01/04/2012 Scrum V

Good evening and welcome to Scrum V. There has been breaking news over

the weekend. Gavin Henson has been suspended by the Blues after

admitting drinking and behaving inappropriately on their flight

back from Glasgow. But we start with matters on the pitch and the

action at the Liberty Stadium. Treviso came to the 19th Fred try

told the slide that has seen them lose the last Six. -- the Liberty

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kick taken by a Dan Biggar and it Beck! Dan Biggar got there first

and from then on it was only one James is over the try-line but has

it got Bob ball to ground? It is one for the video referee. They do

unexpected attacking chance for the great score for Ashley Beck. Again,

Dan Biggar instrumental in winning that is an excellent try for

Treviso, started in their own territory and finish by Ludovico

deliberate. And it is a yellow card. 10 minutes in the bin for Tommaso

the scrum. And Joe Bearman gets the try! That is the first winning

bonus point of the season for the a try! That is the Ospreys at their

a beautifully struck, that is five from five. He has had a great game

and so have the Ospreys. It was great. The application of what

we're trying to do was evident in parts of the game. It got a bit

nervous at 27-10, but the application in defence was

outstanding. It was good to see us Another fantastic win for the

Ospreys. It was done with a bit of swagger. It was. They look like a

team full of confidence. Momentum from last week came into this game

and bodes well for the season. They are playing some great rugby. There

is freedom of expression in the way every player performed yesterday.

It looked as if they wanted to play open, attractive rugby. They got

the result that they deserved. There has been a marked change in

style. It was a difficult task to take on with the express is that he

had at a region that has been struggling but you can see the

change that they are trying to put into place. The Ospreys were

coached so thoroughly for face-to- face and there tried to move that a

little bit. But some of the problems are still there when they

try to get into the middle of the pitch. When you put two into wind

the first take out, it leaves six forwards to come around the corner,

like Wales would do. They have done the first phase and the second

phase but this is where they start to lose shape. Half the pack are

going to come around the corner, just like Wales, but the backs will

go in the other direction and Treviso do not chase the ball very

well so when you go back they are waiting for you. In the next phase

of play, all of the forwards for Ospreys are out of the game. Now

you need to strike a new forwards come into the game, but they are

too far away and were not anticipating where they were going.

The momentum that you did have there is gone. But this is where

they have been impressive. They know that in that position it is

probably best to kick. Put the All in the air and chase and it was a

good catch. This is almost the first phase of the game. It is

turnover ball so they're going to have a go from deep. Look who goes

into that contact. You have Bishop on the floor. Dan Biggar is in. For

Mike three-quarters are now on the floor, out of the game. You have

gone to one touchline so the only place you can go is back infield

and the opposition are waiting. You need to recycle and get it back in

possession. Poor passes again. If it was a good blitz defence, they

would be in trouble, but Treviso do not do that. You are thinking they

are in here, there go the same way, in the same direction, and then you

start seeing that they lose momentum. Paul still here. Again,

they have gone to one touchline so they have to come back inside.

Ospreys do a couple of good phases and then they start to lose shape.

