Strength in numbers and credit to the coaches as Ospreys make it six from six
NEWCASTLE ................... 21 TRIES: D TEMM; R VICKERS, C HARRIS CONS: C WILLIS (3) OSPREYS ......................... 26 TRIES: R WEBB, H DIRKSEN, S DAVIES, S OTTEN CONS: DAVIES (3) PENS: JONES (3) ATTENDANCE: 3,551 REFEREE: ALEXANDRE RUIZ (FRANCE)
THE Ospreys secured their place in the history books by defeating Newcastle Falcons 26-21 and becoming the first side to register 30 points in a European pool.
It has been a stunning effort from Steve Tandy’s side that ensures they take their place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals as top seeds.
They completed their sixth bonuspoint victory of the campaign despite making 10 changes from the side that had defeated Lyon six days earlier.
MARK ORDERS looks at the main talking points.
IT’S ABOUT TIME SOMEONE GAVE A NOD TO OSPREYS’ COACHES
STEVE Tandy turned down the chance to tour with Wales in the summer because of Ospreys duties and family commitments.
You would hope that wouldn’t count against him in the long term.
He has done a terrific job with the Ospreys this season, turning around a struggling side into one that has forgotten how to lose.
The region’s all-for-one, one-forall culture, which has no time for inflated egos, hasn’t happened by chance.
Former Neath flanker Tandy has helped cement it with his brand of honesty and to-the-point leadership.
He isn’t as smooth as silk, fair enough.
But he is in charge of a side that has played rugby this season that none of their Welsh rivals have come close to matching. Indeed, at times over the past five months the Ospreys have looked as if they could down the national XV. A nod to Gruff Rees, too. Matt Sherratt and Alex King may have a lot to offer as attack coaches, but the Ospreys have rattled up 16 bonus-point victories from 21 games and the presumption is that backs coach Rees has had something to do with that.
He is Welsh and you would think Wales would want to use and develop a homegrown coach who thinks deeply about the game and gets results.
Chris Gibbes and Brad Davis complete a coaching team that is hopelessly unsung.
NO OPEN-TOP BUS PARADES AROUND LLANDARCY THIS WEEK
THE Ospreys achieved history by becoming the first team to achieve six bonus-point triumphs in a European pool campaign, but Steve Tandy reminded his players afterwards that such a feat wouldn’t help them one jot in the Challenge Cup quarter finals.
They will start with a clean slate and the coaches will tell the players to view the 30-point return from the group stage as part of an unfolding narrative rather than the end of their European journey for the season.
Open-top bus parades will not be on the agenda around Llandarcy this week.
WEBB SAVVY
JUST five minutes into his comeback after 11 weeks out, Rhys Webb crossed for a try after throwing such a devastating dummy the Newcastle defence were probably searching high and low for the ball long after supporters had gone home and the lights had started to dim around Kingston Park.
But Webb wisely didn’t try to overdo things thereafter, knowing every returning sportsman needs to work his way back through the gears.
A run-out against Bristol in the Anglo-Welsh Cup in Bridgend on Saturday wouldn’t be the worst idea as he looks to top up his match fitness ahead of the Six Nations.
SQUADS WIN SILVERWARE
THE Ospreys made 10 changes for their encounter on Tyneside, a selection that saw Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Dan Biggar rested. They named Nicky Smith and Lloyd Ashley on the bench and chose to give Sam Parry and Tom Habberfield the weekend off. But they still got the job done. The scrums were a mess in the opening half and there will be concern that Dmitri Arhip and Ma’afu Fia are injured at a time when Rhodri Jones is required by Wales. Somehow, the Ospreys have to find the cover to cope for the next couple of months. But elsewhere they look well off. Dan Evans continues to play as well as any full-back in the country — not that it matters in Wales terms — and Hanno Dirksen and Dafydd Howells performed well enough to cushion the absence of injured flyers Keelan Giles, Jeff Hassler, Eli Walker and Tom Grabham.
SPECIAL SEVENS
JUSTIN Tipuric has been arguably the player of the season in Wales, but the Ospreys are carrying more than one outstanding openside flanker.
Sam Underhill has been getting back up to speed after coming back from injury.
But there is zero doubt about his quality and when the Ospreys needed something special the 20-year-old came up with a man-of-the-match performance. Eager around the field and a force at the breakdown, he also defended uncompromisingly as part of a back row in which Olly Cracknell and James King were also strong performers.
Underhill will be missed when he heads off to Bath in the summer.
But before then he has much to offer as the Ospreys continue their search for silverware on different fronts.
BEARD, HOME BY A WHISKER AND ALL THAT
THE Ospreys were grimly defending a five-point lead heading towards full-time when Newcastle launched a furious offensive that threatened to deliver a try and dash the visitors’ bid to make the record books.
Twice the Welsh region were saved by interventions from Adam Beard.
First of all the youngster brought down a home attacker in full-flight.
Knowing the urgency of the situation the 6ft 8in lock forward, who celebrated his 21st birthday earlier this month, got to his feet to put in another hit that checked the Newcastle attack.
That isn’t just about good tackle technique or awareness in defence.
It is all about attitude and resolve.
Beard was determined his side would go home as record breakers, so he got off the floor and did something about it when no-one would have said anything had he stayed down.