Been a bit but will just jump straight into it… what the hell is going on at the Ospreys?
Or more accurately, why hasn’t anything changed?
I have been fortunate enough to miss the first two games so it was only the Ospreys vs Leinster game that I have seen but despite claims from Scott Johnson about implementing new game plans, finding a new identity etc everything looks the same.
The breakdown was still a mess, constant under commiting of players (though there were some signs of improvement there, just not much) and some awful scrum half play. If Jamie Nutbrown considers himself a wing rather than a scrum half then great, play him there, he’s certainly not doing the job of a 9.
Oddly the commitment to counter rucking and competing for opposition ball was good, especially from the incoming Jonathon Thomas, back from injury for his first start. But the commitment on our own ball was shocking from many players. When that was coupled with Nutbrown rarely getting to the ball and failing to organize anything it could see why, despite having the better of many exchanges, the Ospreys never got the forward platform they should have.
The were other major issues. James Hook again looked lost at outside half, for some reason Andrew Bishop ended up at first reciever a number of times. The center partnership is too limited. Bishop is a game trier but is very limited and needs ceativity around him, and Spratt isn’t that man. Spratt looked decent, certainly promise there – but is too similar to Bishop. The back 3 looked good when they got the ball (which with a wayward hook and a nonpassing center partnership was rarely) which is encouraging, but the backline needs to start getting them the ball.
But to try get some positives – JT was excellent on his return, really put hiimself about well. Huw Bennett was busy and strong around the pitch, AWJ looked good coming on, Biggar the same and the back 3 were excellent.
What can Scott Johnson do? Sort Hook out, drop Nutbrown (Mike Phillips was another who looked quality when he came on) and concentrate on the breakdown, right now it is a complete mess and until it is sorted we will never achieve the platform that we need.
A quick 3 step process for him to be going on with.
1) Drop Nutbrown, if you have to play him then play him on the wing, he spends more time out there anyway
2) Make players support the ball, too many breaks were unsupported, leading to players becomming isolated
3) When they have commited then get them to clear theball area and/or pillar depending on circumstances
Basic, but right now the Ospreys aren’t doing the basics.
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