That has been their story for last few seasons. But the coaches know

The they are keen to say that if we keep going well, we will keep going,

otherwise we will kick. Throughout the season, they have carried the

ball well, and they have had possession but 50% of the time that

has ended with a turnover. Against Leicester it was 30% and against

Treviso it was 24%, so you can see the improvement coming. Top Stott

as usual, thanks very much. We have heard that the Munster job becomes

vacant next season. It would be a good move for drawn Polly. It would

be. Good if the quality of the rugby they have shown, the support

play have had and the success in Europe. It is a fantastic place to

go and I am sure he should go with what the opportunity. Munster took

on Leinster yesterday in a top-of- the-table clash. It ended up being

a battle of the boot. It was eventually sealed with this drop

goal in the 75th minute. It meant that the Ospreys moves up into

second. The career of Gavin Henson has had many twists and turns and

the latest is that he has been suspended by the Blues. It is the

latest in a long line of incidents for a player who has not avoided

controversy very much. In the not-too-distant past, Gavin

Henson was the darling of Wells wrote Brive. His exploits during

the Grand Slam of 2005 made him a national hero. But he began

appearing in the headlines for the wrong reasons. In 2009, after Wales

beat England in the Six Nations, he was cautioned by police following

an alleged assault in a Cardiff pub. His rugby became a sideshow as he

did come 18 month sabbatical, appearing in a number of reality TV

shows. His attempts to resurrect his career stuttered. During his

time in Toulon he was suspended after an alleged nightclub brawl

with another of his team mates. In recent months he was thrown a

short-term contract with the Blues and a place in the Six Nations

squad. But, after this latest twist, his chances of rugby redemption

seemed increasingly remote. Gavin Henson has issued a statement

today in which he says he apologises for drinking and

behaving inappropriately on that flight from Glasgow to Cardiff and

he admits he is truly embarrassed. I have lost count of the number of

times we have discussed his career and the number of times he has

tried to rekindle it. Do you think he has blown it? I think he may

well have. It is clear that he cannot handle alcohol. He becomes a

different person. Everyone has tried to give him an opportunity. I

think it maybe that he cannot handle being a fringe player,

whether he has the climate for the game any longer. He realises, it is

the end of the season, everybody is looking for control, you should do

everything that you can. I do not know with the appetite is there any

more and he will sign this player who is 30 and has not played well

for four years? He is toxic now, who will go near him? Very much so.

The fact that he has been to Toulon and Saracens and lasted two games.

He went away from their and again it is the baggage. I genuinely do

have some concerns in terms of does he have the desire. I have not seen

it in his performances. Has he got the desire to push himself to

become the player everyone thinks he is capable of? I have not seem

that. The fact that they have suspended him with immediate effect,

I think it is just a case of ratifying the decision to release

him from his contract tomorrow. I cannot see anyone else coming in

and wanting to have Gavin Henson on their books. The Blues have acted

decisively. Would you think the decision will be? We will wait to

see but I will be amazed if he is a player for blind Polly next year.

He might see out his contract but you cannot see him being a player

for them. When you think about the Gavin Henson career, two Grand

Slams and a British Lion, and yet we still feel a cute sense of

potential been wasted. For only a few periods in his career has it

been a quality player that everyone knows he can be. Back to matters on

the pitch and the Dragons and the Blues were in action on Friday

night. Gavin Henson made a cameo appearance for the Blues against

Glasgow and it was a game that they Wilson and lost it on that try-line.

Did he get it to ground? The try is awarded. Glasgow take the lead. The

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Blues camp on the try-line. -- Glasgow have their Bonner's point.

They have solidified their position It was pretty embarrassing from the

set piece. You cannot blame anybody else. If you do not win the ball in

that area, you will not create fraternity in the middle in the

full force. Swift passing. Vainikolo! It is at try for the

the winger! Is there going to be some form of consolation for the

Dragons? Toby Faletau! They demonstrated the physicality that

we normally do in games. I don't think we can have a any complaint.

If you are dominated physically, A disappointing home win for the

Dragons? Yes. Mathematically they could do it. 12 points behind the

Blues, that is a lot to make up. I'm not sure if the Blues are

capable of getting a lot out of the rest of the season. I cannot see

the Dragons or all them. overhaul them. The coach said the

Blues defence was embarrassing. You go along with that? They were awful

in Glasgow. Embarrassing. If you read the body language, it tells me

that some of them don't want to be there. Probably the coaches are

guilty of giving too much responsibility to senior players at

the start of the season. They had a lot of influence over how the game

is played. That is fine when you're winning, but when you're losing,

where do you go Ben? US stock. -- you at stock. Whereas the club

going? It is a long end to the season for them if they keep going

like that. Some reports today saying that Cuthbert is a target

for another team. I can see him going. Financially it will be a

better offer than anything the Blues can put together. Going back

to the quality of their performances of late, you have got

people who did not want to be there. Alex Scott Berg is a good example

of somebody who got better as the Six -- Six Nations Waghorn. -- Alex

Cuthbert. He looks have Mac the player with the blues. -- he looks

have the player. They need to get rid of players they do not want.

