London Irish
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
By Big-Al
October 17 2010
Ospreys 27 - London Irish 16.
Somehow I was expecting to see a fair few doom and gloom threads when checking the messageboard on Saturday morning, and it has to be said that this was not our best performance of the season. A bit of a reality check after the high of beating Munster the previous week.
Games can turn on one or two odd decisions here or there, and I think there were a few odd decisions (I will not go into refereeing decisions as I do not think myself qualified to analyse sir in detail - apart from to mention that he everything he gave against us was wrong and with any other referee we would have had a bonus point win). The first odd decision was resting Delon - EPS rules mean that he had to be rested for one game during a specified period of matches. I'm not sure exactly what this period is, I have heard it mentioned as being anything between 3 and 6 matches - in any case this weekend was the end of the period, so Delon had to be rested - but even it is only a 3 week period we could have rested him against Leeds (no disrespect meant, but Ospreys away is a harder match than Leeds at home). There were a couple of odd decisions on the pitch - overall, I thought Ryan had a reasonably good game considering we didn't have much ball, so it seemed an odd decision to replace him (but I do not know the reason for this replacement, maybe Ryan had taken a knock or was just totally spent). Elvis taking a penalty and missing touch while Molly was receiving treatment was another strange one - surely Topsy or Dan should have taken it.
There is also the element of luck and our bad luck with injuries certainly didn't help - Declan was at the match and those who got to talk to him report that it sounds as if he will be out for sometime. Tom's injury meant we didn't have our first choice replacement for Delon - I know Topsy has played full back on a number of occasions, but it is not his best position.
On to the match itself:
Following a close look at a number of roundabouts near the Liberty stadium and a quick tour of the local shopping centre and a nearby car park, the supporters' coach dropped us off just under an hour before kick-off - so a good job that the coach set off an hour earlier than originally planned. This was my first visit to the Liberty Stadium - not a bad place, seats had enough leg room, the view from the Ł24 seats (mid-price range of those on offer to us) was good and the locals I spoke to all seemed friendly - I have now completed my set of seeing us play away to all the Welsh regions (wonder how long it will be before I have seen us win away at all the Welsh regions).
Ospreys kick off, Nick collects on our 22; the ball is fed back to Ryan and cleared - all going well so far.
Ospreys put a high ball back into our half, which Topsy fails to collect under pressure, a cross field kick from the Ospreys results in an Irish line out deep within our 22, but our line out is secure and the ball is cleared.
A minute later we have a drop out from our 22, Ryan kicks it fairly short so we have a chance to compete, but Ospreys claim the ball, Dan Bowden claims the ball from the resulting ruck but knocks on. From the scrum, good quick hands from the Ospreys as they go across the field and Tommy Bowe runs in to score - the conversion is missed, so after 4 minutes the Ospreys lead 5-0.
On 7 minutes, JJ breaks into the Ospreys 22 and goes into contact - Ospreys are pinged and Ryan slots over the penalty from close to the touch line. 5-3.
Ospreys are pinged for offside on their 10m line and another confident kick from Ryan makes it 5-6 after 12 minutes.
A couple of minutes later it is our turn to be pinged for offside a couple of metres into the Ospreys half - which is within Dan Biggar's range and the Ospreys retake the lead 8-6
Just past the quarter hour and Topsy again struggles under the high ball, but it breaks in our favour and Dan breaks into the Ospreys' half, from the break down we get a penalty - over 40m out and right on the touch line - Ryan goes for the posts, but is wide. A couple of minutes later we have another penalty just about on half way - this time we go for the corner and despite the efforts of one of the Ospreys (Biggar?) we find touch close to the 5m line - but an infringement after the lineout gives Ospreys a penalty and they clear their lines.
On 24 minutes Shane Williams breaks from his own half into our 22, but loses control while leap-froging Topsy and we get the ball clear.
Ospreys go through a number of phases going across the field a few times and gaining ground, eventually Topsy his forced over our line giving a 5m scrum. There follows a sequence of scrums with a free kick, a few resets and a penalty (taken quickly from the wrong place - try not given - so back to the scrum), surprisingly after a second penalty, Ospreys go for the posts. 32 minutes and the Ospreys lead 11-6.
