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Ospreys: From brink of extinction to playoff-bound in a season?
By Alex Shaw
After the 2018/19 Guinness PRO14 playoffs were an all-Irish, Scottish and Italian affair, it’s fair to say it was a season that Ospreys and other Welsh regional fans will not look back on fondly.
The Scarlets looked well off their title-winning and table-topping form in 2016/17 and 2017/18 respectively, the Cardiff Blues had their moments but ultimately fell short, and the Dragons were warily watching their back, as they finished just four points above the Southern Kings in Conference B.
The Ospreys had the most to celebrate, as they beat the Scarlets in the qualifier for the 2019/20 Heineken Champions Cup, ensuring that they would be the only Welsh side in the top tier of European competition this coming season.
Discounting the adrift Dragons, Wales’ three other regions posted a combined record of 32 wins and 31 losses in the PRO14 last season, accurately portraying their positions as mid-table teams. They were all capable of taking scalps, but none had the consistency or depth to flourish across the entire season and challenge the competition’s established powerhouses.
Unfortunately for the Ospreys, celebrations over the positive trajectory of their season were short-lived, as stories broke that the WRU were looking to merge the region with their local rivals, the Scarlets.
After a startling back and forth that seemingly could only take place in professional rugby, the Ospreys confirmed that they would not be merging with the Scarlets, something which was backed up shortly after by the Professional Rugby Board.
Whether just a stay of execution or long-term salvation, the Ospreys will at least be around for the 2019/20 season.
Throw into the mix the regions’ inability to budget for the upcoming season until late in the 2018/19 campaign and the consequent effect that had on extending contracts and recruiting from outside Wales, and it’s been a challenging summer for all four sides, some of whom have lost key players in the financial uncertainty.
That said, for all the struggles, the Ospreys have assembled a pretty handy group of players for the upcoming season.
The region’s two big losses come in the form of Scott Baldwin, who has headed to Harlequins, and Sam Davies, who will attempt to resurrect the Dragons.
Wales U20 captain Dewi Lake will endeavour to step into Baldwin’s shoes at hooker and was one of, if not the most consistent performer for Wales at age-grade level over the last seven months, whilst a better replacement than Gareth Anscombe for Davies would have been all but impossible to find.
Having lost Dan Biggar in 2018 and then Davies this summer, being able to go out and snap up Wales’ starting fly-half is a coup for the Ospreys and a statement signing if ever there were one. The depth is not overflowing behind Anscombe, with Luke Price the only established option unless they want to use James Hook there, but if Anscombe can be managed in the Champions Cup, where the Ospreys may struggle to be competitive this season, he could be a difference-maker for the region in the PRO14.
The arrival of Shaun Venter from the Cheetahs brings valuable experience at scrum-half and will help them survive the loss of Aled Davies to Wales, as well as mentoring bright prospect Reuben Morgan-Williams.
The promotion of Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler and Kieran Williams from the academy should be exciting for Ospreys fans, with both offering high ceilings and differing skill sets to the current options at the region’s disposal. Alongside Hook, Owen Watkin, Scott Williams and Cory Allen, the Ospreys may very well have the deepest and most versatile midfield in the competition.
Rory Thornton’s departure is disappointing in the second row, although with Alun Wyn Jones signing on for another two years and Adam Beard coming to prominence over the past two years, opportunities were limited for the former Wales U20 captain.
If there is one area of the squad, on paper, where you would be critical, it’s arguably among the props. Although there are PRO14-calibre options there who can help the Ospreys have a productive season, the depth is thin behind them and a couple of key injuries could create plenty of problems for the region.
Despite that, the Ospreys do look in a good place to build upon their 2018/19 season and push forward in 2019/20.
Often the trend in Welsh rugby is of losing established players to better money on offer in England and France and plugging those gaps with promising academy players or bargain signings from abroad. This keeps them competitive but prevents them from being able to build and genuinely challenge the stranglehold that the Irish provinces have on the competition.
The Scarlets and Glasgow Warriors have both had their moments over recent years, but it’s hard to escape the fact the competition has had an Irish winner in five of the last seven seasons.
With the Ospreys being able to welcome up their academy promotions as reinforcements this year, rather than simply replenishing the player pool, the Swansea-based side look to be a strong candidate for the playoffs this coming season. By being drawn in a conference with Leinster, Ulster and Glasgow Warriors, they will certainly be battle-tested, should they make it.
As four-times champions of the competition, the Ospreys are somewhat of a sleeping giant and whilst that conference will surely push them to their limits, there are signs that they may be beginning to rouse.
If their squad can escape the Rugby World Cup relatively unscathed and they can make the most of their considerable depth in the back row and midfield, the Ospreys could be one of the teams to watch over the next 10 months.
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Latest Comments
I like the idea of Elrigh Louw as a long-term option for captaincy. Honestly, it’s hard to say who else could take on that role after Siya Kolisi, as 2027 is still a long way off. In my opinion, Siya will likely go to the Rugby World Cup in 2027 unless injury or a significant dip in form prevents him.
Between now and 2027, I think the captaincy will be shared among several players as Siya’s playing time is carefully managed—a strategy the Springboks have been implementing for some time. Younger players like Salmaan Moerat might get opportunities to captain in tier-two matches, as we’ve already seen. Other emerging talents like Jordan Hendrikse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu could also be considered, though the Boks have traditionally favored forwards for captaincy roles. Damian Willemse is another possibility, but he first needs to play his way back into the team.
My personal feeling is that there should be an effort to appoint a black captain to replace Siya. His captaincy has been pivotal in broadening rugby's appeal across racial groups in South Africa over the past 7 years. More so than any other period in the last 30 years.
Form permitting, Moerat is a strong contender, given his leadership qualities and pedigree. However, some might view such an appointment as political, potentially overlooking Moerat's real potential and the broader significance of such a decision.
Other players with leadership potential have been mentioned, such as Phepsi Buthelezi. However, it remains to be seen whether the former DHS star will secure a permanent spot in the Springbok lineup.
One positive aspect of the uncertainty around Siya’s long-term successor is the way the Springboks have emphasized shared leadership among senior players. This approach has lessened the pressure on a single captain and allowed the team to thrive collectively.
When Siya was first appointed, there was skepticism about his leadership credentials. And whether he was the best 6 in the country. The shared leadership strategy gave him the support and platform to grow into the exceptional captain he is today. And he's proven critics wrong about his abilities as a player.
Go to commentswell I guess now you've learned to stop going off vibes and engage with people's actual arguments
Hitler's rationale included the retaking of German areas, but it wasn't limited to that. Hitler wanted to colonise and dominate as much land as possible, so his ambitions were much broader than just areas with historical german populations.
Where is this list that includes Hungary and Austria? How would Russia go about taking all these places? Ukraine is taking them a while and costing them a lot of soldiers. Hitler took France in a matter of weeks, but Putin has taken 3 years to gain a few dozen miles in Ukraine. At this rate he'll die of old age before getting anywhere near Poland.
I'm aware that Putin and Netanyahu are on the same side, but Netanyahu is also on the same side as Biden, Harris, Starmer (and Trump and Sunak). This isn't a situation where the west are the goodies.
There is a hot war with Russia now. They are winning in Ukraine, but its a war of attrition, not a blitzkreig.
"Settler colonialism? What exactly do you think the plans are? Crimea?"
I think the plans aren't colonial. If you think they are then you should make that argument, not just have a tantrum because I disagree with you.
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