United Rugby Championship: Welsh sides bow out of league play-off race
- Published
Ospreys players leave the field in Edinburgh after conceding seven tries in the United Rugby Championship defeat
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth believes smaller squad sizes from next season will continue to make it harder to break into the United Rugby Championship top eight.
After Ospreys and Cardiff defeats this weekend there will be no Welsh side in this season's URC play-offs.
Once again no Welsh team will finish in the top half of the table.
That means the league season will end for Cardiff, Ospreys, Scarlets and Dragons next weekend.
Welsh sides fill four of the bottom six places in the URC going into the final regular round of league fixtures, with Cardiff 11th, Ospreys 13th, Scarlets 14th and Dragons 15th.
In 68 league games this season, the quartet of Welsh sides have won 22. With playing budgets and contracts being reduced next season and top players leaving Wales, there are no signs of any uplift in 2023-24.
"I can only comment on our season and other regions will have their own discussions," said Booth.
"If you look at the narrow results we have been on the wrong side of, there are four or five of those games we have had and that's the difference at this level.
"The strength in depth, your ability to build momentum through selection around international windows all plays a part.
"But we still had enough control of our own destiny, especially in the first part of the season, even though we were hamstrung by some key injuries and people learning their trade and that's where the season ebbed.
"We are competitive but we need more consistency. The difficult thing in going forward with smaller squad sizes it's going to be difficult to maintain that competitive edge around selections.
"There are some challenges on and off the pitch to get that consistency."
Welsh bragging rights
Welsh rugby's "Judgement Day" will be held at the Principality Stadium next Saturday with Scarlets and Dragons opening the double bill before Cardiff and Ospreys face each other.
The only thing left to play for is who will win the Welsh Shield as the top Welsh region - and with it a place in next season's Heineken Champions Cup - as Cardiff and Ospreys battle it out for that accolade.
Ospreys are four league points behind Cardiff who only need one match point to claim the top Welsh spot. So Booth's side need a bonus point win while denying Cardiff any points if they are to retain the Welsh crown and they need to bounce back from a .
"Our work will be cut out but we have been there and done it before. It's going to be a tough challenge but Welsh derbies are one-offs," said Booth.
"We will need to first emotionally recover from what we have just been through against Edinburgh. That was uncharacteristic to what we have produced previously and I was not expecting that all.
"The two games you have to be so aware of emotionally when you are playing other sides is their first and last home games because everybody is excited, keen and emotional.
"We knew how important the opening minutes were going to be against Edinburgh and it could not have gone any worse for us which set the tone.
"I don't think we will worried about that from an emotional point of view against Cardiff.
"What is good about where we have previously been in Welsh derbies is we have managed to do well in the outcome and the control side.
"It is easier said than done, though, especially against a side [Cardiff] who has exactly the same to play for as you have."
Signing season
With the season finishing early in late April, the attention will turn to signings with squad sizes being cut next season and players salaries reduced.
Centre Joe Hawkins and flanker Ethan Roots have already announced they are leaving to join Exeter and there is speculation over the futures of Nicky Smith and Rhys Webb.
"We have got a lot of good news in terms of keeping people at Ospreys in particular," said Booth.
"Everybody knows where the game is going from a financial point of view and you have to cut your cloth accordingly so there is going to be some disappointment unfortunately.
"We have to protect the Ospreys long-term and we are confident some of the news coming out will be very well-received and it gives us a chance to move into the next era."