Ospreys' confidence delights backs coach Gruff Rees

Backs coach Gruff Rees said Friday night's 21-10 win over Glasgow showed the confidence flowing through Ospreys.

Ospreys are unbeaten at home in the Pro12 this season but had lost to Glasgow in their previous seven games.

Tries from Ben John and Rhys Webb saw Ospreys displace Glasgow at the top of the table and take a big step in securing a home tie in the play-offs.

"We're playing with confidence but also with an understanding of where we can pressure the opposition," Rees said.

"We've got great respect for them: historically the last two or three years they've had the better of us.

"But we felt there were a couple of nuances we could bring to our game, and the way we've got a confidence and a purpose to what we're doing we certainly got on top of them."

A tight first half was tied 3-3 at the break after Duncan Weir and Dan Evans exchanged penalties.

But Ospreys let rip in the second period to record their fifth win in a row and delight most of a bumper 10,900-strong crowd.

"Perhaps we kicked one or two times the first half and we allowed [Niko] Matawalu to cause some problems for us," Rees said.

"But we spoke about being confident and having conviction in what we're doing, and I think to go and win a league you've got to have a bit about you with ball in hand and we're trying to do that."

Munster, in third, got to fourth-placed Ulster on Saturday, with the winner of that set to take over from Ospreys at the top of the table.

But the likelihood is that Ospreys - who have already secured a play-off berth - will have home advantage in their own hands when they travel to Connacht in the final round of the regular season next weekend.

No team has ever won an away semi-final in the history of the Pro12 play-offs, but Rees believes Ospreys can buck that trend if they have to.

"If the result didn't go our way against a quality side who were top of the league, we would have the confidence to go away from home and win a semi-final," he added.

"We'll take it the way it comes, I don't think tonight changes that.

"We've got to go to Connacht and they've got a lot to play for, and we've got to show the same purpose.

"They [could] be playing for a European spot next week, as well as the last game for a few stalwarts. It's a tough challenge."