Challenge Cup presents Ospreys with chance to continue positive progress
- Chris Stott
- Apr 1, 2021
- 3 min read
After an encouraging Pro14 season, the Ospreys have another opportunity to demonstrate their progress in the European Rugby Challenge Cup, according to Head Coach Toby Booth.
Speaking ahead of their last 16 home tie with Newcastle Falcons, Booth said "it's an opportunity to see how far we've come. Its an opportunity to push for silverware. We've done what we needed to do in the Pro14 arena and obviously we've got Champions Cup. Going from a team that's won just 2 games to that is significant progress.
It's another opportunity for us to put a stake in the ground and move forward".
Toby Booth on his sides Europe opponents, Newcastle Falcons
Booth has looked to change the culture at the Welsh region since his arrival at the end of the 2019 season, with the Ospreys failing to win a trophy since their 2011/12 league title. While he is keen to bring in a new brand of Rugby, he admitted that it's all about the result when it comes to knockout Rugby; "we've made no secret about pressing the reset button and playing a style of rugby and about what we are trying to become as a team - but ultimately in knockout rugby those things don't matter as much because ultimately its about winning. This is more a reflection of how we can deal with the pressure and can we execute what we want to do under pressure".
Hooker Ifan Phillips has been one of several younger players who has been given extended opportunities since Booth's arrival and will be looking to continue his strong form as the Ospreys look to turn to positive performances into winning trophies. "We said from the start that we'll be targeting this cup, we want to potentially win some silverware. At the end of the day, we are in a business that you've got to win, and you want to be winning silverware, there's no point coming into rugby and just making up the numbers you want to win. You don't look past the next game but it's definitely something we've been targeting all season".
The Ospreys will be able to call on several players who played a key role in Wales' Six Nations triumph. Alun Wyn Jones, George North and Justin Tipuric are among those who could return to the side on Saturday. But given the form of his players while the big guns have been away on international duty, especially in their recent comeback win over Leinster, Booth is almost spoilt for choice when it comes to picking his squad for this one.
"There's not a reliance on them coming in and being the world beater, and I think that's a massive step forward".
"Everyone who coaches, some say it and some do it, talks about picking on form - the exciting thing is if you look at the Six Nations win for example, we have a lot of boys in good form for Wales, and also we've got a lot of players who have put their hands up and stake a claim if you like and performed exceptionally well, not just last week but throughout that period. Every Coach wants that problem, its when you've got to pick what you have to pick that's where it becomes more difficult. So having those sort of headaches, I'll take those every day".
The Ospreys boss on Welsh Rugby's momentum after the National Team's success, and a clean sweep of results for the regions on the last day of the Pro14 season
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