A couple of minutes later, another penalty to the Ospreys after Topsy holds on in contact and from around 40m Dan Biggar extends the lead to 14-6.
We manage to keep the ball for a good number of phases and get a scrum after the ball hits the ref and are then awarded a penalty from the scrum - but disappointingly Ryan is just off target from around 35m out.
There is still time before the break for the Ospreys to win another penalty, not sure what it was for, and Biggar makes the half time score 17-6.
Irish kick off the second half and win the ball, but Ospreys steal the ball and break to our 22 - we force them back a bit and as they attempt to move the ball wide, Losi intercepts around 70m out and sets off for the line, despite being caught by his shirt about 15m out, Losi goes over dragging James Hook behind him - Ryan converts and after 42 minutes its 17-13 and we are right back in it.
The first replacement of the match is from the Ospreys - Walker for Biggar.
For the next 5 minutes or so possession is shared with neither side looking dangerous. Chris H is pinged for a high tackle and from the resulting penalty, Ospreys get a line out in our 22, but the danger is repelled.
Alex replaces Faan.
Next up Shane Williams chips clear from just outside the Ospreys 22, beats Dodge to the ball on half way, avoids the attempted challenge from Ryan and scores in the corner - have to admit, it wasn't a bad try. Hook has taken over kicking duties and his first effort is successful, so Ospreys now lead 24-13.
A few minutes later Ospreys get a penalty after Topsy gets isolated and holds on just inside our half. Hook makes it 27-13 after 58 minutes. There are further replacements by the Ospreys.
We win a penalty around 35m out and Ryan is on target, so the arrears are reduced to 27-16. David Paice is on for James Buckland and Matt Garvey replaces Big Bob. 20 minutes to go.
We win the restart, but Ryan's attempted clearance is charged down, Ospreys knock on, and we clear from the resulting scrum.
Most of the play seems to be in our half, although we are having a fair amount of the possession, a chip out from Ryan is so nearly collected by Maps - the fine line between a good break into opposition territory and a knock on is just an inch or 2. A minute or 2 later, Maps does break into the Ospreys half, but we knock on in contact. Next it is Dan who makes a break into the Ospreys half and Nick makes further ground, but after going across field, again a knock on halts our progress.
Further replacements on 68 minutes, Gary Johnson replaces Chris H and Chris Malone replaces Ryan (and there had been an Ospreys replacement a minute or 2 earlier).
We win a penalty just inside the Ospreys’ half; Molly goes for the posts but is short. Elvis replaces JJ.
Another penalty for us, this time on the Ospreys 10m line - Ospreys no. 6 is yellow carded, so they are down to 14 for the remainder of the match. With Molly receiving treatment, Elvis takes the penalty but fails to find touch.
We are well into the last 10 minutes and the Ospreys are controlling possession - we are awarded a penalty which results in a line out well into the 22, we win the line out but lose the ball in the maul - Ospreys clear to about 35m out. There are further Ospreys replacements, and for us Darren Allinson replaces Dodge. Nothing comes of the lineout and play is back in our 22 - our efforts to run the ball out are unsuccessful and we knock on. Ospreys keep possession for the remaining minute, so the final score is Ospreys 27, London Irish 16
Post match thoughts:
Basically, we came up against a team who played better than us – so well done to the Ospreys. But there are always ifs and buts – if we had had a French referee rather than one who regularly takes charge of Magners league matches, if Delon hadn’t been rested, if Maps had managed to collect Ryan’s chip, if Ryan had cleared long here and had not done so there, if so and so had been a bit quicker …. But, the Ospreys also had plays that didn’t quite come off – so I’m sure their supporters can agonise over why it wasn’t a larger winning margin.
On our day, we can beat anyone, but unfortunately it is not always our day.
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Stumbleupon17/10/2010 12:35
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As you say the best team won and did have answer to SW - he is amazing.
Hopefully a few lessons will be learnt and applied for the rematch. Some of our players (NK) were very unhappy with the way the team didn't deal with the breakdowns!!!!
Very Good ground but poor gate, but for the 500 + LI who made it to support their team.
