Toby Booth: No quick fix for Ospreys says new head coach

Ospreys players Alun Wyn Jones, Dewi Lake, Stephen Myler and Rhys Webb during the 29-20 defeat to Cardiff Blues

New Ospreys head coach Toby Booth says he realises turning the struggling region around will not prove a quick fix.

Ospreys finished the poorest season of their history with a 29-20 defeat to Cardiff Blues as the region finished bottom of their Pro14 conference.

It was Booth's second game in charge following the 20-20 draw with Dragons.

"We understand this is going to be a journey and not a quick fix," said Booth.

Ospreys won just two out of 20 games played in the Pro14 and Champions Cup, with 17 defeats and a draw in a disastrous 2019-20 season that saw head coach Allen Clarke leave the region.

Booth has come in for the last two games of the extended campaign with the new season due to start in October.

"We need to start climbing the mountain and deal with the pitfalls that come with that," said Booth.

"We know now where we are and we can finish off the season and move on.

"I have learned a lot about people and my overriding want was to look at what we have got.

"You have to see what character people have. I was pleased we have shown character in both games and we need to be more precise and certain elements need to grow.

"We will get excited and busy for what is to come. We have to start progressing to the team we want to be."

Cardiff Blues finished their season by staying in sixth in Conference B.

Despite winning two more matches and recording nine more league points than Dragons, Cardiff Blues have missed out to their rivals for a Champions Cup place next season.

Champions Cup qualification is based on finishing positions after round 13 of matches before rugby's restart.

The top European four sides in each conference will be taking part in a 24-team Champions Cup tournament, with the Pro14 contributing eight sides.

Cardiff Blues played their final home game of the 2019-20 season at Newport's Rodney Parade because the Arms Park is out of action

At that time Dragons were in the top four European sides in Conference A, while Scarlets also qualified for the Champions Cup.

"It is just the way the competition is set and if the rules are in place the top four teams go in, that is the way it's going to be," said Mulvihill.

"We were just unlucky which pool we were in. We are disappointed because we had five home games we could not play so we had unfinished business."

Mulvihill is aiming for clarity this week about the start and format of the new league season which is due to begin on the first weekend of October with question marks about the make-up of the South African sides.

"Hopefully this week we are going to find out how the season is going to pan out and what teams are in it," said Mulvihill.

"Whether it is a Pro12, Pro14 or Pro16, we just want a start date and we will get on with it."