With 14 players away with Wales, another 8 away with Wales U20s and several key players out injured (29 players missing in total), a Friday night trip to Thomond Park to face an almost full-strength Munster side was probably not the game that the Ospreys would have wanted in the 6 Nations break week. Munster were strengthened by having 4 players released back to them while the Ospreys had the grand total of NONE released back to them.
The game started with the Ospreys on defence but a superbly timed interception from Huw Sutton caught out Munster and the big lock forward galloped away. He was tackled by the Munster fullback who immediately went off his feet and killed the ball. The referee awarded the penalty and showed the Munster player a yellow card. Stephen Myler kicked the penalty and after 4 minutes, the Ospreys led 0-3.
That was as good as it got for the Ospreys.
They conceded a penalty that was converted to make it 3-3 after 13 minutes.
Munster scored their first of four first half tries after some poor defence from the Ospreys and the big Munster No 8 ran through to score. This was converted and things got worse for the Ospreys when the TMO called the referee’s attention to a head shot from Bradley Davies who was promptly shown a yellow card.
Munster’s second try came from a scrum that should have been awarded to the Ospreys and the Munster centres ripped the Ospreys defence apart, 15-3 after 20 minutes.
Munster were quickly back on the attack, their offload game was too hot to handle, and they scored their third try, the conversion was missed and Munster led 20-3 after 30 minutes.
The Ospreys had chances from penalties kicked to touch but the lineout just did not work, and the chances went begging.
The bonus point try came from another scrum when the Ospreys’ backs thought that tackling was optional and the Munster 10 ran in from the 22 for the 4th try. This was converted, Munster led 27-3 after 37 minutes and effectively ended the match as a serious contest.
The Ospreys had one final chance to score before half time, a Munster player got his hands on the ball, and went off his feet, but the referee allowed play to continue and the half was over.
The second half started poorly for the Ospreys as Munster scored again after less than a minute’s play with more missed tackles allowing the Munster scrum-half a simple run in – 32-3 after 42 minutes.
Munster were playing with the kind of freedom that comes with an almost 30-point lead and only a fine tackle from debutant Iestyn Hopkins saved another try.
A clever move from a lineout put Munster on the front foot and their big No8 scored his second try of the match with a close-range drive, the try was converted, and Munster now led 39-3 after 54 minutes.
A break from the Munster 13 looked like it might bring another try but again Hopkins was there to make a tackle and aided by Myler, got the Munster player into touch.
Munster took a tap penalty and almost scored again but the Ospreys defence was able to hold up the Munster centre for a goal line dropout. From that kick, Munster went through several phases before their winger exploited a gap in the tiring Ospreys’ defence and scored the 7th try of the match. The try went unconverted and after 64 minutes, Munster led 44-3.
A late hit by an apparently committed player on Myler shortened a clearance kick to touch and from the resulting lineout, Munster used a training ground move to break the Ospreys’ defence yet again and finish the 8th try of the match. This try was converted and Munster now led 51-3.
Munster looked to have scored again but the referee called them back for a forward pass but they were playing under penalty advantage and from that penalty, the Munster No8 scored his third try with almost the last play of the game. The try was converted Munster led 58-3.
The final whistle went shortly after, and the game was over.
It is hard enough going to Thomond Park with a full squad but short of 29 players, it was almost mission impossible for the Ospreys. This was the worst Osprey performance since the away defeat in Ulster. The team failed to put in a competitive performance for the first time in a long while. Whilst there can be no doubt the appalling mess the WRU have made of the game here in Wales must have contributed to certain mental aspects of the performance, the major reason was the massive gulf in quality between both match day squads. This was not surprising given that the Munster squad was only slightly depleted by international call ups whereas the Osprey squad was decimated like no other squad in the URC outside of Leinster (who can cope with it) and Benetton (who like us, cannot cope with it). The pack was made up of too many players who did not have the legs to play at the pace Munster established once they saw how flimsy our defence was in the midfield channels. It is possible to stay competitive when you can balance your weaker squad members with a good sprinkling of the stronger ones or when the opposition is also forced to field large numbers of its reserves players. Once one of these factors is removed particularly away from home the sort of result we saw on Friday night becomes inevitable. It is a consequence of the fixture list falling badly and a national coach who refuses to release any players to help alleviate the situation. as all other national coaches do.
I counted 14 with Wales, 6 Internationals injured, 8 with the U20 and 4 or 5 like Will Griffiths, Cai, Protheroe, Harri Morgan who might be expected and the whole no-release affair becomes a debacle. Even so, the players that were there could and should have done better.