Official Ospreys XV

[Gibbo12]

15 Lee Byrne
14 Nikki Walker
13 Tommy Bowe
12 Andrew Bishop
11 Shane Williams
10 James Hook
9 Rhodri Wells
8 Ryan Jones (c)
7 Marty Holah
6 Jonathan Thomas
5 Ian Evans
4 Alun-wyn Jones
3 Adam Jones
2 Richard Hibbard
1 Paul James

Replacements:
16 Huw Bennett
17 Duncan Jones
18 Ian Gough
19 Filo Tiatia
20 Tom Smith
21 Rhys Webb
22 Daniel Biggar

A team with 14 senior internationals, expecting a brutal encounter.

[tim15]

Looks a tasty team for Sunday, will play more like a team, than they possibly would have with old fake tan there and now he's got time to "rest" again.


Tigers will need to be on their mettle, i know they say their up for it, but saying and doing.............

Especially as the Sky Rugby Club presenters feel it's Ospreys, Ospreys, Ospreys this year, they definately go into the game as favourites, but we've beaten them before home and away at their place and in the EDF final, so let's do them again.

[chinnjamie]

As we suspected. The welsh national team and Tommy Bowe against the Tigers. Lets get right behind the lads on sunday and not let the opposition out sing us in our own ground with "bread of heaven" etc because that would be an embarrasment. If someone has the class to come up with new chants that dont offend anyone and are easily led then lets go with it. Its time for Welford road to be heard again.

[tigerben]

intresting bench choices from them

Replacements:
16 Huw Bennett - Hooler
17 Duncan Jones - Prop
18 Ian Gough - SR
19 Filo Tiatia - BR
20 Tom Smith - BR
21 Rhys Webbs - SH
22 Daniel Biggar - FH

a 5-2 forward favoured split, obviously expect it to be brutal upfront.
not sure what will happen in the backs if injurys happen,
Guesses would be Hook covering centre and fullback, bowe covering wing.

As we suspected. The welsh national team and Tommy Bowe against the Tigers

Last time i looked Holah and Tiatia were from New Zealand and Nikki Walker scotland

[chinnjamie]

Sorry but it wasnt supposed to be completely serious, but i dint realize some people were so predantic.

[seaweed]

Welsh National Team minus:

Martyn Williams
Steve Jones
Dwayne Peel
Jamie Roberts
Mark Jones
Gethin Jenkins
Tom Shanklin
etc.

There is more than one team in Wales.

Some Tigers fans are Welsh and recognise that Ospreys are nowhere near being the Welsh National Team.

Anyone who saw the Quins game will know this is a team off form at this time and without Parker/Henson/Phillips/Nutbrown thier backline is severley depleted.

[masopa]

intresting bench choices from them

Replacements:
16 Huw Bennett - Hooler
17 Duncan Jones - Prop
18 Ian Gough - SR
19 Filo Tiatia - BR
20 Tom Smith - BR
21 Rhys Webbs - SH
22 Daniel Biggar - FH

a 5-2 forward favoured split, obviously expect it to be brutal upfront.
not sure what will happen in the backs if injurys happen,
Guesses would be Hook covering centre and fullback, bowe covering wing.

Don't know whether the split is because they want so many forwards or whether it's because they've run out of backs!!

Perhaps some of our "harder hitting" tacklers might look to target a centre or two... it would rightly cause havoc in their lineup should there be a backs injury.

[Davidmat]

As an ospreys supporter i can say that we definatly dont view the team as a welsh team, there are plenty of awesome players who make up the welsh team who arent with us. I think it will be a war of attrition up front on sunday and we do have alot of forward options and they are very capable of changing a game especially filo! However as has been pointed out we are short of backs if we get any injuries. Always look forward to testing ourselves against the tigers as they really are great side especially at home. Hope everyone enjoys the game on sunday.

[tigerben]

Some Tigers fans are Welsh and recognise that Ospreys are nowhere near being the Welsh National Team.

So true, I'm one of them.

People will be kind enough to remember that at Twickers (apart from englands help) it was the introduction of NON-ospreys that saw the turn in the match.

[tim15]

Cheers Davidmat for the message, hope you enjoy the journey and the game.
Just remember not all Tigers supporters are English or Welsh, there are some of us who wear the Thistle!