Ospreys say Morgan needed break after Six Nations

Flanker Jac Morgan is Wales and Ospreys captain

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones says Wales captain Jac Morgan needed a short break after the disastrous winless Six Nations campaign.

The record 68-14 home loss to England extended the international losing sequence to 17 Tests.

Wales finished bottom of the table for a second successive season but Morgan's high standards rarely dropped and he is widely tipped for the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia in the summer.

Ospreys skipper Morgan was Wales' standout performer with the flanker finishing the tournament as the top tackler with 88, a Welsh Six Nations record.

"He has done a world-class job because he is a world-class bloke and world-class player," said Jones.

Morgan, 25, was given the week off following the tournament and missed Ospreys' 43-40 United Rugby Championship (URC) win against Connacht in Swansea.

"He has been incredible in dealing with the type of pressure he has been having on him as a young captain and having never been in that position before with the losing streak," said Jones.

"That is why we did not involve him this week with the mental strain as well as the physical one.

"We felt it was important to let him to go away and take stock of things because we want him to feel excited and refreshed coming back in.

"We will get him back in the building and see how he is feeling."

Ospreys face Scarlets twice in eight days as they travel to Llanelli for the URC match next Saturday, before hosting a European Challenge Cup last-16 match against their Welsh rivals in Swansea on Sunday, 6 April.

'Regions are competitive'

The future of Welsh rugby has been up for debate with questions over the make-up of the professional game and whether four regions can be competitive.

Cardiff and Ospreys are currently in the top half of the URC while Scarlets still have play-off ambitions, although Dragons are cut adrift at the bottom of the table.

"The regions have been competitive all season if you look at who they have beaten and where they have won," said Jones.

"Three out of the regions are competing at the moment in Europe and the league, while Dragons are chipping away and doing their best, although things are not going their way at the moment."

Jones has transformed the Ospreys since he took over the reins from Toby Booth in December, winning six and drawing one of eight games.

"There is always going to be negativity around Welsh rugby when the national team has lost 17 internationals," added the former wing who won 47 caps for Wales.

"It is human nature but that does not mean there are not good rugby players being produced into the country.

"We are struggling to get a bit of cohesion together as a group and momentum.

"I am sure when we get that you will see these players moving forwards. Our jobs in the regions are to make sure we speed that up as quickly as we can."