Embarrassingly 'nilled' by rivals Scarlets, Ospreys are in dire need of a head coach with vision and gravitas
The facts are stark. According to rugby statistician Russ Petty, the Ospreys’ 44-0 loss to the Scarlets was only the fourth time in their history they had been ‘nilled’.
It was the third-largest defeat since their inception 16 ago and led their talisman Justin Tipuric – someone not prone to melodrama – to exclaim that it was by far his worst night in an Ospreys shirt.
As captain, and someone who has to make a decision on his future imminently, he questioned the character of the squad in a heartfelt plea.
Yes, the shellacking dished out by their rivals across the Loughor was nightmarish but if you look at their next five fixtures, there is no easy respite for a side lacking in confidence. It could get worse.
For starters, they face a Dragons side growing in belief and resilience at Rodney Parade under Dean Ryan, before the main course of a duo of European heavyweights in Saracens and Munster.
(Continue reading below…)
RugbyPass went behind the scenes with the Barbarians before their recent clash with Wales
After that, an Irish dessert of Ulster and Leinster could leave them with indigestion. Quite simply, it’s hard to know where the wins are going to come from. By mid-February their record could read: played 19, lost 18 and won one. The solitary 24-20 victory over Benetton came on October 12.
Sitting firmly at the foot of Conference A in the Guinness PRO14, those putting their heads above the parapet were downbeat in their assessment.
Carl Hogg, their forwards coach, said they had been beaten ‘in every facet, starting with energy and enthusiasm’ before trotting out well-worn adages about hard work and having to look within to find answers. For forlorn fans, empty clichés need to be replaced by firm action.
Ospreys have turned the clock back 20 years as former Swansea coach Mike Ruddock is back on the beat in the west Wales city https://t.co/SJVkX8odhZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 3, 2019
So how has it come to this? How have Wales’ most successful region, the winners of four domestic leagues, and a professional outfit that produced 15 British and Irish Lions in 16 years, reached such a nadir?
The reasons, as ever, are complex and wide-ranging. The Ospreys have produced Welsh icons Adam Jones, Shane Williams and Ryan Jones, but the days of complimenting them with foreign superstars of the ilk of Justin Marshall, Tommy Bowe and Jerry Collins seem like memories from a bygone era when Mike Cuddy, their former benefactor, bankrolled luxury purchases before falling upon ill-health and diminishing returns.
Yet it should also be added that the Ospreys are not paupers. They still have £5.3million to spend on their squad from the WRU, second only to the Scarlets in Wales, and have £1.9m larger kitty than the Dragons. Of course, there are sides with more money sloshing about, but it would be disingenuous to plead poverty as the sole reason for their quandary.
‘Honesty, fight, work ethic, togetherness, a good place to work… those values and characteristics are coming to the fore again’
– Allen Clarke tells @heagneyl about his determination to turn @ospreys back into a success story https://t.co/3P0IUvGxl7— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 15, 2019
Injuries have undoubtedly hurt them. The marquee signing of Gareth Anscombe has been a nightmare, with the gifted playmaker ruled out for the season through a knee injury incurred in the pre-World Cup warm-up against England.
They have also been deprived of world stars George North and Alun-Wyn Jones through injury since the World Cup. Their return, especially the talismanic Jones, are much needed, but is that an excuse? They must cast their eyes enviously over at the Scarlets, who at one point were missing 20 internationals during the World Cup. Their charismatic All Blacks-bound coach Brad Mooar has guided them to ten wins in 13 by playing an enterprising brand of rugby.
To rub salt in the wound, Liam Williams – a Swansea boy – chose to return to the Scarlets rather than select a region that overlooked him as a callow youth. Then there is the coaching situation. When Steve Tandy was dismissed in January 2018 after a period where the region only won two out their first nine games, a worldwide hunt for a head coach was trumpeted. It ended at the tip of their nose when existing forwards coach Allen Clarke was installed after taking over as an interim.
Struggling Welsh region Ospreys have boldly predicted a radical shake-up happening soon to the PRO14 and Premiership leagueshttps://t.co/TsTdAFW8s7
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 30, 2019
Questions over whether Clarke was at fully at ease being thrust into the head coach’s role never really abated and when Clarke was dismissed in farcical circumstances last month, James Hook and Richie Pugh were left to face the press at an organised event.
The scrutiny led managing director Andrew Millward to accuse the media of ‘hijacking’ the press conference to incredulous looks from those present. While criticism has been forthright – and some would say merited – there has been no pointed agenda against the region, only sympathy. Indeed, Welsh rugby knows four functioning regions is a pre-requisite for continued progress.
For now, leading playing operations are Matt Sherratt, the backs coach, who has already announced he is off to Worcester Warriors at the end of the season, and Hogg, the former Scotland back row and Worcester defence coach.
https://www.facebook.com/rugbypass/photos/a.1067916703281652/2893841577355813
Earlier this month Mike Ruddock, the former Wales Grand Slam-winning coach, was drafted in as a consultant, but there has been no word as yet whether that arrangement will extend beyond January 2. This uncertainty is far from ideal and has led to a feeling that the Ospreys are rudderless and lacking direction.
The seeds of the Ospreys’ current predicament date back further. In March, there was the tawdry on-off merger with the Scarlets (and even Cardiff Blues) during the Six Nations, as Project Reset reached its painful conclusion.
It led WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips to issue a public apology to players who had feared for their livelihoods. There was also precious little transparency for the supporters about what exactly had led to such an agreement and claims that the Scarlets had instigated a takeover were scoffed at across the Loughor.
https://www.facebook.com/rugbypass/posts/2596502943756346
What is unequivocal is that in sport off-field disquiet rarely helps a side perform on the field and the Ospreys are a case-in-point. Players-wise, a full-strength Ospreys squad is still formidable. There are seven players with over 50 Welsh caps – Jones, North, Tipuric, Dan Lydiate, Hook, Scott Williams and Bradley Davies but beneath that, there is a notable drop in quality.
While regional ‘best buys’ Filo Tiatia, Marty Holah, Stefan Terblanche and Kahn Fotuali’i provided stability when the Welsh internationals were away on Test leave in times past, overseas recruitment has been found wanting in recent years with the likes of JJ Engelbrecht, Brian Mujati and Tito Tebaldi making little lasting impression at the Welsh region.
As for slithers of seasonal cheer, the Ospreys must be waiting to see how the WRU distributes the £35m of investment from hedge fund CVC, hopeful that pooled resources and a rumoured British and Irish League save them from their malaise.
"My boy was playing under-11s rugby and we could barely get nine or ten players to come out and play whereas with football they were scratching two sides together." @ShaneWilliams11 talks regional rugby decline with @heagneyl ???https://t.co/opEhls2mH2
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 1, 2019
On the field, thankfully, the production line at the Ospreys is still turning. Promoted from the academy, Dewi Lake, Harri Morgan, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler and Cai Evans have joined the likes of Owen Watkin and Adam Beard in spearheading the next generation.
But the future is mired in doubt. Only 6,684 hardy fans turned up for last weekend’s derby against the Cardiff Blues in a cavernous Liberty Stadium. Some fans have talked about a reboot or the jolt that comes with relegation, but with no drop from the PRO14, the Ospreys are vulnerable and can drift listlessly unless firm action is taken by their underfire power-brokers, Millward and Rob Davies.
Priority number one is a head coach who has the vision and gravitas to drive the region forward. Any suitors should make themselves known. It cannot come a moment too soon.
WATCH: RugbyPass travelled to Brecon to see how life after rugby is treating Andy Powell, one of Wales’ biggest characters on and off the pitch
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments