Friday 6^th December 2013

K.O. 8:00pm @ Stade Pierre-Antoine, Castres Olympique

Ospreys have a glut of returning bruised and battered international players to bolster them for this very testing game. Steve Tandy of the Ospreys is bemoaning the lack of quality preparation time, yet this fixture and Wales’s lucrative match against the Wallabies has been on the fixture list since July. Castres at their old fashioned Stade Pierre-Antoine are formidable opposition. They love it there, and their passionate fans make it a bear pit of an arena. Clermont were relived to leave there with a draw and Bayonne was smashed last week. As unheralded champions of the Top14 they have in several respects evolved their game and added to the no-nonsense pragmatism of last season, onto it has been grafted a fluid attacking approach based on pace, clever running lines of support and Kockoff’s superb distribution which has seen the Castres side rack up some very big scores. With playing at home as well, they will be full of confidence; they are in form and will have targeted this game.

The Ospreys do not lack the ability or talent to take “something” positive from the match but, their form has dropped off of late with several disappointing and damaging losses; and they are in danger of losing the momentum they garnered from the positive start to their season.

Castres

Danger man- Rory Kockoff

The SA scrum half is clearly enjoying life in his adopted homeland, and the pacey scrum half has become the heartbeat of his side. It is Kockoff that makes Castres tick, controlling the pace of the game and direction of attack with a mature and astute vision allied to his deadly goal kicking. No wonder that Saint Andre is monitoring him so closely, with Parra injured, and with the SA becoming eligible for France in 2014. Working with his fellow SA, French international, no.8 Classens, they give Castres a momentum that is very hard to disrupt.

Ospreys

 Danger man- Justin Tirpuric

The Ospreys dynamic open side is the talisman for the side, when he plays well so do the Ospreys. He is a complete player and can create a devastating attack from anywhere on the field of play. This combined with his clever and powerful defence make him a thorn in any opposition’s side. But, Castres will target him, knowing that if they keep him quiet they will control the game. Tirpuric has endured a frustrating autumn series, and this game could well the occasion he needs to remind the Welsh coaches just how good he is.

Prediction

Castres to win by 10.