Eli Walker: Ospreys 'deserve' Pro 12 top spot, says wing

Walker was due to win his first Wales cap against South Africa in November 2014 but had to pull out because of injury

Ospreys winger Eli Walker says he is not surprised by what the region has achieved in the Pro12 this season.

The Swansea-based side are top of the Pro12 and are away to Connacht in their final game of the regular season.

Victory would secure a home semi-final draw in the play-offs and Walker says the side have proved the doubters wrong,

"I think the boys deserve everything that they've got leading to the end of the season," he said.

"We knew the talent we had across the board and we had no doubt we would end up in the play-offs.

"That's something that we've worked extremely hard on."

Ospreys had been written off in some quarters ahead of the 2014-2015 season following high profile departures.

Wales internationals Adam Jones, Ryan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Ian Evans as well as Matthew Morgan left the region.

But Steve Tandy's side made an impressive start to the season, winning their first seven league games.

Walker says the side also coped with the absence of key internationals including Alun Wyn Jones, Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar during the Six Nations.

"Players went at the end of last season but we had that time to breed youngsters," Walker added.

"We knew the talent we had across the board.

"We started the season off with a bang and that put us in good stead.

"Obviously it gets a bit sticky in the middle of the season when talented internationals in our team go away on international duty

"The vital win against Munster and doing really well in Glasgow with a young squad has put us in good stead for the end of the season."