Ifan Phillips: Ospreys head coach Toby Booth reflects on 'emotional week'
- Published
Ospreys players in a huddle with their tribute to Ifan Phillips before a 21-13 defeat to Sale
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth admitted the 21-13 Heineken Champions Cup defeat against Sale had completed an emotional week for the region.
Ospreys hooker Ifan Phillips suffered life-changing injuries in a motorcycle collision which has cut short his career.
His team-mates warmed up for the Sale game with the number 2 and 'Phillips' on their jerseys.
"It's been an emotional week, for sure," said Booth.
"There is only so much emotion to go around. As a mark of [respect to] one of our team-mates, we warmed up in the kit that we did and there's been a lot of action between, effectively, our camp and their camp, the family.
"It's about trying to support in the immediacy but that support is going to need to continue post-hospital, into the next phase of his life and long term.
"We'll make a commitment, as the Ospreys, to do that."
Ospreys lost against Sale despite launching a second-half comeback.
"It wasn't spoken about as a motivator but, in a perverse way, it almost epitomised Ifan as a guy," added Booth.
"He's plucky and I thought our performance was plucky. He always got stuck in and made the best of it. I suppose, now you mention it, our performance today looks a little bit like that."
Ospreys and Wales lock Adam Beard echoed Booth's sentiments.
"I'm not going to lie, it's been a tough week," he said.
"Ifan is a top boy in the squad, an amazing player, and it's just a sad moment.
"But the boys deserve some credit today, they showed some pride for Ifan."
A crowdfunding page set up for Phillips towards his rehabilitation has surpassed £50,000, with players from across the Welsh regions among those to have contributed.
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