Ultimately they have got some big games coming up. They need to start

performing. Cuthbert and Gething are leaving, players down the road

in Llanelli first aim for a less money but they feel the club is

going somewhere. Still ahead, blues and Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny

Totts Heineken Cup and reveals an unlikely childhood hero. When I was

growing up and I started taking kick in seriously, Jonny Wilkinson

was the best kicker in the world at the time. I remember warming up

either end from him and I was conscious of them. He probably

would have seen me and thought, that is my technique. He is

stealing my technique! Back to the Pro12. The Scarlets went to

seven straight league defeat. The Scarlets on the fringes of the

Denton made such an impact in the Six Nations. Now he has had such an

conceding the penalty. Insult added to injury. Priest land to bring the

Scarlets back within striking range. the referee. It looks as though he

is going to his pocket. Deacon Manu is the last man up. A string of

infringements by the Scarlets. Deacon Manu pays the penalty. The

Matthew Rees could be in trouble. It is a second yellow card in a few

minutes. The Scarlets down to 13. Edinburgh looking to cash in on the

stroke of half-time. The Scarlets two men down. It was almost

inevitable. At penalty try. The He is on fire at the moment. Two

tries last week. A great Finnish the final quarter. Stephen Jones

with the chance to cut the gap once more. He has put it wide.

Davies has got it down! The Scarlets should be back level.

Tremendous finish by babies. Jones slot over the conversion. It is

penalty. Peter fits given will bring them back across field and a

chance for Edinburgh to retake the lead. -- Peter fits given. Laidlaw

put it over. The Scarlets ahead again. Ultimately you get what you

deserve. We were very poor and the first half. We did not turn the up.

We were in disciplined. -- is a disciplined. We showed great

character in the second half, came back well, played some great rugby.

We should a won the game. The first half performance left a lot for us

to do. The Scarlets did pick up Ali's in bonus point. Ulster beat

Aironi on Friday night. The Ospreys Again, more honesty from Nigel

Davies. That is again the Scarlets should have won? Yes, in all

honesty, the second half performance was very good indeed.

The first half, as Nigel said, disappointing. Edinburgh are a

different side with all internationals back. A much better

side than the number of late. Nevertheless, we went there to win

the game. They got a bonus point. I'm not sure if in the end it will

be enough. It is again they would have wanted to one. -- won. It will

be tight coming to the end of the season. The Scarlets have got

Aironi away, Munster and police at home. An easy run in. -- Cardiff

You would probably fancy the Scarlets? The play-offs have

transformed the lead. Given us this extra thing at the end. Let's hope

the Scarlets can get good local support as they have done this

season. With all still involved in the Heineken Cup, they may not

bring the strongest team down. Glasgow are a danger. Scarlets have

not been in the top four for much of the season. This prove she can

hover there or thereabouts and make a final charge? Yes, it is about

consistency. It is not all about finishing top. Leinster out and

their own at the moment. It is a case of working hard, getting your

performance consistently good all season. It is great that we're

talking like this with three games left. Five or six teams will have

an opportunity to get there. It is time for our new competition. There

is a new challenge in pounds. This is about kick club, it is for a

forwards only. There will be six balls. One set of

posts and a forward, whose job it will be to put bowls balls in

varying positions between the posts. The last two kicks against the

clock. And the very last kick is a drop goal. This kick, five metres

into touch, Katie 10 points. This gets you five. This gets you three.

Then you do five and 10. On the last kick you run back for a drop

goal in the pocket and that will get you seven. A grand Total of 40

points. Well done to kick club. First up, a rising star of the West,

Rhodri Jones. Not a bad effort from wide out. That is all right. Not

bad. You expect most to get these. And maybe this one. Looking pretty

good. He is wide out on the right. The boy is on fire. Not the best

pass from O'Shea. A left-footed drop goal in front of the posts. 30

Ken Owens. Sporting the headband. Not a bad effort. He banged won