Ospreys coach admits difficult day after exit news

Toby Booth has had coaching stints at London Irish, Bath and Harlequins

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth has reflected on an emotional week following the announcement he will leave the region at the end of the forthcoming season.

Booth has been in charge since 2020 at the Swansea-based team and will complete a fifth campaign before departing next summer.

It was announced on Friday that Booth will be replaced by Mark Jones who will be promoted from defence coach, a role Justin Tipuric will take over after he retires at the end of this season.

Booth told his players of the changes 24 hours before guiding Ospreys to a 14-10 pre-season friendly win at Exeter.

"Yesterday (Friday) was probably one of the most difficult days of my coaching career, to stand in front of a group of people and give them that news," said Booth.

"It was important to be up front and honest, which are some of the values we talk about.

"I'm not going to get into the minutiae detail but I wanted to do what's right for the team, which was to give them the information.

"I also want them to not be distracted in the season, which is the main thing.

"Everyone knows where they are, what's going on and I was involved in the succession side of it.

"My input is it should be internal, they don't need wholesale change.

"My job will be to help that transition be as smooth as possible and pass the baton onto the people who will take it forward."

'Accurate announcement'

Lance Bradley was previously Gloucester chief executive

Ospreys co-ordinated the announcement on Friday and described it as a long-term coaching strategy, with Booth insisting it was the right move and time for all parties.

But after transforming the Ospreys since coming in four years ago, an obvious question was did he want to go?

Booth again insisted the timing was right and in line with his own wishes.

"The announcement you've seen is accurate," said Booth.

"You wrestle with decisions. You don't invest four years of yourself, and this will be the fifth year, into any project, with any view of going.

"You know how committed I am to the whole thing, the Ospreys, my people, my players and the environment.

"The legacy part of any coach's tenure is measured in different ways.

"For me, it's what we've done with the people. For where we've come from the era of poor performance where things were not clear, were inconsistent, had cynicism and [players having] a look over their shoulder all the time.

"Compared to where they are now, where players are supporting each other, challenging each other to be better in a protected environment that looks like high performance.

"If it all finished tomorrow, I would have done what I needed to do."

Such is the manner in which Booth has helped transform the organisation, questions will be raised about the news of his exit and the head coach understands why they are being asked.

When asked whether it was a mutual decision, Booth replied: "I've answered the question already.

"I understand why it is asked and that people are looking for angles and reasons.

"I've given my reasons and they are the reasons.

"How you get to those reasons is not helpful I don't think because the outcome is still the outcome."

Popular figure

One of the reasons supporters are looking for answers is how popular Booth has become among the Ospreys faithful.

"What I will say on it is, I've been completely touched by the reaction," said Booth.

"There's been a couple of firsts in the last 10 days where for the first time in my career, I got a round of applause at a supporters evening.

"That was lovely when a genuine supporter grabbed the microphone and thanked me personally for reinstalling and initiating hope in a group of people and fans.

"My job is done in that respect. To reinstall hope and ambition into a failing organisation, I'm pretty comfortable I leave Ospreys in a better place."

Booth does not have anything lined up yet but believes he will leave Ospreys a better coach than when he arrived.

He insisted this week's shock news will not impact his squad this season as they strive to improve on last term.

"There's a lot to play for this year," said Booth.

"It's my last year, it's Tips' [Tipuric] last year, and Jac Morgan's first year as captain.

"We've got a young ambitious group who don't have the scar tissue and want to move forward.

"If you've got the right people on the bus in the right positions, it normally ends up at its destination.

"Whether it ends up in the destination while I'm still on it, we'll wait and see but ultimately I don't see any reason for the deviation of that."

Booth guided Ospreys to the top half of the United Rugby Championship (URC) last season despite the financial constraints on the Welsh professional sides.

"We have a hard start to the season and will have to weather the normal storms," said Booth.

"We are now a top eight team and there is a different thought around now when you play the Ospreys.

"We probably surprised a few people by being what we are, but the victim of success is people pay you a bit more respect and as a result we have to be better."