster . If AOB had been the Leinster manager can you imagine the forum input ?

Maybe Leinster got their priorities right Kelly....

Cheers Oz, they're a real team to be proud of for ye, set a formidable standard and will beat every team they are entitled to beat this season when it counts. If a freak team like Cleremont comes along than so be it(Leinster peaked in 2011 for me), but they are just a real top class solid team that get the best from themselves.

It bodes very well for Schmidt with Ireland as he is the one that laid the foundation of this along with a bit from Cheika. The crowd I am working for had him as a guest speaker one evening during induction and he is just a top man. He takes very little credit for the successes and seems to believe in a light touch regime where the players govern and take responsibility for themselves.

Not a sign of your fickle friends Ozymandius maybe they are embarrassed.

Rocketfingers is hassling Richters on another thread because a 10/1 selection of his lost,wonder what he makes of your two odds on losers one a brilliant 2/7 shot.

I wonder how many times u are going to bump this thread you sad old F**K   Odds were Evens and 3/10 for the record, not that it matters.

It is hypocritical for you to criticise Kingrat and then mimic him.  I hope Lapsy and Workrider noticed this, they both managed to retain a dignified silence.

Kingrat shouts boom after losing selections and pretends he lays them but Pa Lapsys tipping record on here is stunning and has been for ages.
You are a follower of tips because you are incapable of coming up,with your own you should just follow Pa Lapsy although i doubt you bet.

The reason this thread is a classic as your only other attempt at putting up a selection was a sneaky piece of aftertiming which you thought would duck under the radar,you then went into rapture shouting " when your good your  good " etcetera.
When your deception was discovered you threw a hissy fit and declared you were leaving( just like Rocketfingers ) but naturally only lasted a few days.

I probably put up 3 or so selections a week on the United thread.  Most recently high priced winner was Rui Costa at 33's in the cycling WC's.  You can always follow me there.   Or twitter. Do you tweet?

wrt lapsy, he picked a couple of high priced winners a while back, you haven't stopped advertising them since.  Nobody on the forum followed him in because they came like a bolt from the blue.

On the day to day racing threads his selections are not turning a profit.  Ditto tony57.  That's obvious.  Kingrat did the Forum a service highlighting this, which rattled Lapsy who resorted to calling out Ratser to lay a few carefully selected hosses.  That spectacularly backfired.

I have since invited Lapsy to record the profitability on his selections on here overtime.  A perfectly scientific and fair way to out this question to bed. He refused.  Draw your own conclusions.

And also stop trying to drag him into our feud.  Leave the poor man in peace, he is a nice fellow, with a healthy interest in racing and decent knowledge in what is a very tough game..  Unlike you he isn't bitter at all around him.

I neither tweet or believe you.
If you tipped a winner above evens it would be regurgitated all over here.

Of course you don't believe me.  It doesn't suit you to, never does.  That's a given

The only winner you ever gave was given by deception which is why nobody will ever believe you.

The only other person to try that was your china Rocketfingers       Birds of a feather flock together

You have admitted on here that you have no interest in saying hello to either Lapsy or Wonks at the races.  Or anyone else on here in fact.

Until you do, I remain convinced that you are some good for nothing, smelly, unkempt dishevelled tramp, raging at the world around him, hugely bitter and regurgitating racing gossip overheard at a bar stool. There is a fellow like you in every town in the country.

Losing your temper again.

With regard to your 11.21 post Ozy he was called out to lay two horses which he didn,t do and was afraid in one case to lay a 50 to 70, the booms for every so called lay of losing selections were in fact lies based on Alonso De Sousa.
Should really be creaming himself over this thread given the shortness of the prices.

The point is, Lapsy, you wanted desperately to get one over on him and see him lose money by laying one of yours.  If the horses had won, you would have looked good.  They lost and you looked foolish for calling him out. Irrespective of whether he layed them or not.

I couldn,t care less whether i looked good or not and or foolish,the fact is he wouldn,t lay a small bet and the booms are lies.

Del , why should Wildmanfromborneo want to meet up with us , He has his friends , he works hard on his farm , been married to a farmers daughters , i know its hard work .. I'm not going to advise Rocket to met up with you either , not sure i could trust you tbh ....Still each to his own , When you put up either a 100/1 or 150/1 like Pa did , then you can call the shots .Till then my man , hush.....

At the very least he could have made the effort to visit you in The Asylum, Wonks.  Did you get my 'Get Well Soon' card?

Of course i did Del , didn't you hand it to me yourself ......

Haha very good WR.
Seriously Ozy you deserve a good dose of "ratser" on this thread, despite you thinking "ratser" has done the forum a service by highlighting the losers, he has in fact ruined most daily racing threads over the last year.

probably wonky's best ever comeback tbf

I have no problem getting stick on this thread, Pa, none at all. I fully deserve it.  Though it should not be from people who have such an issue with Ratser's highlighting of losers.  That would be hypocritical.

It would be hypocritical and thats why i didn,t comment on here til i was mentioned, we all pick losers and trying to learn something of where we went wrong with a selection is all part of it.

I know that Pa.  In fact I even referenced the fact that you and Wonks and chosen not to gloat and were above that.

It's typical of how Borneo works that he chose to bring your name into the thread in an inciteful manner. He knows that I will respond to the point he made about you.  The reason he introduces your name is to create a scenario whereby you end up entering the thread on his behalf.

Honestly at times, I think he has you and Wonks on a string, so predictably do you respond to his urgings.

Rocketfingers short attention span appears contagious as it was Ozymandius who drew down Pa Lapsy.

Presumably he thought that no one would check which shows he doesn't learn as his aftertiming deception was rumbled in double jig time.

No string Ozy,no bull with the man and just straight talking which anyone can only respect.

My first reference to Lapsy in this thread is lauding him for not sinking to your depths, Borneo.

You deliberately reintroduce him into the thread for the aforementioned reasons.

No bull with Borneo? Are you having a laugh?

Anway chaps, I have some business to attend to, I won't be around to shoot the breeze till later.

Its all very well for you retirees with your feet up watching Daytime TV, some of us actually have to put a shift in now and again to keep the economy afloat.

Ciao, Ciao

You are beyond retirement age alright but not retired as you never worked.

some very un-Cambridge like comments from himself this morning.

Tsk Tsk