Preview: Munster V Ospreys
10th February 2016 By Munster Rugby
Fifth meets sixth on the Guinness PRO12 table this Sunday as Munster welcome Ospreys to Irish Independent Park in Cork for Round 14 of the competition – KO 5pm. Read the pre-match stats as Munster look to maintain winning ways in Cork.
Irish Independent Park has been a happy hunting ground for the men in red in recent seasons, winning a dozen in a row since Cardiff Blues beat them on Leeside over three years ago. The superstition of ‘unlucky 13’ for Munster aside, Ospreys will see this fixture as a day of reckoning and retribution for Munster’s last gasp win at the Liberty Stadium in Round 2 – ending the Welshmen’s 14 game unbeaten run.
Overcoming a five game losing streak across November and December, Munster have won their last three games since defeat to Stade Francais in the European Champions Cup on January 9th.
Ospreys’ two most recent encounters in the PRO12 were both at Liberty Stadium and ended in a defeat to Leinster and a draw with reigning champions Glasgow Warriors. Away from home in the tournament, their only defeat in their last four fixtures came on a trip to Glasgow in November.
While Munster hold the better defensive record, Ospreys have proven stronger in attack thus far and with the sides out of this season’s Champions Cup, both are now targeting meritocratic qualification for Europe’s top-flight competition next season as well as place in the PRO12 play-offs.
| Head To Head – Recent Guinness PRO12 Meetings | |||||
| Date | Venue | M | O | Munster scorers | Ospreys scorers |
| Sat 2 Nov 13 | Thomond Park | 12 | 6 | JJ Hanrahan(P) Ian Keatley(3P) | Matthew Morgan(2P) |
| Sun 23 Feb 14 | Liberty Stadium | 25 | 11 | Sean Dougall(T) James Downey(T) JJ Hanrahan(C) Ian Keatley(C/2P) Simon Zebo(T) | Sam Davies(2P) Ashley Beck(T) |
| Sat 27 Sep 14 | Thomond Park | 14 | 19 | Ian Keatley(3P) Gerhard van den Heever(T) | Jeff Hassler(T) Dan Biggar(C/4P) |
| Sat 7 Mar 15 | Liberty Stadium | 12 | 26 | Keith Earls(T) Ian Keatley(C) John Ryan(T) | Sam Davies(D/6P) Dan Baker(T) |
| Sat 23 May 15 | Thomond Park (SF/PO) | 21 | 18 | Paddy Butler(T) Denis Hurley(T) Ian Keatley(2P) Simon Zebo(T) | Jeff Hassler(T) Dan Biggar(C/2P) Rhys Webb(T) |
| Sun 13 Sep 15 | Liberty Stadium | 20 | 18 | CJ Stander(T) Tyler Bleyendaal(C/2P) Stephen Fitzgerald(T) Ian Keatley(C) | Sam Davies(6P) |
Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU, 54th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Mark Patton, Jonathan Peak (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Tim Lowry (IRFU)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU)
Munster v Ospreys, Guinness PRO12 Round 14, Sunday February 14th at Irish Independent Park – KO 5pm.
Every point counts and you can be there to get behind the team! Tickets from just €;20 for Adults and €;40 for Families (2 adults & 2 kids, meaning kids go free) can be purchased online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 0818 719 300.
