Tuesday 30 October 2007

Chalk 47, Cheese 16

Ospreys sack Sixways - (Planet Rugby)

Presumably "Sixways" is a new nickname for Ospreys forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys? Coined because he knew six different ways of being offside, perhaps?

In a game that was a testament to the contrasting weaknesses of English & Welsh rugby, the Ospreys' pack were thoroughly bullied by the English Premiership's bottom side, while their backs shredded the Warriors' defence at will.

Mike Ruddock has clearly performed his customary set-piece surgery on the Worcester outfit. However, it apparently remains easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rugby ball to pass along their three-quarter line.

But the old adage that "forwards win matches" took a pounding here; as did an Ospreys front five containing four Welsh internationals. It speaks of the Warriors' cluelessness behind the scrum that a visiting back division continually on the back foot still outscored them by seven tries to one.

It's always fun to stuff the English, of course, but this result can't be allowed to hide the glaring deficiencies in the Ospreys' game; because better teams than Worcester can and will exploit them.